Bitting advice needed

[frostyfingers]

I have an ex racer who I'm struggling to hold if we're doing anything slightly competitive..... Currently we hack in an ordinary snaffle which is fine and I've been hunting him in a french link snaffle with an ordinary noseband, I tried a flash on him but he fussed terribly with it and I think is better without anything different there. The FL is ok although he can be strong but I can usually cope, however recently I've been doing some xc and it's just not enough.

He takes a really strong hold and I end up holding on to his head which messes up his jumping. He rushes towards them and if I lengthen the reins as much as I'd like to he accelerates away and I have can't get him back without a struggle. I'm working on the rushing by schooling using trot poles in front of fences etc, but was wondering if there was a different bit which would give a little more control as well. I did try a Waterford snaffle hunting once but he spent the whole time chucking it around his mouth and ended up bruising himself so I haven't dared trying anything different. Can anyone suggest an alternative which might help with the rushing off after fences?

 

[Goldenstar]

Does he put his head up or down ?
The logical progression from where you are is a Dr Bristol with a grackle noseband.
But really this is a an issue you need to address with training not bits .

 

[kassieg]

ditto golden star, does he put his head up or down ?

my now 6 year old mare xc'd in a snaffle when schooling as a 4 year old & when eventing as a 5 year old. The last event I did of the season last year she had just got so fit & was running on her head & towing me into the fences as she was so enthusiastic about it, I couldn't steady her before the fences & it was a huge fight i was either leaving her & she was running into them at a terrible speed or I was trying to check her & she was getting upset & i was upsetting her jump. I pulled up 3/4 of the way round as it wasn't safe & I didn't want to knock her confidence if anything happened. I now have her in a cheltenham gag to xc in & she is so much better ! I can keep light hands & barely have to do anything into the fence & she is so much happier & we are safe.

It depends if it is a schooling issue or if you have just got to a point where you need that little bit more.

 

[frostyfingers]

His head goes down a bit although not to the floor like my previous horse and his chin towards his chest. I realise that just changing the bit is not going to be a magic cure hence I'm already working on the rushing and schooling him to slow his approach down, but in many ways it's the rushing off afterwards and trying to get him back that is the major problem - I'm anxious about giving him enough of his head because he tanks off as soon as he's landed! I just feel that if I have more confidence in being able to stop then I can relax my hands more which in turn might help his need to a) rush, and b) run away with me.... It's a combination of both things, I would love to be able to sort the issues out with schooling plus possible bit change, and then go back to what we're used to once we're happier.

 

[kassieg]

I would try a cheltenham gag, less severe that dutch gag but still has that raising action, will help to get his head up & off his chest & will give you a better jump as he will see his fences better, if you get a better jump you should find he lands more in balance and then may be less likely to run off

I wouldn't worry so much about "slowing down" I would get a nice forward balanced rhythm and stick to it, you will find that it is easier to keep to it rather than what you have at the moment which is him running away & you trying to get him back in front of the fence then him running away after it.

hope that makes sense !