can anyone give advice on my mare??

charlotte26

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hi..i will try to keep this short as i can
i am 26yrs old i have had a dutch warmblood mare for 3 and half yrs now. she is my 1st horse and i intend to keep her for life we have a very good bond as i have always spent alot of time in the school doing join up etc with her. when i bought her she had been a sj and she was 7yrs old. she only knew how to walk and canter, it took me months of schooling to teach her to trot. she is a very forward and on her toes ride as its just her nature but in the stable she is a lovely calm horse. she is not the sort of horse anyone can jump on as she has adapted to me and is calm for me but still has that forwardness and can still be very sharp. the problem i am having is i have always wanted to show her but i cant ride her without her martingale. instructors have told me tht the martingale aint even doing anything when on her but yet when i take it off she instantly knows and she lifts her head high up, and then at any point she stops dead bounces on the spot and head butts me in the face with the back of her head. when her martingale is on she goes calmly and yes she is prob behind the bit as she drops her head low for me. she is also a very sensitive horse so using strong bits wont work but ive had her a while now and really want to do something with her but cant get past this martingale thing. another thing ive never been able to stop her doing is barring against the bit, in downward transitions or when shes had enough in trot she wil open her mouth and pull hard against the bit (a flash dosnt stop her) she is only in a snaffle i have tried 3 diff snaffles so far but she the same in them all.she is an extremely well bred horse but even so i only want to do very low level showing with her. its such a shame please can anyone help me.
 
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charlotte26

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thankyou, i hope i find one too, i am just hoping someone can suggest something maybe i have not thought of. when it comes down to it i might end up having to save for a bit and get a one off lesson off some one at a high level.
 

Cazzah

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I know you have mentioned that she is sensitive and that you don't think different bits are an option, but this may be an avenue worth exploring if it is just for showing. My TB is also sensitve and does everything (apart from showing) in a myler comfort snaffle, martingale and drop noseband. For showing we use a rugby pelham and he has never fought the contact. I don't put any pressure on the curb rein but don't have it loose either (not sure if I've explained that well?) and he respects this and has never flung his head around. It also looks correct for showing. Might be worth borrowing/loaning one to try? :D
 

charlotte26

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hi..i didnt know you could do ridden showing in anything other than a snaffle, this will be my 1st time showing ridden showing so im bit confused as to what bits are allowed, ive been told snaffles only. so would a rugby pelham be allowed for basic local classes. im just scared of putting too much in her mouth as she may not react well to it and can be quite scarey when she starts bouncing and wont stop. i am willing to try though so would consider loaning one of some1 defo. i have rode her for a few weeks in a grackle, also tried flash, tried eggbutt jointed snaffle, rubber strightbar loose ring snaffle tried hackamore. i just want to be able to ride her without a martingale but i cant figure out why she reacts the way she does when i take it off? maybe its not even her bit. and i wonder why she barrs ont he bit..i cant figure out what is making her do these things. i realise that sometimes she makes a joke of me coz if i feel she is about to do something i give her the reins so that i avoid a buck or spin or head butt. i do ride her very quietly but firm too or she takes a mile. only a very slight finger movement can cause her to barr on the bit or fling her head up. her teeth are all ok though.
 

Spins

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ok I don't have much advice but... what about instead of just whipping off the martingale you try riding her in a hunting martingale for a few days and then take the martingale attachment off and get her used to having no reins but the breastplate is still there and see if she goes differently?then you'd know if the martingale is doing anything or if she just notices you taking it off.. and could gradually remove the breastplate then.. but that might be a bit silly I don't know! :rolleyes:

I would second whats been said about myler bits they're fantastic for sharp horses who like a light contact (I have found anyway) and you can definitely use a rugby pelham for showing :D
 

charlotte26

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good idea thanx i never thought of that. shes such a clever mare dosnt miss a trick. im going to try borrow a rugby pelham see how she reacts to it. if i dont get a frightening reaction i will stick to it for a bit see how it goes, i realise im not going to get over night changes. failing that i will defo give your martingale idea a go too. what a palava!!
 

*hic*

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Consider putting her in a drop noseband, correctly fitted she won't be able to open her mouth and as I assume you are currently using a running martingale try a standing one fitted to a cavesson that she wears in addition to the drop noseband. She won't feel it on the reins but it will come into play when she chucks her head.

Another option would be a market harborough for a while - again, correctly fitted, it won't affect anything unless she throws her head up.

With all of those hopefully once she's got the idea you can change her back into correct tack for showing.
 
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