Bitting up + Martingale for runaway pony

[Marilyn91]

I have a 6 year old Connemara mare who is an absolute angel 95% of the time but prone to occasionally tanking off when she feels like it.

Each time she's done it, I've been able to regain control and slow down after 30 seconds or so, but that's 29 seconds too long when you're out and about. To be fair she has been hoof perfect the past few times I've ridden her out, but that was with giving her loads of reassurance and keeping her busy with lateral movements etc. Now she's learned she can set her neck and run through the bridle, I'm worried it might become a habit.

I'm thinking of popping her in a Kimblewick and running martingale for the next few hacks just to have a bit more leverage if she tries dicking off. Am I okay to use them both together, and should I introduce them together or separately? I've only ever ridden her in a double jointed snaffle so far.

 

[spotty_pony]

Kimblewick seems like a big jump. I would be inclined to go for something more like a Waterford snaffle to stop her setting her neck and grabbing the bit. It would be fine to introduce them together though.

 

[skint.spotty]

Kimblewick seems like a big jump. I would be inclined to go for something more like a Waterford snaffle to stop her setting her neck and grabbing the bit. It would be fine to introduce them together though.

waterfords are pretty evil

I'd want to know why she feels the need to tank most of all though and deal with that. And as a short term solution something like a nathe dutch gag

 

[Snow Falcon]

I'll second the Waterford. My old boy was fab but could be strong on occasions. I rode him in one, he could bury his head and grab hold. The links in the bit stopped him getting a grip.

 

[abbijay]

Kind of depends on "how" she goes about the tanking off. I had a couple of incidents with the baby Clydesdale when he was young where he'd whip his head to the side and eff off at speed from whatever had scared him however if your girl keeps her head where it is or dives down I'm not sure of the value of a running martingale. He was in a french link full cheek and I may as well have had a piece of elastic in his mouth when he did it. I managed to get some free advice from a highly experienced bitting consultant and we moved him into a universal and I put my running martingale on. The martingale was a great move as when he whipped his head he didn't disengage from my contact and couldn't build speed before I got him back to me and the universal gave me a more direct "no" aid when required. We only had a couple of times in the school where he tried it, realised he couldn't and hasn't gone back to it since. Now if we see things we don't like we stand and huff rather than panic and run.

 

[Marilyn91]

Kind of depends on "how" she goes about the tanking off. I had a couple of incidents with the baby Clydesdale when he was young where he'd whip his head to the side and eff off at speed from whatever had scared him however if your girl keeps her head where it is or dives down I'm not sure of the value of a running martingale. He was in a french link full cheek and I may as well have had a piece of elastic in his mouth when he did it. I managed to get some free advice from a highly experienced bitting consultant and we moved him into a universal and I put my running martingale on. The martingale was a great move as when he whipped his head he didn't disengage from my contact and couldn't build speed before I got him back to me and the universal gave me a more direct "no" aid when required. We only had a couple of times in the school where he tried it, realised he couldn't and hasn't gone back to it since. Now if we see things we don't like we stand and huff rather than panic and run.

Thanks for sharing your experience and glad you got it sorted in the end. She just sticks her head out slightly. Not up or down, it's quite close to her normal head position, but stretched out forward like you would expect to see on a galloping horse. Once she whipped round and galloped off in the opposite direction, but normally it's in a straight line.

I'm hoping the martingale will help me keep the contact. I'm just not sure if it's a good idea to combine it with a curb bit since I read martingales are supposed to be used with snaffle bits only. But with the snaffle I may as well have a piece of elastic in her mouth, as you say!

 

[maya2008]

My first step would be a Dutch gag with 3 rings. Try on second ring for hacks, third if that doesn’t work. Can then move reins back to main ring for schooling.

 

[abbijay]

Thanks for sharing your experience and glad you got it sorted in the end. She just sticks her head out slightly. Not up or down, it's quite close to her normal head position, but stretched out forward like you would expect to see on a galloping horse. Once she whipped round and galloped off in the opposite direction, but normally it's in a straight line.

