Bitting advice for enthusiastic turbo-cob

tobiano1984

tobiano1984

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I've reached a dead end with bitting for my 15.1 turbo cob, and wondered if anyone can help! He's 5, and I've no idea what breed but is cob x something like arab/tb or wb. Having had a great start to schooling when he was 3 and 4, in his 5th year he's decided that he knows best and that schooling is pointless and boring. I really wanted to keep him in a snaffle so we can do dressage, but at the moment in the school in a snaffle it's one long fight, he wants to canter, I want him to relax and trot at a normal pace. My instructor is of the mind that it would be better to put him in a stronger bit for a while rather than fight him in a snaffle. I ride him in a mullen mouth pelham with 2 reins for showing, in which he goes well in a showing-sense. So I'm looking for something to school him in that can hopefully be dressage-legal, and something to jump him in:

schooling - we started in a french link full cheek, was great to start but now he's too strong in it. Currently in a Myler full cheek, slightly better but still too strong. He doesn't like single jointed bits.

jumping - I've tried him in a kimblewick and the brakes are great, he's very forward going but not super-strong, but I need to be able to control him around corners and coming into fences as otherwise he gets out of control and then loses confidence and slams the brakes on. In the kimblewick this is fine but I don't find it a very 'precise' bit and don't feel like I have much contact with him or precision in turning.

I definitely don't want to overbit him so wondering what would work that isn't too strong? Help!
 
A rubber pelham works well for both my 'turbo cobs' - they wear them for hunting, but go back to snaffles out of season.

I use one rein with roundings which I know many will disagree with, but works for me. It also gives you the option of double reins if the roundings make the bit too mild.
 
I would suggest a waterford, a pelham, or even (dare I say it), take the bit away altogether and try an English hackamore....nothing to pull on, but good control.
 
Seems like your kimblewick / pelham is working great for you, so stick with that, and swap to a cambridge mouth snaffle for dressage. Lose the joint in the mouthpiece that's annoying him. Lots of cobs don't like jointed bits.
 
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