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?
 
How about a Neue Schule Jumper (Elavator bit) I have found these great for horses who are heavy and down hill when jumping. They also have different rein options.
 
If he's downhill & heavy a 3 ring gag will make it worse as it lowers the head more. Try a simple snaffle for a few weeks & see if without the lowering action of the gag his head raises. But really I'd concentrate on schooling to lighten him up on the flat before worrying about the best bit for jumping. But definitely not the 3 ring gag, it has the opposite effect to raising the head.
 
Sometimes a waterford can help. I take it that your horse is ending up leaning on your hands?

The bit isn't meant to be used all the time - just something to use here and there to remind your horse to not lean. It's jointed so there isn't anything there that your horse can lean on.
 
I have a waterford i chop and change him into to school him and he still will lean and fight that! He impossible at times, my instructor has had battles with him in it even still.. takes a good 20 minutes sometimes for him to accept and just get on with the job.. his mouth was ruined before i got him im sure of it.. :(
 
Gag bits raise the head. Those three ring bits are not gags, they're kind of a pelham without a curb chain, and they lower the head. If you've had it on the top ring you'd only be getting a snaffle action anyway. But what your horse really needs is schooling for balance and impulsion. A change of bit may allow you to raise the head but it won't get him off the forehand. He'll just lean on it gradually more and more until you're back at square one and looking for a stronger bit again.
 
If he's constantly fighting & leaning & you think his mouth was ruined previously then something very mild that they don't want to fight can break the cycle. I would try a French link loose ring or a copper roller. Doesn't have to be permanent but just till he realises there isn't anything to pull on. I'd also stop focusing on contact too if he fights it, riding on a long rein for a few weeks with a mild bit before starting to pick him up again. They can't fight what isn't there.
 
Yes good idea i hadn't though of it from that angle...i will try anything! :/ i have posted some recent pictures of him in my album to show his weight and way of going.
 
I've used the Waterford with great results in the past but I also with one horse completely cut the jumping out for a few months except for loose jumping. I concentrated on schooling lots of transiations and exercises to get the horses brain engaged and getting working through his back end.
 
If you go that route just stay in a confined area like a field or school at first because you have to have the confidence to leave their mouth alone even if they speed up at first. I'm not saying letting him gallop flat out round a large field is constructive, but in a smaller area if he gets a bit fast in trot or canter its not the end of the world, once he's happy with his mouth & actually carrying himself, you can half halt to correct it.
 
littlelegs said:
If he's constantly fighting & leaning & you think his mouth was ruined previously then something very mild that they don't want to fight can break the cycle. I would try a French link loose ring or a copper roller. Doesn't have to be permanent but just till he realises there isn't anything to pull on. I'd also stop focusing on contact too if he fights it, riding on a long rein for a few weeks with a mild bit before starting to pick him up again. They can't fight what isn't there.
Click to expand...

Agree with this
 
Well with your horse having a downhill build you are at a serious disadvantage with him as a downhill horse is built to carry all of the weight on the forehand, a stronger bit won't help anything as he is physically built downhill. Meaning that all of his weight, whether he wants to or not, is on his forehand. If you got down on all fours and raised your bum in the air you would have a better idea of how it feels for him, it is a huge effort and a massive physical strain if you try to move your weight off your hands (whilst keeping your bum in the air) If somebody put a strong bit in your mouth then you would fight it, right?
Now then I am not saying that it is impossible, however it will be hard work! What you need to do is to school, school and school again! It might be useful to get a really good dressage instructor who can help to alter his muscle tone, building muscle in the area's where he needs it most! With proper schooling he will eventually start to lighten in the front however he might never be perfect, like I mentioned earlier he is physically built to have weight on the forehand!

Sadly I am a huge conformation geek so I know these things haha! :D
 
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