Grass reins and bits for slightly stroppy kid's poiny?

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Toomanyoats

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My 6 year old son, tall for age, is on a nice sturdy loaned 13.2hh. a good soul in many ways but has a habit, gained I am sure from his many loans and riding school days, of putting head down to unseat and avoid work. I thought of putting some grass reins on, as well of course as encouraging said child to sit up and kick on. Does anyone have experience of them? There seems to be a few on the market, what's the best? Pony has come with a hanging cheek Dutch gag thing. I guess that's been used because of the head down issue but I think its a bit of a severe bit for a 6 year old to use sensitively, what do others think? For now, I've just popped the reins on the big ring but has anyone got ideas for a better bit? Finally, if I do put the grass reins on, it strikes me that with the gag it would be rather a mean combination? I've never used gags myself, being a dressage girl, I only use what I'm allowed to use between the boards, so know nothing about them, they seem to be used a lot for show jumping but that's all I know! Any advice welcome:)
 
I used to use a daisy rein for my daughters pony went from the d rings of the saddle to the head peice on the bridle so didn't attach to the bit. Worked very well completely stopped pony putting his head down to eat grass. You may fine then you can put pony back into done kind of snaffle.
 
And I got a decent leather one too found it sat and worked well plus was tidy enough when she was very small to wear at shows. I also preferred it for jumping not attached to the bit so didn't restrict pony a movement.
 
A daisy rein will stop him snatching the reins off the rider, which is rude, but hey ponies! They've been around forever, aren't too invasive on pony. Then perhaps you can go for a less drastic bit.
 
I tried a daisy rein for my daughter's naughty pony that we owned some years ago but didn't like it as I found it slipped. I preferred grass reins. We also used a Dutch gag as the pony was very strong - think Shetland crossed with a Welsh section D!
 
I have used a daisy rein but found it useless. Still have it mouldering in the tack room. I've not really seen them used successfully tbh.
Although we know side reins are terrible to use when ridden, most the ponies in the PC for yeas have had them on instead of daisy reins. I sometimes used to run the rein from the D's on the saddle to the browband & down to the bit (if the pony might snatch or fiddle with the reins) but also used normal side reins straight from D's to bit. They were loose enough to not interfere & just stopped pony getting head too far down.

If your pony is going fine in the bit it is in I really wouldn't change it, why not wait & see if it's there for a reason.
Here's a pic to illustrate how we used reins as described:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...=a.22016011198.41871.535976198&type=3&theater
 
I had a daisy rein on my first pony who would grab the grass, then buck me off and run away :p . Did have to combine it with a crupper though as it pulled the saddle forward all the time, stopped her chucking me off though
 
As a mum of 2 who are both pony mad, I have tried so many 'bought' daisy reins and bits but have found the best to be a leg strap off a turnout rug, attach to d ring on saddle, past down through the browband and clip to bit, one one side only. being a leg strap they are fully adjustable. Bit wise a Wilkie snaffle is great for novice kids but allows a little poll pressure for naughty ponies, hope this helps. x
 
You might find that when you put the grass reins on the pony, if it tends to lean hard on them, you will need a crupper as well to stop the saddle being pulled forward.
 
I used grass reins on a very greedy pony my children had and they worked perfectly - he was ridden in a plain snaffle
Not sure about the bit you have on him - that's a lot of leverage and nutcracker action going on for a young child to think about - some ponies and horses will actually run away from a bit that's too fierce
 
We used grass reins successfully on knobberpony,until the girls were strong enough to stop her putting her head down.We swapped her bit to a sweet iron french link snaffle as she used to yank the reins all the time.As soon as we swapped the bit,she stopped that little trick.[might be worth getting the pony's teeth checked too,as ours started yanking/putting her head down again recently and it turned out she had a sharp tooth.]
 
if pony puts head down you need something to keep head up-the gag encourages the head down and in and the pony to be on fore hand, great for kids to have brakes on ponies that raise the head but not for those that lower it. personally I would attach sides reins to d rings and cross over in front of saddle and direct to the bit and combine it with asnaffle of some kind
 
mirage said:
We used grass reins successfully on knobberpony,until the girls were strong enough to stop her putting her head down.We swapped her bit to a sweet iron french link snaffle as she used to yank the reins all the time.As soon as we swapped the bit,she stopped that little trick.[might be worth getting the pony's teeth checked too,as ours started yanking/putting her head down again recently and it turned out she had a sharp tooth.]
Click to expand...
Thanks , tooth man is on his way, fished out a nice sweet iron (which I forgot I had) and some side reins. Saturday morning will see child in situ and when he stops yabbling on about Star Wars (maybe ponies get bored with 6 year old chatter?) I shall make him sit up and push on!!;)
 
I used grass reins on mine. She had no shoulder though so it pulled the saddle forward. So we had a crupper on as well. It was a made to measure saddle but she was late. 20s when I got her. She's now retired and early 40s. Was a cow till her last ride. Would get down and roll if bucking and spinning at the sand time didn't get you off
 
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