Bitting help please?

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Pidge

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Ok so am after some advice from the more experienced on here please? Pidge is a 10 yo ISH 17hh and a healthy 620kg
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however now he is feeling better after his hock spavin treatment I am having serious braking issues. I have tried him in a pelham with 2 reins, and a double bridle to no effect whatsoever. I normally ride him in a kk loose ring or a kk fulmer. My problem is he gets very keen and takes hold of the bit and goes as can perhaps be seen on some of these jumping photos from yesterday. http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2308261/an/0/page/0#2308261
The last jumping photo sums it up very well I think as I had the handbrake on as we to turn and jump the fences behind us in the photo. If for example we are riding round as a group in WH it gets to the stage where I just can't hold him and off we go, which is a tad embarrassing.
However on the plus side I am over the moon he is feeling so well since being diagnosed with the hock spavin so its not all doom and gloom.
Thanks
 
If he takes hold of the bit what about trying either a cherry roller or waterford snaffle? If a pelham does not work that would be the direction I would take. Then if that does not work you can maybe move towards a gag.
 
Fantastic that he is feeling better after having his treatment as I know this can be debilitating.

IMHO I do not think that a change of bit will help, it will all come down to "flat work". If you say he does this in company etc... try practise at home with some friends etc and when he takes a hold circle him until you have control, then praise, and carry on.. keep doing this until he understands..etc... also do you use your voice? If not again practise at home, Whoo, stop etc...I know it is not a quick fix but nothing every is! If it is when he jumps too, again at home put canter poles after the fence to encourage him to slow down.. blah blah... sure you know this...
 
Not getting at you but I really hate this theory that flatwork will solve everything. Pippa Funnells horses are amongst the best schooled in the world yet Primmores Pride needed some serious kit for brakes. I think people spend too long battling a horse in too soft a bit when if they moved up a lot of the problems would be solved. I am also speaking from experience being one of those people desperately trying to keep my horse in a snaffle. I wasted so much time and had so many bad rounds because my bitting was wrong.
 
Agree with LEC, flatwork is not the be all and end all I'm afraid. You could school my horse for\ever and still not jump him safely in a snaffle. Anything which he can't get hold of will probably help - maybe a meginnes (though I've never found them that useful!)

CM - why would you recommend that bit?

I also strongly recommend a call to Heather at the Neue Schule bit bank - she knows an awful lot, can explain the action, asks all the right questions and at the end of the day, there is no pressure to buy from her.
 
I posted in the wrong post sorry. I got confused with another bitting query in the New Lounge as I was looking at both of them on two seperate pages at the same time!
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Yes agree flatwork is not all the answer, but having tried a pelham and double bridle I thought maybe a little help with flatwork would be an asset! Dont worry I dont take offence!
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Yes, Heather is very good and I use Neue Schule bits. Little things can help too, if the horse is "taking hold of the bit" a flash can help if the mouth is being opened etc... Also I suppose the questions should be posed; was the horse like this before? How long has he been back in work, is he running away because he hasnt been out for soo long etc...... I gave a quick answer and best probably to assess the whole situation first! Yes, I do agree, when people say "my horse is in a snaffle" and they cant control it... better off in a stronger bit with softer hands BUT schooling has to be looked at too!
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i have had similar problems with mine! i have just put him on a tom thumb with a sweet iron mouth piece and copper rollers on the frnch link bit and copper inlay on the rest and so far it seems to be working well!!
 
thanks for the replies
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He has always had a tendancy to get a bit strong but pretty much controllable before. I think since having his jabs in his hock and being reintroduced to work (went lame beginning of May and had time off and then reintroduced work very slowly on vet advice) he is feeling exceptionally well. When he does cart me there is no maliciousness in it, every vibe in his body is telling me he is loving life, does that make sense?
I try to swap the kk over as with the loose ring he can't lean as much but because he can lean on the left (my left leg is also weaker) it can come through his mouth a bit so I swap to the fulmer. I had weekly lessons from a good instructor and we do use a harbridge on him sometimes and then he is an absolute pleasure to ride flatwork. Soft round lifts and has no inclination to rush. If I don't ride in the harbridge its bloody hard work to get a nice ride out of him as when you put your leg on him he runs through the front end. But bearing in mind when I first got him you couldn't put your leg on at all without him running off we have progressed a lot.
I do worry about putting harsher bits in his mouth in case I catch him when we jump, but having a bit more respect from him would be nice? Has anyone got Heathers phone number please?
ETS: he came from a hunt yard in Ireland so has a tendancy to get keen in company. Knows when he is going to jump as won't stand still in arena, canters sideways as has so much energy, yet stands like dobbin the mule out of the arena!
 
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