Bitting advice?

[Ormsweird]

So Bobby is a bit full of it just now, the summer muzzle has come off, but this started before that so I don't think they are linked.

Today we were riding him out in the empty field (not where he grazes, but where everyone uses as an arena) and when asked for canter he went into it, but with no steering and no brakes.
Husband got him to stop after a 10 seconds or so, but then he did it again a little later. He tried the same with me the other day, but I pulled him up straight away.

He's also started testing limits at various places on the bridleway where there are wooden boards for horses to pass but not bikes.

He's currently in a plain rubber mullen mouth bit as we were advised when we got him that she'd never really got him to accept anything else.

I'm debating trying him in a happy mouth eggbutt snaffle, but would like other people's opinions please?

 

[be positive]

He sounds as if this is a schooling issue that will not be fixed by a change of bit, moving onto something to give you brakes will probably end up with him needing another change before too long and he will still probably ignore your aids.

If his old owner had struggled with him accepting a bit then you probably need some help beyond anything that can be offered on a forum, I would go back to basics and forget cantering until he is listening to you more fully, your seat and legs not just the hands, he should come back to you, move away from the leg and not be testing any limits when you are riding him, or on the ground for that matter, the more responsive he is in the slower paces the better he will be in canter so aim for him to be really listening in walk and trot, do lots of transitions out hacking, make him stand until told to walk on, if there is somewhere suitable leg yield or shoulder in, all the time aiming to get him listening, more supple and wanting to work with you not looking for ways to test you or play about, keep the work interesting and varied so his brain is occupied as well as his body.

 

[Ormsweird]

Canter is already off the menu, so to speak. He'll behave fine in trot and walk and is nicely responsive, hence the debate about the bit. I made sure the husband did plenty of that before he went off (which was why he tried canter) and then again after, so the pony doesn't get to slack off work when he misbehaves. We will be doing some lunging before riding too just to take the edge off a little more.

And yes, we're planning on schooling him more. And indeed schooling the husband a little more as he stopped instantly for me!

 

[Tnavas]

The grass might be going through a flush - try adding a dessertspoon of Epsom Salts to his fee - if he's not getting anything then try a double handful of chaff, a dessert spoon of Epsom salts, damped 30 mins before he's ridden