Bitting advice - kids with harsh bits

[AnnieD]

Morning all.

Just hoping for a bit of advice for my daughter and ponio - Boo - 11 years old, nice little rider, good balance, kind hands. Moo - 14.1 cob type, super pony but is quite strong, esp when jumping.

Currently Moo is ridden in a kimblewick (came with when we bought him), he does lean on this quite a bit in the school, and when show jumping turning can be an issue, and he has recently taken to p*ss*ng off after a cross country fence (he only does it with Boo because she's just not strong enough to stop him - he tried with me and I stopped him in his tracks).

Now I hate to see kids with ponies in strong bits, pulling them in the teeth and generally making their lives miserable, but she's actually very concious of being kind with her hands )almost too much sometimes).

Soooooo, to cut my rather long winded post short - what do you suggest we try? Someone has suggested a waterford gag to stop him leaning - any thoughts?

 

[tinap]

That's what we put our pony in, who does the same as yours, & he's going brill now. Did it on the advice of our BS instructor, so not just chucked anything in his mouth! My daughter is 15 but small & the pony is a 14hh powerhouse. Daughter was worried about a stronger bit but instructor told her she was never going to be that strong in her hand to damage his mouth, which proved right!! He did get a cut mouth but was due to allergy to the metal it turned out!! I would let her have a try. Doesn't have to be in the bottom ring, ours is fine on the 2nd. xx