Bitting help wanted for downhill horse!

warmbloodcrazy

warmbloodcrazy

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Hi all, thanks in advnce for all your help!

I have a 16.3hh warmblood who i can only describe as being heavy and downhill at times in the rein. I currently have him in a 3 ring gag and have toyed with having it on the 2nd and 3rd rings. It doesn;t seem to be doing the trick any more.. :( i need something to bring him up on front especially in our show jumping. I had looked into the tom thumb and have heard mixed reviews. Has any one got any ideas on bits i can try?
 
Someone once told me to get a tom thumb for my ex racer as he wouldn't ever bring his head up - never tried it couldn't find one!:)
 
How is he on the flat? Lots and lots of work on engaging his hind legs and getting him work more uphill will help, a bit may help the feel in your hand, but won't improve the problem necessarily....

Tom thumbs will lift the head, as will true gags, such as running gags, but I would make sure he is working correctly anduncerstands a correct contact as much as possible before fiddling about with bits or he will just get heavier.
 
He is heavy in a snaffle, it takes me a good 15-20 mins to soften him fully with lots of exercises etc. Hes schooled in a double aswell and on occasion the waterford, he is very responsive and on the ball in the double but he will still try leaningon the waterford. Hes a nightmare! Its just with the jumping, i feel like i prefer the cheeks of the gag as it helps wit the steering with him but i feel things could be better and the bit being the main issue but having been ok in the gag i have no idea what else i could try now. Heard mixed things on the tom thumb. Just wondered if any one could suggest any bits i could try?
 
Hi I have a very down hill Irish draught I find that gag bits only put pressure on the poll and he will lean against it and get heavier I have been using a myler bit with a port and thiss seems to work well wouldn't recommend a tom thumb very sever bit with a leverage action hope this helps
 
3 ring (Dutch) gags and pelhams use poll pressure so will lower the head further.

Do lots of transitions etc, these will help ; but you may find a true (running) gag better as it doesnt lower the head. We use it on our 17hh Mw/HW IDxTB. We tend to just use the snaffle rein and knot the gag rein unless he starts trying to drag head down or muck around. But generally he knows the second rein is there and so behaves himself.
 
I agree with the others regarding gags and pelhams using poll pressure and encouraging the horse to lower their head more....but just thinking outside the box....and forgive me if you've already thought of this.....but have you had his saddle checked......sometimes even a small change in shape can cause the saddle to pinch/hurt and often horses lower/extend their heads to try to stretch out of a saddle which is hurting.
HTH
 
Lots of schooling is the answer. Have heard that having a waterford mouthpiece can help with heaviness and leaning, and often once used a few times can then be switched back to another mouthpiece as the horse has learned
 
Very common for horses to get heavy in the front and come behind the 3 ring gags. I agree with above poster on using 2reins on a running/Cheltenham gag. You can get them with full cheeks(called a Nelson gag)if you want extra steering :) I found with a Dutch gag,that as an SJ round went on,horse would get lower and heavier and speed would increase but with head disappearing-not nice. Never use it now. Tom thumb is head-raising and is essentially an 'elevator/jumper' type bit-worth a try but obviously,softly,softly/gently approach. Cotswold sport sell several mouthpiece variations of the Tom thumb-the lozenge version is probably milder than the scrob but shanks/cheeks should have same raising action:)
 
Sorry,doesn't read that clearly: by softly/gently approach, I meant be very kind in the hand when you first try it-then he won't be alarmed/resentful:) I got a nelson gag from Neue Schule-pricey but a lovely little,neat bit. I only use it for hunting,so that I don't have such a white-knuckle ride;)
 
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