I'm hoping the martingale will help me keep the contact. I'm just not sure if it's a good idea to combine it with a curb bit since I read martingales are supposed to be used with snaffle bits only. But with the snaffle I may as well have a piece of elastic in her mouth, as you say!

I know they're not fashionable these days but I'd consider a standing martingale then.
And phone up one of the bit shops; they are really knowledgeable and you could hire something to try to begin with.

 

[Ratface]

@Marilyn91 - that sounds both scary and dangerous.
The cause/s could be variable imo. Pain, feeling jolly on a chilly morning, an equine "Havin' a Larf!" Have you had an equine veterinarian and equine dentist check her out?
Was she fully vetted before you bought her?
I don't think that the martingale will have much effect until you can rule out pain being the primary cause of her current behaviour.
If possible, could you have a qualified riding instructor observe you both in an individual lesson. Also to check that your current tack isn't pinching her somewhere. I have a short-coupled Arabian who needs a lambswool girth sleeve on every time he is ridden as the loose skin behind his elbows becomes chafed without it. Another friend has lambswool over most of her Arabian horse's bridle as he, too, has very thin sensitive skin.
In the Eighteenth Century, Arabians and Thoroughbreds were turned out to interbreed with Connemara ponies. This may be a factor in why your pony is tanking off with you.

 

[WelshD]

my pony has a kimblewick which I have found to work well. I couldn't find a waterford that did not have a bulky mouthpiece and he doesn't have much room in his mouth as it is so we chose a myler Kimblewick with an elastic curb, hhe also wears a running martingale.
The number one thing is once his head lifts above a certain point its hard to recover, as long as his nose is down he will not run so a good squeeze with the legs and a slight lift and squeeze of the hands keeps him in check but you have a millisecond to spot when his nose is about to go up!

 

[AmyMay]

I love Kimblewicks. But in your shoes I’d probably try a Waterford and standing martingale.

 

[ester]

The main issue if her head is in the position you describe is that you can end up pulling on lips only so personally I’d go for some poll/curb pressure over a Waterford in this situ.

 

[Annagain]

My old boy could be similar - he wouldn't go until he was told but once he was off he didn't always want to stop. Poke the nose and lean was his M.O. 99% of the time he was perfect but if he got a bit excited, all his training went out the window. A waterford 3 ring gag was the only bit we were both happy with. A waterford (and a mullen mouth but that would give me no chance) was the only mouthpiece he was happy in (he was very clear about hating other less harsh mouthpieces but accepted the waterford straight away) but I needed the gag action to get more control of his nose. It's pretty drastic though so I'd try a gag with your normal mouthpiece first.

 

[spotty_pony]

waterfords are pretty evil

I'd want to know why she feels the need to tank most of all though and deal with that. And as a short term solution something like a nathe dutch gag

any bit can be evil in the wrong hands.

 

[skint.spotty]

any bit can be evil in the wrong hands.

True, but it's easier to cause harm with some than others.

 

[Love]

My connie is in a loose ring snaffle 99% of the time but for hunting/fun rides/busy fast hacks with the thoroughbreds when his blood is up I switch to a waterford with a running martingale. They aren't for everyone but for us it's ideal - in times where he would just run through his snaffle he comes straight back to me in the waterford with the slightest ask. I would much rather that than hauling on his snaffle to maybe get a response in 10-20 seconds time. Like I say, its only needed in these specific circumstances

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I bought a NS Universal for my 'could be strong' Draft mare and used it with 2 reins. I could ride her on the snaffle rein 99% of the time but if I needed to pick up the curb rein, she knew to come back to hand.
I had a Clydesdale mare who took fright at a field full of colts running alongside the road and took off with me, she shot across a (fortunately quiet) crossroads before I could stop her, so after some research, I bought a PeeWee bit which both she and the ID that came after her liked and responded to well.

 

[clairebearnz]

I've got a spicy little powerhouse of an OTTB and she hacks and jumps in a Waterford. A gag or a Pelham were too much, snaffle was too little. Both of us are happy with the Waterford.

 

[ycbm]

I don't get what's supposed to be so bad about a Waterford.
.

 

[scats]

Kimblewicks are my go to for this sort of problem.