bitting help needed!!!

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Solstar

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please can anybody help me?
sorry, its loooong!

i have absolutely no brakes on my horse solo. hes a TB and is a buzzy ride.
we are currently schooling 4 times a week in an effort to try and regain some control but its really hard to keep him in a nice, steady trot without him shooting off.
we are working on transitions, from walk-halt-walk and walk-halt-back etc. this is working, but its taken all week for him to understand what we doing.
when we are hacking, he gets very excited in company, i.e jogging, spooking and plunging about. whilst this doesnt worry me, its really disconcerting because i cant hold him.
we can canter in small bursts when out hacking on our own, but i have to hold him back and this makes him plunge about. i would like to let him bowl along, but i know i wouldnt stop him when i wanted to.
he evades the bit by opening his mouth, sticking his tongue out and flinging his head around.
when we are schooling, im riding solo in a happymouth straightbar full cheek with a flash. for hacking, i use a happymouth dutch gag with a rein on the middle ring.
he is quite sensitive in his mouth.
i dont think its his feed as he is getting-
2 scoops hi fi lite
1 scoop soaked speedibeet
half scoop economy cubes
handful meadowsweet mix

he is in at night, but goes out at 7.30 and comes in at 5. he has hay in his stable, he doesnt like being in the field, and gets terrible mud fever, so any extra turnout isnt possible.

when he is being a tw*t i just relax, take deep breathes and talk to him, but it doesnt get thru to him!

please can anybody help me?? thankyou fo getting to the end!
 
Think you might need to look at more than just the bit.

Though you say it shouldn't be the feed mine went loop the loop on less speedibeet than that. Was told by the manufactureers that this wasn't possible due to its low sugar content but stopped feeding it and then started again twice with identical reactions so thought I had better stay clear of it. A nutritionist later told me sounds like my horse had a sugar intolerance. May not be the answer with your chap but may be worth a try.

Is he more sensible when hacking on his own? - could it be worth doing just that for a while till you have estabnlished more control? Then build it up to hacking with one other - preferably with donkey characteristics to try and have a calming influence.

Good luck - it does take time for the benefits of the school work to transfer to outside the school but sounds like you are trying the right things. I don't really think the bit will make a lot of difference and if you put something stronger in his mouth he may overreact. I find a martingale helps while hacking to stop him chucking his head about too much and gives a bit of extra control...and a handle!
 
we dont know if hes raced- hes 12 now, i got him at 7 and the man before me had him for 2 years and rode him in an indoor arena for most of the time. he sold him because he just been declared bankrupt- he was a businessman.

my friend from the yard is an ex-jockey and he says he has definately been in training at some point- he rides him for me on a weds when im at work all day- he cant hold him either and hes a lanky beanpole!

he goes absolutely potty on any other sugarbeet- and alfabeet blew his head off. will try him without it for a week tho and see.

hes sensible on his own until we go into trot, when he just starts been silly. when we hack out with my bf, on his horse who is steady (bf is learning) he is fine until he sees another horse in the distance.

i will put a martingale on to see what happens- i use my breastgirth as a handle!

he had his teeth done 2 weeks ago, and his back and saddle were checked last month.
 
re think your feed, mines a bit of a nutter, i feed ride and relax, and has deff improved him, some times putting lots of gagets on will make a strong and sensitive horse fight even more, i school mine in a happy mouth loos ring, but hack in a kimblewick, he is over sensitive in his mouth but providing i have lite hands and use my seat i can hold him, i tend not to canter him in company as if he thinks hes not going will buck and rear on the spot! (am working on this i have only had him since june.) there are a couple of bit hire places on the net that are worth trying, or bying cheap bits from ebay, until you find the right one,
 
It would be interesting to see how he was with a change of diet. Pony cubes and Hi Fi. Cutting out the mix and speedi beat - both of which can be heating to some horses.

I would also be inclined to put a flash on him. I'm not sure that putting a stronger bit in would necessarily help - as it may only serve to bottle him up even further.

Other than that - you may just have to accept that the boy is excitable, and essentially you can't change their nature.
 
i tried the ride and relax last winter- he wouldnt eat it- hes a fussy eater.

i will cut out the mix and speed-beet- hopefully this will make a differance.

and i will stick to the straight snaffle with a flash.

i hope he will calm down tho- even if its just enough to actually be able to go and trot around a field!..........

i can always dream!!

thankyou!
 
I take it his teeth, back and saddle are ok. If yes then personally I would ditch the straight bar, I would go for perhaps a hanging cheek with a french link, as you say he is sensitive in the mouth so this will apply some poll pressure but will be milder in the mouth, the poll pressure should stop him chucking his head a bit aswell. I would personally not go for a stronger bit, my horse has a sensitiveish mouth and the stronger the bit the more he fights it.

I would keep the flash as you say he opens his mouth and perhaps try a standing martingale. A running martingale IMO is not so good for schooling as it interfears with the rein contact and will only do so much for the head chucking. A standing one, if fitted correctly will have more effect.

And like said above, I would do a few experiments with the feed.

Also try to vary his exercise a bit, try some lunging, long reining etc. This will develop a better understanding between the two of you. You will also be able to see if he does the same thing without you sitting on top.
 
ok, i will put his old bit in- the hanging cheek french link- with a falsh, and dig my old ponies standing martingale out.

i school 4 times a week, and tend to hack twice and then lunge him on my 'dayoff'. he is never the same to lunge- sometimes hel pratt about and others hel be an angel.
 
When I mentioned martingale I meant just for hacking where for safetys sake you need all the extra help you can get!
 
theres lots of calming suppliments and feed on the markets, if he is a fussy eater try conatcting the makers and asking for a sample, before paying out loads. if he has raced it would explaine some of his problems, have you ever tried cantering up very steep hills? will give you a chance to play with him push him on bring him back, when you do hack are you on a short rein? lots of tbs had to much contact, u pull they tense u tense reins get shorter, (not suggesting u cant ride just throwing ideas at you. tbs are funny things personally i love them!")
 
there are no steep hills where i have him- otherwise i would do that! im hoping to take him to the gg centre before christmas to give him a blast on the gallops there. i generally ride with quite a slack contact, as he flings his head about with too much.
good idea about the samples of calmers, thanks.
 
no probs... spillers and allen and page will both do samples. various other compaines aswell, have you tried riding him without a bit i dont mean going for a mad hack i meen chuck a head collar on and have someone beside you you may find he hates the bit or bridle a bit tight somewhere, these days you can get some really good bitless bridles, may well be the answer!
 
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