Change the bit or the horse ?

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wallykissmas

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My young cobby seems to be getting a bit strong when trotting behind other horses, he has a habit of changing his front legs, I can't work out if he is just trying to go faster or if he is striding out so much that he is catching himself. - he can open up his strides when asked :) when in front he trots lovely.

I've also noticed that he is leaning on me and this is then putting pressure in my lower back which can be sore some days.

He is in a French link fulmer, and I'm thinking what else could I put him in to that gives me a bit more control, he isn't running away with me but I feel I'm being harsh hands with a kind bit :confused: and possibly to stop him leaning. He was really fiddling with his bit the other day and moving his jaw off to the side. I don't want to flash !

He has his back done every 6 months, is now due his teeth from aug/sept time and would be happy to get the saddle fitter out to check his saddle but physio hasn't picked anything up on him.

Just up for some ideas really. Apple juice and biscuits on offer.
 
Try changing your diagonal every few strides, when you are hacking. This works very well with my mare who can get very strong when behind on hacks. I ride her in a NS Universal with 2 reins.
 
Got to say, I wouldn't be happy hacking with someone who didn't have some respect for the speed of the other horses they were out with. Hammering down roads is not good!

In terms of bitting, if h's yaw-ing at the bit I'd be tempted to try a grakle, and if that had no effect follow up with a waterford. If he doesn't do it in the school, the problem isn't poor schooling as such, just him desperately not wanting to be left behind!
 
What happens if you don't hold him back when he's behind? Does he overtake and then slow down or slow down when he's level or behind the other?
 
Personally I'd try a loose ring snaffle first before upping the bits or noseband. Or what about a myler that he can't lean on?
 
We use a loose ring butterfly snaffle ( instructor calls it a cartwheel and have heard it called a continentalaswell !!)
It is a normal ring that has two loops inside so it isnt strong but does give a little bit of poll pressure. It completely stopped him leaning and gave her a bit of control back. good luck
 
If you are aching then you are hanging onto him. Which is giving him something to lean against. So before changing anything try really consciously not to hang on. Give and take instead. Bend his head and neck to one side then the other. You might find once youstop fighting each other it gets better. Oh and try slowing your rising.
 
Gloi said:
What happens if you don't hold him back when he's behind? Does he overtake and then slow down or slow down when he's level or behind the other?
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The thing is he is so genuine that he will listen but he's a chunky boy who I don't want to learn that I can't hold him, we caught up a few times when the other rider stopped or I made him walk and let the other person just keep going.

He walked and didn't jog or show that he was bothered about them going off when he was walking, but on the way home he was really messing with his bit. I'm wondering if he was a bit stressed about the situation and could feel I was getting a bit frustrated.
 
[deleted user] said:
If you are aching then you are hanging onto him. Which is giving him something to lean against. So before changing anything try really consciously not to hang on. Give and take instead. Bend his head and neck to one side then the other. You might find once youstop fighting each other it gets better. Oh and try slowing your rising.
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This must be my mantra as I don't think he would tank off with me but he will break into a canter, its lovely and slow but with changing his legs he seems to think forget this its easier to have a nice canter

He will slow down as he reaches up the rear of the other horse, he is fussed on over taking just being within a few meters.
 
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Lolo said:
Got to say, I wouldn't be happy hacking with someone who didn't have some respect for the speed of the other horses they were out with. Hammering down roads is not good!

In terms of bitting, if h's yaw-ing at the bit I'd be tempted to try a grakle, and if that had no effect follow up with a waterford. If he doesn't do it in the school, the problem isn't poor schooling as such, just him desperately not wanting to be left behind!
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I was left quite perplexed :rolleyes:, he doesn't do it in the school.
 
Have you thought about a maginnes (spelling!) it's a snaffle in action (so not too harsh) but has copper rollers in it and it's square in shape - if they take a hold the rollers feel funny on their tounge and they back off. I'm not keen on strong bits (as I can't guarantee my hands are perfect enough to ride in them) and this one works really well for me when my boy goes through a leaning phase - I don't use it every day by any stretch, just when he's getting tricky!
 
wallykissmas said:
The thing is he is so genuine that he will listen but he's a chunky boy who I don't want to learn that I can't hold him, we caught up a few times when the other rider stopped or I made him walk and let the other person just keep going.

He walked and didn't jog or show that he was bothered about them going off when he was walking, but on the way home he was really messing with his bit. I'm wondering if he was a bit stressed about the situation and could feel I was getting a bit frustrated.
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Bless him, he sounds like a legend! Why can't the person you are riding with steady their pace so you both stay settled, or can you let him stride out his trot to keep pace? Hacking in a pair but always holding one up isn't going to end calmly!

Echo what other have said re holding him though, really resist it and use your body and rising to alter his speed instead, you should get a more settled and balanced horse to ride - smiles all round!
 
ThePony said:
Bless him, he sounds like a legend! Why can't the person you are riding with steady their pace so you both stay settled, or can you let him stride out his trot to keep pace? Hacking in a pair but always holding one up isn't going to end calmly!

Echo what other have said re holding him though, really resist it and use your body and rising to alter his speed instead, you should get a more settled and balanced horse to ride - smiles all round!
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He is such a fab boy and is only just 6, takes a lot of bother him but I think this ride got to us both. He will stride out , he tells others "cob do do stressageeeee darling" but he can't keep up with the horse in question and breaks into a canter or changes lets quickly which makes me wonder is he catching himself ?

It all then gets rather bouncy and I think I then hold too much, where I should flex him and he comes back but its so much going on all at once.
 
Sounds a rotten hack, not my type of outing at all! Can you hack with someone who i more considerate regarding everyone staying up together, or is there someone you can hack with who has a horse more evenly matched?

If my girl is getting a bit geed up about something when trotting then she can do a sort of 'please can I canter' stride which feels like a slight miss stride every so often. It is because if she has got wound up she finds it hard to lengthen her trot stride and so would rather canter! If your boy is being good but simply wants to keep up (totally understandable) then could you ask him to canter instead of insisting that he stays in trot?

When we hack it is upsides at all times, changes of pace checked first. I would absolutely hate anything else! Just results in wound up horses, not fair on them and not fun for anyone!
 
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