Bitting advice please!

[willow0568]

Hi i'm new on here, wanted to see if anybody had any bitting advice! any way heres my story!
I took my 15 year old mare hunting for the first time this year.
i took her in her normal french link snaffle and standing martingale and said to myself never again, we did not stay long!
The next time we went i tried a dr bristol with no luck.
so the next time we went i took her in a pelham with roundings and a standing martingale.
she was so so strong the whole time that (shamefully) i took off the roundings and rode with the rein on just the bottom ring (which did work at the time)
The next time we went i did the same. Then i had big problems, she was shaking her head and rearing constantly which she only stopped when i took the curb chain off. (I tried loosening it but no luck)
Without the curb chain i had absolutly no brakes at all!

Wanted to know if anybody had any advice on different bits to try?
THANKS!!

 

[spacefaer]

When she's strong, does she just ignore the bit, or does she put her head up/down, yank at you......??

Depends how she's strong as to what bit works

 

[Dogstar]

I had problems for years hunting my strong, keen Irish cob who leaned like a dead weight. Eventually I tried a waterford dutch gag with two reins and have never looked back, revolutionary!

 

[willow0568]

She just completly ignors the bit entirely, as you said just like a dead weight. she doesnt really throw her head up or down but she does have a standing martingale so maybe thats stopping her from doing that anyway.
she is a typical welsh mare and her way is the only way! anything out of place and she rears!! funny you said that but i was looking into waterfords but wasn't sure you could get it in a dutch gag, do you have one rein on the snaffle and one on the bottom or middle ring?
thanks for the suggestion anyway, will give it a try! am not going out until the 1st of december now so will try and find one before then!

 

[Starbucks]

I'd prob try her in a Cheltenham Gag.

 

[Dogstar]

Hi. I have one rein on the snaffle ring and one on the bottom ring. Lucy is so much happier now, before she used to come back with a sore tongue and I had sore arms, but since the waterford we have both been in (near) perfect harmony!

 

[willow0568]

Thank you very much, am going to get one to try. with a waterford do you get it 1/2 an inch bigger than the usual size? thanks again!

 

[spacefaer]

Waterford is good because they can't lean so hard on the bit, and yes you get half an inch bigger.

with a dutch gag, top rein on big ring, bottom rein on either middle or bottom ring, depending on how effective it is.

The other thing you can try which is brilliant for leaners and strong horses is a Kineton noseband - has worked on several horses for us

 

[willow0568]

Took her out today in the waterford dutch gag and she was brill!, still a bit strong but no where near as bad as before! and she doesn't lean on it which is great. not aching so much now! only reared 3 times as well which is a very big improvement!
i think she is starting to come to terms with hunting now!
Thanks for the advice!

 

[Lyndsay]

You could also try a Copper Roller, work wonders on strong, heavy leaning horses.
See if a friend has one to borrow, as its always worth the try!!
Hope this helps

 

[Eagle_day]

A Waterford is good.

I find a Mexican noseband helps as well.