Fussing with the bit....any suggestions?

skychick

skychick

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Hi there,
I got my new horse last weekend and i have been riding him this week but he seems to fuss alot with his bit and doesnt seem to happy with it.
He is ok for the first few minutes then starts to chew on it and toss his head around a bit or stick his head in the air (not becomming uncontrollable or anything, just carries his head v high) he is in a running martingale. He just seems to fidget/chew it/almost fight it but not in a strong way.

He is ridden in a hanging cheek french link snaffle.
The girl i bought him from it has transpired over horsed herself with him and found him too much. He is actually not particularly forward going, or very strong at all. I believe she may have been riding him in something alot stronger before (from the pictures in his advert it looks like she could be riding in something like a pelham with a curb chain or a tom thumb but i cant be sure as i cant zoom in enough to see clearly) when i tried him he was in the hanging cheek french link snaffle and i thought he went quite well in it. But i just dont think he is very happy.

To be honest i dont think he warants a stong bit, i think she was just nervous and thought it would help. Even with my arab that was insanely strong when i got him and was ridden in a dutch gag i put him in a happy mouth snaffle because it wasnt worth the fight!

Im wondering if he doesnt like the poll pressure maybe?

He had his teeth done in september apparently and he is 12 years old so not a baby that is still learning.

Does any one have any suggestions of what to try?
 
Sounds a little bit like the horse I ride at the moment, he is a big lad and goes really well in a dutch gag but obviously it's not dressage legal so we were on the hunt for something that was. Tried the hanging cheek french link and had similar problems, head in the air and a lot of resistance, so tried a jointed eggbutt snaffle and he was better but not great, then tried a loose ring jointed snaffle and he went really nicely in it. Maybe try a bit with a joint and no french link, and try a fixed eggbutt and a loose ring and see which he objects to with the hanging cheek.
 
yeah i definately think a dental checkup is due i am going to get that booked asap.

I have heard that actually although the poll pressure from hanging cheeks is meant to make a horse go better with better head carriage etc it can sometimes make the horse fight it.
I defiantely think going for a simple jointed snaffle whether it is loose ring or eggbut but not the hanging cheek could be the way forwards.

Thank you for your suggestions. Its always great to hear what has helped others.
 
Make sure the teeth are ok (dont take her word for it) and the saddle fits. then look at the horses mouth conformation to see what bit will suit the horse. Finally it may be that the horse has been pulled on or jabbed, so time and soft hands are needed.

long term damage may have been done to the bars of the mouth (or elsewhere) but your vet or registered edt will be able to assess this.
 
practice squeezing the reins until he relaxes down onto the bit, while stationary - do this until you feel the click of contact, usually acompanied by an increased neck angle inward and a comfortable slight drop. The second he does this, reward him with a pat and a "good boy". A soon as you know you've got your timing right with the rewarding, practice this in other gaits.
NB: Make sure you're not rewarding him going BEHIND the bit.

Do this often, until he learns this is what you want him to do. Check and use your legs and seat to push his engine forward and make sure you're not sitting too far back in the saddle to free up his back and encourasge him to "round and compact".

I find that many times it's not so much getting the horse to come down on to the bit as the horse seeking contact, from his rider to switch on his "engine" with legs and seat. This then pushes/relaxes him into contact as a whole.
 
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Rotchana said:
practice squeezing the reins until he relaxes down onto the bit, while stationary - do this until you feel the click of contact, usually acompanied by an increased neck angle inward and a comfortable slight drop. The second he does this, reward him with a pat and a "good boy". .
Click to expand...

A better reward is a release of contact! If you keep squeezing or a resistance on the rein and the horse has yielded the aid ceases to mean anything!

I also prefer a still but elastic contact. Any movement of the bit, especially with an already unsteady head, just makes it worse. A huge amount of weight is put on to a small surface area, even with a good rider and a simple snaffle bit. You dont need to move the reins or bit to get a horse to soften, if a horse drops down because of this it is because it is trying to get away from the movement, not because it is softening/relaxing.

A soft mouth and a happy relaxed horse comes from a comfortable horse and good communication imo. And STILL (but elastic) contact is important for this.
 
teddyt said:
A better reward is a release of contact! If you keep squeezing or a resistance on the rein and the horse has yielded the aid ceases to mean anything!
Click to expand...

Yes I meant this but could have made it more explicit, when you pat/reward, the rider has to release (stops the rider maintaining contact with both hands and combines the voice aid).
 
I am going to be having lessons on him a) because i havent done alt of riding in the past 2 years and b) because i love to be nit picked at and having a very watchfull eye to pick up on any faults that i have. I think its worth its weight in gold having someone who is extremely experienced to pick up on things that you may not notice you are doing etc. Also to help the horse progress in his schooling and to iron out issues such as the one that i am facing at the moment.
I am very very lucky that the yard he is on is owned by my riding instructor who taught me for over 12 years and she is FANTASTIC, so i can have regular lessons and do as you have suggested, work on contact, reward when he does what is asked and making sure that i work with my legs and seat to work him from his hind legs into a rounded more softened outline etc.

Thanks guys
 
That's really lucky, having your instructor on site who can work with you both together. Sometimes I think my body is positioned and in a certain way and it isn't..... or that my horse is doing something that she isn't .......or I don't notice something that she is doing that needs correcting.
Only an instructor can act as your mirror in that situation and move you both on together - lol
 
Yes i am very fortunate. Some people say they like to go into an arena, do their own thing etc without people watching. I am the oposite....i love to be nagged at/criticised (constructively of course!!) etc, because then i know i am doing the best job of riding a horse quietly, straight, im not leaning or fidgeting or anythin that might make the horse uncomfortable. Also.....it gives you something to work at.....its all to easy to just go in and ride circles and think you are working at something....when really its more a case that you are riding aimlessly!
Either that or having someone video your riding and you can watch it back........it really opens your eyes....you think you are doing something one way and as you say Rotchana...it transpires that you are not!

Going back to the subject of bits, would you reccomend a change of bit before doing some reschooling work? or is that all too much to soon.
Would you try reschooling and then change a bit? or vice versa?
 
Don't know really, perhaps a sweet iron french link? But thensome say this encourages them to play about more.
I'm sticking with the one my mare's used to for now, until my contact is spot on (french link snaffle), even though I've recently bought a sweet one that's similar. It's hard work for her as she's been used for hacking so she's having to REALLY work now and will probably be aching a lot after the intensive school work she's doing - I know I am - lol.
 
I would try something that has a little bit more movement in the bit, such as a loose ring. I would treat him as a baby and try something nice and soft such as a lozenged loose ring for a while, until the horse understands a contact. A hanging cheek doesnt offer any poll pressure, but does lift the bit in the horses mouth.
 
Thank you KatB i think that will be the best thing to do, go right back to basics and start again.

Im loving the picture on your signature of the coloured jumping cross country.....he has very vert similar markings to my new horse. Absolutely beautiful.
 
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