Bitting Advice Please

[teddysheep]

I'd like some help please!
I have a 5yr Welsh Sec A who I show in hand & all is going well. He is currently in a nylon mullen mouth bradoon for showing as well as for ridden work & lunge work. He is going very well BUT at the slightest pressure on his mouth, his head is straight up in the air, he hates any mouth pressure at all & I have very light hands both when ridden & when doing lunge work. The main problem is the trot up when showing in hand because he is VERY strong. Here is the problem...yes I need to run him out & yes he generally does this with a good outline but he is exceptionally strong & gets faster & faster. Of course I need look in control & its no good the way things are at the minute with both us going round with legs like the roadrunner because the minute I put the tiniest pressure on his mouth he flings his head up, mouth open & shakes it around & it looks terrible! He was in an Eggbut which was no good with the joint & he IS better with the nylon straightbar mouthpiece but I wonder if anyone has any suggestions please as this really is spoiling him. I desperatly need the control at the trot in the showring. His teeth/back have been checked.
Thanks

 

[madlady]

Are there bit restrictions for in hand?? I'm just thinking that you need something with a bit more poll pressure. He obviously prefers the straight bar type - a lot of horses do it's just that a lot of them are the 'stronger' type of bit - eg pelham, kimblewick etc and I'm not sure what your restrictions are but sounds like you need something which isn't loose ring so has more poll pressure but without a joint.

Other than that there is the option of a waterford mouth bit - maybe a fixed ring waterford would do the trick??

 

[teddysheep]

Thanks, I'm not sure what the bit resituctions are for m&m in-hand, I'll have to check. He is going very nicely & has a beautiful outline, it's just a pity he reacts this way & we end up doing 2 laps of the ring before pulling up before a frowning judge which is very embarrassing!!

 

[Nari]

Could you get a small three way coupling made & fit it so that the pressure is split between the bit & the noseband? It might not work but often ponies that dislike pressure on the bit will respond well to pressure on the noseband.

It might also be worth looking at a magic bit, they're an unjointed mouthpiece with a small port & are meant to be good on strong ponies but have the advantage of looking like a normal snaffle on the ouside.

 

[teddysheep]

thanks, just looked at that. Seems pretty good because he does tend to lean on the bit & also crosses his jaw. I'd like him to mouth more & it says the magic bit encourages that so might be worth trying!!! Anything is!!!