Bitting Help

[HorsesRule2009]

Good morning all,

Just wondering if anyone can help my boy is currently ridden in a neue schule team up bit, and is going quite happily.
I tend to jump him in a wilkie bit as he can get slightly keen to a fence - he jumps happily in this.

My issue is i am wanting to do workers and i cant get him to settle in the wilkie for flat work and he backs of it terribly in trot, but i struggle to hold him in just the snaffle to jump a full course as he bowls on slighlty.

He is a 15hh Sec D - more the old fashioned type so fairly solid.

Does anyone have any ideas of what else i can use?
I am still jumping him in Novice classes so it states snaffle bridles.

Thank you for all ideas

 

[DabDab]

When you say that you struggle with speed jumping what does he do exactly? Does he rush fences and take poles out? Or start fine and get progressively quicker through a course? Or does he just naturally want to go in a bigger Canter around fences and you aren't comfortable with it? Are you struggling with him on the approach to fences or between them (difficulty keeping balance through turns etc)?

Asking questions just because if he is plenty sensitive to the contact on the flat then bitting up might well be counter-productive, dependent on what sort of issue it is that you're having while jumping.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

Hi thank you for the reply,

He likes to go quite forward to a fence and he naturally has a big canter, I'm happy with him going forward but as the round goes on he starts running on and then we end up flat and taking poles in the snaffle, the wilkie jumping just allows me to half halt and sit him up.

Happy for questions to be asked as may help me think of something else

 

[southerncomfort]

Have you tried a kimblewick?

I used to ride my old sec D in one. I liked it because the curb only comes in to play when you need a bit extra.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

I haven't tried a kimblewick, mainly because i don't have one to try and also ideally I'd like to find a snaffle that works as we are still jumping novice classes (bsps and nps).
But will keep in mind if can't find another solution.
It's mainly only fir workers as if doing flat/dressage can stick with normal snaffle and if SJ/XC can use the wilkie, but trying to find a compromise for workers

 

[abbijay]

I might be going completely down the wrong track here but the problems you describe direct my brain to a 2 rein set up as a solution. I'm afraid I know nothing about showing ponies but I'd be wondering about a pelham or a double, they always look the part in the showring too. That way you can do your flat just on the snaffle rein but have an extra "option" in the jumping.

 

[sportsmansB]

If he already goes well in a NS have you tried a verbidend (or whatever its called?)
I found that it lightened them up just a touch more than the normal snaffle