Bitting advice please!

S

Seahorse

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Axel is normally ridden in a KK ultra, in the school he is light, responsive and not at all strong. But out hacking it's a different story!
It's probably my own fault I used to be able to canter him on the buckle but I let him gallop twice and now he wants to gallop everywhere.
If I want to have a nice canter on him it's impossible as I'm constantly having to pull and hold him from galloping off. He puts his head up so I hack him in a Market Harborough, but he is still very strong.

The other day I tried him in a Kimblewick which was fab for when we cantered but way too strong for him otherwise. To the point where he chucked his head up and almost reared every time I touched the reins.
I have used a pelham before but he curled himself up in it.

What would you suggest?
 
Did you try the pelham with 2 reins? A friend of mine uses hers with 2 reins so the curb only comes into play when she needs it to. She's had great success in kindly teaching her horse to not try to pull her arms off. You can also use a leather curb to soften the effect.

I thought gags have a raising effect? might not be the best thing given his high head carriage?
 
This may sound nuts but try putting your leg when he tries to bomb. I dont mean kick but squeeze.

I ride a very strong cob and when you jump if you dont push him forward you could bit him to the hilt and you still would have no brakes. But if you put your leg on you can jump him in a snaffle
 
If you use the gag with two reins you can use the snaffle rein for 99% of the time and only the gag to give him a tiny reminder when you canter.

Worth a go i'd have thought
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[ QUOTE ]
Did you try the pelham with 2 reins? A friend of mine uses hers with 2 reins so the curb only comes into play when she needs it to. She's had great success in kindly teaching her horse to not try to pull her arms off. You can also use a leather curb to soften the effect.

I thought gags have a raising effect? might not be the best thing given his high head carriage?

[/ QUOTE ]

I had roundings on my pelham for hacking but used 2 reins when I used it for showing. I might give it try hacking with 2 reins tho thanks!
 
[ QUOTE ]
This may sound nuts but try putting your leg when he tries to bomb. I dont mean kick but squeeze.

I ride a very strong cob and when you jump if you dont push him forward you could bit him to the hilt and you still would have no brakes. But if you put your leg on you can jump him in a snaffle

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the tip but I might die if I did that!
 
You may be suprised!

As my mum use to say you will never beat a horse with strength!

Holding him will only make him fight back even more. Put your legs on and ask him to go forward and like a kind 9 times out of 10 he'll go i dont want to now youv'e asked me.

At end of day, whats the worst that will happen? If he takes off, he'll knacker himself out and then ask him to gallop again just to tell him now you go when i ask you too!
 
[ QUOTE ]
You may be suprised!

As my mum use to say you will never beat a horse with strength!

Holding him will only make him fight back even more. Put your legs on and ask him to go forward and like a kind 9 times out of 10 he'll go i dont want to now youv'e asked me.

At end of day, whats the worst that will happen? If he takes off, he'll knacker himself out and then ask him to gallop again just to tell him now you go when i ask you too!

[/ QUOTE ]

The thing is he is incredibly fast and while I have no problem with galloping him at all where there's room the issue is when I want to have a nice canter some where and there's no room to gallop for example. He is impossible to stop and being half arab has tons of stamina so would actually go all day. I once cantered him along the bottom of a valley which ended up going up a massive hill, my friends horse had to give up half way but not only did Axel get to the top I had to physically pull him up to stop him!

In fact in the kimblewick he was fine to hold while we were cantering and I actually got a nice controlled canter alongside my friend, but it's too strong for him when we aren't cantering.
I just want something that will only come into play when I need it.
 
Try a universal. Same mouthpiece as the KK, but with a little bit more. Mine can be incredibly strong and fights against gags etc, but loves his universal, and so do i!!!!
tongue.gif
 
Try a NS universal, pickle goes fab in his, he hates pelhams and rears when not cantering as its too strong. In fact I could come visit you armed with pickles bit (allthough prob too big
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