Changing down from a pelham????

trefnantblackknight

trefnantblackknight

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So long story short about two years ago i put my boy in a mullen mouth pelham and he loved it, however after being attacked and tramatized by some local kids in our picturesque village in 2012, i came to find his one eye swollen shut, his cheek piece snapped and the rest of his bridle wrapped around his legs and my beautiful boy shaking in the field its taken a long time to get him back to his normal self and now he's fantastic apart from one thing....

Without warning he will be working in a nice outline extending and shortening in his paces when he will suddenly throw his toys out the pram, now my boy is the sweetest thing and is not malicious in anyway, i have put a sheepskin nose-band over his headpiece and it seems to have stopped the rearing but i can still see he's not happy in his mouth... this was going on over the summer he has winters off as he drops weight if ridden. I thought the new mares next door had something to do with his behavior also.

I've had his back and teeth checked - also his poll and all have said hes fine. So it must be post-traumatic stress, I've only just got over it myself to write about it - a lot more went on he nearly died.

So my main question is what bit shall i change him too, he's a very strong horse but i was thinking a waterford loose ring snaffle and a drop noseband?

Sorry if i've missed any info out, let me know on any bit recommendations :)

x
 
Cortez said:
Sorry, that's a bit garbled........why, is he no longer happy in a pelham?
Click to expand...

I think its too do with what happened to him with these kids as it took forever to get him bridled again and now without warning he will just blow up, and i get the feeling he's remembering something its not all the time but he fixes his jaw and has got very fussy with his mouth... and he wasn't before this happened and has been checked for anything... :) sorry i didn't want to type a mile long post so tried to make it as short as possible :)
 
It's unlikely that changing the bit will do anything to overcome an issue with bridling. Just keep being consistent and kind and he should get over it (I have experience with abused horses so am not just making stuff up).
 
I am so sorry for what happened to your horse, I am in tears and I do not even know you.

Has a vet seen the horse? Could his jaw be damaged? It does not sound like his poll is fine if he rears without a sheepskin poll guard but does with.

I bought a horse who used to exhibit sudden serious behaviour ridden, and we overcame the trauma by slow and steady work. I rode (and still always do) in a neck strap. I trained him to stop off the strap and whenever he had a flashback moment we left the reins and swapped to the neckstrap for control. This seems to have broken the cycle of rearing, and he has not done it for a long time.

Good luck with your horse.
 
Eh how did the kids get hold of him in his bridle?? Hops you find a solution about the bit, just completely bamboozled me with the first part xx
 
This is so sad :-(!! Your poor horse, personally I have found time and patience the two most important factors in overcoming fear as a result of mistreatment. I had a mare who had previously been serverly beaten round the head with a pipe, she was so head shy and frightened of quick movements that it was impossible to bridle her. I did tons of ground work with her working at her pace when ever she would act up I would move back a step. She turned in one of the most amazing horses I have ever had the privilege to own, I had her 10 years till she sadly passed on. You could possibly change to the mildest of bits and see if that has an effect? But I'm not sure if that will help if your horses problem is related to having a bit in his mouth? Have you tried a bitless bridle? Have you noticed any thing specific that triggers a reaction, like strength of contract? I really hope you both can work through this, it sounds like you've been through a horrendouse experience :-(! Xxx
 
I think you are going to have to experiment in a smallish enclosed safe area....I would start with bitless....a halter with clip on reins to each side. If he knows how to follow a feel and respond to your legs you may well find this is the best way forward....then you can experiment more if you want to return to a bit....change the mouthpiece. If he was in a half moon Pelham try the various snaffles....But remember horses live in the moment and it may well be that it is not the bridle or the bit that is causing the problem, but something else entirely...Good luck.
 
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