could i have bit advice pls guys an gals?

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rachyhorsiehib

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Sooooo....
My lil' connie schools super in hs pelham, comes down onto the bit and works properly with NO real effort from moi. So I put him back in his lose ring snaffle which is supposed to be good for these things an he is 1) less responsive, 2) won't come down on to it properly and 3) hangs off t/my hand an resists it. WHY?!
Does anyone have ideas as to how I can stop him or an alternative bit to try him in? Seems silly to work him in pelham all the time!

Thanks peeps! Hope you're all enjoying riding now the snow's gone!
 
Is your horse properly on the bit or just tucking his head in because of the poll pressure?

Also, is the mouthpiece the same or different?
 
My old horse used to be exactly the same. A very good dressage instructor told me it is because he is sitting ever so slightly behind the vertical in the pelham, even tho you could not see it. He is NOT working as correct as you think (unfortunately) I know it feels good and correct but in fact it isn't

The best bit I found, and I tried everything, was a egg butt myler snaffle I think it was level one and was certainly dressage legal
 
Either a myler or a KK ultra. My little connie was exactly the same. The main solution however is schooling - just get him working through from behind a bit more with transitions, lots of changes of pace within trot and canter, and lateral work. Make sure he's coming round from your seat and not just your hands, and when he risists, flex him and send him away from that side in leg yield. The other thing that may help is a french link hanging cheek, but he may start hanging again a bit with that.
 
Thanks! Will try all the transitions etc an one of the bit suggestions. I'll see what they say in the tack shop when I go in. I can see why previos owner schooled him in pelham now. Would just rather tackle issue instead of masking it.
Thanks again!
 
You could try taking things right back to basics, and teaching him about how to release from pressure of a headcollar, and then progress those skills to working with the snaffle. Standing beside him, ask him to flex his head and neck round towards his shoulder the same side as you. When you can do this from a really soft ask, try standing on the other side and asking him to flex his head and neck to the shoulder the other side from you (by holding the rope across his withers) so that he learns to respond to a signal to move his head away from you as well as towards you. Make sure he can do this both ways, and you can also teach him to flex his head and neck (tuck his chin in) and extend (poke his chin out), so that he understands to respond to signals in all different directions. If he can do this easily with you on the ground, try from the saddle, again he should be responding to a soft 'ask'. If you can do this in a headcollar in halt and in walk, you should be a long way towards him being soft to the snaffle.
Hope this helps a little,

Sue
 
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I can see why previos owner schooled him in pelham now. Would just rather tackle issue instead of masking it.
Thanks again!

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Hey, good for you. Be prepared that it may take a while to achieve the same results tho' as yes, it does sound like he has been in a false outline in the pelham. But the sense of achievement will be worth it
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A pelham can be a very usefull bit if used correctly. The first point is that it needs to be used with two reins. If it is used with roundings ,it is impossible to completely drop the curb action,and release what we glibly call poll pressure.The function of the curb action is to encourage the head into the correct position for the bit to be used by the other rein.At which point the curb should be released.With roundings this is impossible and the horse will be driven into an overbent outline.Also even where two reins are used, a common mistake is to used the curb as a sort of extra strong brake. This completely negates all the positive things the bit does and encourages tha horse to overbend and lean against the hands.
 
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