Bitting Issue HELP!!

[J_sarahd]

I am riding a Welsh Section D who has a neck like an elephant and is honestly so strong. I've been riding him in a Waterford snaffle (flatwork and jumping) and he's been going fine, but still really strong. We had a moment on Saturday, where he properly tanked off with me and I had no control. It made me lose so much confidence, so we switched him into a Pelham (I'm not entirely sure of the mouthpiece as I've never seen it before). He's going nicely in it - did a small course of jumps with him in it on Sunday and came third and had control. And we managed a very collected, steady canter yesterday.

I'm going to do a bit of dressage on him and obviously can't have him in the Pelham. We did an intro A in a French Link Snaffle on Sunday and got 83.91% which I am chuffed with; I'm just wary that when we start doing prelim + he's going to be an idiot and tank etc.

I obviously don't want three/four different bits for him. I'm just wondering if anybody had any advice on what to do our first prelim dressage test in (as want something dressage legal but fairly strong), but also how to wean off the Pelham and perhaps even the Waterford, just for flatwork for now.

 

[ester]

Actually I don't see the issue with multiple bits for multiple activities, I have always used a range on my welsh D.

The first thing is to nail the schooling, in particular to get him responding to your seat as much as possible, this avoids the setting of neck/pulling/giving him something to pull against cycle (which you will not win!). IME having a good degree of lateral suppleness also helps.

The second thing is to analyse what he is doing when he is tanking off (given his type I am assuming the set neck scenario) where is his head.

I also wouldn't do more than he can cope with, if he is going to be a proper tit go back to the basics and the boring stuff.

FWIW mine schools up to medium in a loose ring snaffle - he doesn't like a link but does everything else in a 3 ring gag with curb strap. I can hack him in the snaffle but even though he is now ancient if he does head and neck fix to spook at something options are then limited - so it's not a stopping problem then. Jumping he has always been keen and again I have and can jump in him a snaffle but prefer to have a little more say in how we do it . He is the sort that generally goes quite well in anything, but there are subtle differences in options for him. He doesn't mind the waterford but I only went hunting in it once .