Can anyone recommend me a good bit for my pony who leans on the bit?

PogoPumpkinBecky

PogoPumpkinBecky

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Hi
I have a chunky cob, who although is not particularly strong, he does lean and sometimes pull down on the bit which makes it very hard work, he improves in summer when I am able to school him more, but is still not easy! He is currently in a hanging cheek snaffle!

Thanks :)
 
Try to practice yielding and suppling to the bit from the ground? :3 It's really not that difficult and doesn't take a whole bunch of time, but it might prove very useful.
 
Rather than a bit, have you tried using LOTS of leg? Spurs if necessary, and if your lower leg is stable enough. No bit worked for my horse, and I tried them all. The only thing that works for him is lots of leg. It says "get off my bloody hand you big rude lump!!" And it works!! ;)
 
Loose ring french link. When he tries to lean on your hands, ride him forwards and give with the rein so that he can't lean on you - he'll soon learn that he's got to hold himself up!
 
Zabby said:
Try to practice yielding and suppling to the bit from the ground? :3 It's really not that difficult and doesn't take a whole bunch of time, but it might prove very useful.
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yeah we did lots of that with him, which he did well with practise. he is good in the school, just out hacking and jumping, also mainly in canter, walk and trot are good!!
thanks for your help though:)
 
Why not use a 5-ring chain bit, spurs and a whip if necessary? You could have someone on the ground with a training flag to chase the horse if your leg isn't enough for forward impulsion to get it off the bit. :)


(Or you could ease on the hand so there's nothing to lean against, letting the horse go more with the leg and then try to engage him into the bridle softly, good to throw in a few transitions in that and working the suppling to the bit from the ground as well. You'd get a soft mouther horse in no time.)
 
i have tried using loads of leg and pulling him up off the bit, like pulling then releasing til he softens, but it is so tiring! if he is cantering he doesn't listen that well, walk and trot are good, also jumping he just puts his head down and goes as he loves it so much, need something to make him take more notice, i had thought about a waterford as read about them and they sound good. i have had him in a loose ring with french link, but don't have quite enough pulling power for hacking and jumping, schools good in it though!
 
PogoPumpkinBecky said:
yeah we did lots of that with him, which he did well with practise. he is good in the school, just out hacking and jumping, also mainly in canter, walk and trot are good!!
thanks for your help though:)
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That's good :) Keep doing that every once in a while to remind him, and re-do it from the back. Make sure you're not pulling his head around - just take out the slack in the rein and let him move to yield.

If he does it in canter (or anytime) it sounds like he's just not strong enough to carry himself in the frame you want. Try to break to a trot and/or give him his head before he starts leaning. Don't be afraifd to take breaks at the jumps.. jump one obstacle and make sure he's with you before you turn for the next. Sounds like you're on a good way already, just need a bit more strength and suppling in the horse.. I don't think a bit is the right way in this case :)
 
Do you (all in the thread) know how a waterford works? By soring the horses mouth.

Those little balls may make the chain that is the mouthpiece look nice and soft and round, but in every little take or give of the rein they will scrape over the horses bars and bruise them. It's not just point pressure on the tounge from the balls as many believs, but it's actually a sawing action over the bars, even if you don't see-saw as such.
It makes the mouth tender and sore, that's why it works.

I don't know about you, but it's not beneficial to the attitude I want my horse to have for work.
 
Anne_GTI said:
Why change the bit? Seems like a rider problem which can be solved with more leg and riding figures.
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As he is a very heavy big strong cob, with a massive neck. My other pony is never on the forhand and goes beautifully in a ordinary snaffle, so i don't think it is a rider problem, its because of his build he finds it easier to go on his forehand but is not the most comfortable for me, and when he decides to be a bit strong or gets excited i don't have much powere against him as he is so strong, so need a back up. As i have said he schools great, and i have used as much leg as i can possibly use, i haven't just skipped straight to changing his bit.
 
Zabby said:
Do you (all in the thread) know how a waterford works? By soring the horses mouth.

Those little balls may make the chain that is the mouthpiece look nice and soft and round, but in every little take or give of the rein they will scrape over the horses bars and bruise them. It's not just point pressure on the tounge from the balls as many believs, but it's actually a sawing action over the bars, even if you don't see-saw as such.
It makes the mouth tender and sore, that's why it works.

I don't know about you, but it's not beneficial to the attitude I want my horse to have for work.
Click to expand...

The waterford is actually quite good in the correct hands....any bit can be severe in the wrong hands.

OP I`ve got my mare who leans whilst hacking in a NS waterford hanging cheek I changed to this from a french link hanging cheek.
 
He can only lean/pull if you lean/pull back. Do not set up a tug of war, when he starts to lean get your leg on and send him forwards, do a little squeeze of the rein and let go when he softens. Don't try to "hold" him where you want him, make him carry himself.

It might be worth changing the bit, but I would go for something with more movement rather than something sharper or with leverage/poll pressure.

A hanging cheek is pretty static, so maybe try a loose ring french link or lozenge. It would be worth getting one with a fairly slim mouthpiece, not just because this will be slightly more effective but also because cobs often don't have much room in their mouths and can find this more comfortable.

I ride a big mare that is built down hill and likes to lean, switching her from one loose ring snaffle to a thinner one actually makes a quite major difference in her flat work! It just gives me a little bit more response to my aids, but the main thing is to get her forwards off the leg but not too fast (if you push her too fast then she will run on the forehand) and do lots of transtitions, short bursts of each pace, and lots of varied shapes, squares are good for getting control of her shoulder and getting her to lift her forehand.

Try a few lessons with a good instructor as eyes on the ground can be really valuable for this sort of thing.
 
Ayla84 said:
The waterford is actually quite good in the correct hands....any bit can be severe in the wrong hands.

OP I`ve got my mare who leans whilst hacking in a NS waterford hanging cheek I changed to this from a french link hanging cheek.
Click to expand...

It would be interesting to hear an explanation on how and why it works with correct hands compared to another mouthpiece? What in the mouthpiece is good for the horse that other mouthpieces lack? And/or why would some horses prefer this piece rather than a mullen mouth, single jointed or french link, does it have a way to work that some horses find more comfortable? And how do you keep the balls from sliding back and fro over the bars in the horses mouth by the movement of the head and hands? :)
 
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