Cant hold my horse! Bitting problems

Storminateacup

Storminateacup

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Cannot hold Jack out on rides with others.
He gets so excited.
He is currently in a loose ring french link snaffle with cavasson noseband and flash.
I have tried hanging cheek snaffle,
three ring gag,
2 ring gag, both happy mouth and steel,
a waterford bit and and an eggbutt snaffle.

All to no avail. He is massively strong like a little Clydsdale and puts his chin on his chest. I am standing in stirrups yelling Woah. He is not nasty with it, apart from a joyus buck at the start, and is light as a feather and well schooled out hacking alone, but out with mates for a fast one and its pulling like a train.

Any kind ideas?
confused.gif
 
Yep I have the same problem, have tried all of those bits too!
Firstly, everyone should walk sometimes on hacks!
smile.gif

Have just put mine in a french link pelham and he was much better, still not brill tho. I have introduced Nupafeed hoping that will calm him down a bit, cut out all feed except SS Luciebix and Speedi-beet.
Could be the spring grass too!
Trial and error I think!
 
Try the Myler comfort snaffle with the very high port, it worked wonders on a massive horse we had who had been badly started by a gypsy chap, he used his strength like your horse too. Within a matter of days he was light and responsive.
 
I think your problem and solution lie with schooling rather than bitting.

No matter what bit you use, if the horse does not/will not/ can not listen to the messages it gives you will have no joy. You say he is not nasty with it so it sounds like lack of education rather than incorrect schooling... there is a big difference.

If you do not address the underlying issues you wil find yourself bitting up and up and eventualy you will have nowhere left to go and a horse who is dead in the mouth.

Instead of buying a new bit, invest the money in some lessons focusing on schooling to adress the problem. You might find that once you get the horse on the ball and listening to you about the little things all will be well because he will listen to you when it comes to the big things.

Just to add... I ride all of my Clydesdales in French link snaffles for everything including hunting... so there is hope!
 
Pelham or Kimblewick - both have worked for my horses. The action of the gag just further encourages them to overbend thus evading the contact. I found the Kimblewick best for my eventer but my nutcase pony was always hacked in a rubber pelham.
 
I wouldn' t want to calm him down too much with potions and powders, 'cos I love him lively,and its taken me a year to get him fit. Plus I cant stand lazy animals. I think it means there is something wrong with them, either mind or body.
I've been so lucky in finding a safe horse that is loads of fun when I thought that my injury would have prohibited me ever having an exciting ride again.
I just want a bit more brakes when out with others!
Perhaps the pelham is worth a try.
Do you use double reins with it too?
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try a NS universal, works a treat on my 17.1hh clydie x. Have also tried all the bits you listed plus a kimblewick and various pelhams.
 
Would have to nod towards YorkshireLass also - your horse is likely to be strong because it's on the forehand & got one over on you due to sheer strength, so ask for power from behing & work on a constant light contact on the bit...

If you've tried 6 other bits already, then you need to look elsewhere!

You may just need to find a sympathetic hacking partner to help your horse work off some excitement.
 
i had a cob... built like a tank wouldnt listen to you out hacking at all, needed a different bit to be safe. However he was very well schooled, and would stop in the school with a very soft pull on the reins
 
My cob is built like a tank and knows it! I can ride her in a french link in the school, but out on a hack with others she is highly competitive and likes to try to tank off! The only bit she has respect for is a pelham. I use it with two reins, if we are walking or trotting I will use the snaffle rein, but if we go any faster I only need to tweak the curb rein to make her stop, the rest of the time I just hold the curb rein loosely.
 
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