Hanging Cheek vs Myler Comfort Snaffle - help, please.

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whippetgirl

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Hi all,

I have a 17.1hh IDxTb mare who, when I bought her, came with a waterford gag and lent on your hands all the time. We went back to basics and over the few years I have had her we have worked a lot on her carriage (she was completely on the forehand) and general flatwork. We only do a bit of low level dressage and hack out (she will be 21 this year and I'm no spring chicken so we take things easy).

She is now in a hanging cheek snaffle and she is going the best she has since I've had her. She now never leans on my hands and gives me moments of elevated engagement once we've warmed up with lots of transitions.

However, since she's been in the hanging cheek and not any kind of gag/waterford, it happens because of what we have been working on and other sets of unrelated events, we had not done much cantering when out hacking. Then the other day I was out and had the chance to go in a field (which we have been in ages ago) and had a canter. When I went to pull her up she threw her head up and was not stopping. I confess I probably lifted my hands as I lent back trying to haul her to a stop since she was heading for an opening onto a road. I managed in the end to turn her which slowed her enough to point her at a big hedge and she stopped.

Now I am thinking I have no brakes (I am not the most confident person and I do tend to worry). So I borrowed a friend's Myler with hooks, which I tried in the school but the cheek pieces bulge so I'm thinking thats not providing any leverage.

So my questions are:

1. Do I have no brakes or is she evading something else? I.e. my hands lifting and causing the bit to bang her pallette or too much pinch.

2. Given that she seems to like the Hanging cheek, is there something I could use that would be the same in the school but give me some 'brakes' out?

3. Why are the cheek pieces bulging on the Myler? Am I doing something wrong?

I would be grateful for any views, thanks.
 
What is the Myler (eg a fulmer, eggbut, d-ring)? You can get the Myler comfort snaffle in a hanging cheek/baucher, so maybe this is an option? Remember that the ones with hooks and/or ports aren't dressage legal. It should also be noted that bauchers don't give poll pressure.
 
You don't say what mouthpiece the hanging cheek is but if she's happy in it and you want some brakes outside the school consider getting a pelham with the same mouthpiece. Ideally you'll keep it for hacking but there will be no functional difference in the school if you use only the top rein however you do have a set of extra brakes out hacking. It's not dressage legal but then you have the hanging cheek for that.
 
Faracat said:
What is the Myler (eg a fulmer, eggbut, d-ring)? You can get the Myler comfort snaffle in a hanging cheek/baucher, so maybe this is an option? Remember that the ones with hooks and/or ports aren't dressage legal. It should also be noted that bauchers don't give poll pressure.
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This ^

I'd work out why you have no brakes ie if opening mouth/crossing jaw/ignoring you and work on that rather than change the bit for a stronger one

The cheek pieces might *bulge* as the bit might be too big as myler bits tend to be half an inch too big due to the shape ie my ,yler is a 4.5 inch but he is normally a 5 inch in normal bits
 
Needs to re school: try a pelham or another bit if a normal one does not work, have her used to its action in the school. Make sure she is well exercised before you go in to the field again, canter in a circle round the field and if she starts to tank off though you ask her to slow, let her run till she wants to slow down then kick on till you ask her to slow down. Obviously you need a big field and no open gates on to a road.
It is easier to pull up if going uphill towards an unjumpable hedge, but it might help if you have stirrups an inch shorter than normal, keep hands low. A jockey will use the whole weight of his body to hold a horse, but it is a technique which requires a degree of balance and usually, a hill.
Remember the pressure release business, when she is responding you can relax a bit.
A myler comfort is for a well schooled horse, not suited to one that is tanking off.
The bridle should be high enough in the mouth not to bulge to being loose, when the bit is in action.
From her breeding I would anticipate she is not highly strung as such, more big and strong, maybe get an experienced instructor to advise, we can't really be sure about fitting tack and there is the configuration of the mouth to consider.
 
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whippetgirl said:
3. Why are the cheek pieces bulging on the Myler? Am I doing something wrong?
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Possibly because either the cheekpieces of your bridle or reins are attached incorrectly. If you're using the hooks, make sure that the cheekpieces/reins are on the outside threading through the middle of the hook. If you thread through the middle onto the inside you will get bulging. If you comfort snaffle has hooks you could also use a curb chain with it if necessary, it would act as a Kimblewick.
 
I use a hanging cheek Myler for everyday and a comfort snaffle with a kineton noseband for more exciting stuff - she has questionable brakes when she gets excited. The approach works very well for us .
 
Hi,

Thanks for all the replies :)

Her current hanging cheek is a simple snaffle and the Myler is a basic comfort snaffle with hooks.

Jemima - I had not thought about a Pelham. That could be a good idea when I am potentially going to be in the canter/excitable situation. Thank you. I will look in to that.

Leflyn - you are right, I need to figure that out. I think she is trying to open her mouth, something she sometimes does when she does not have a flash on (She is currently has a flash on). And that's interesting about the Myler. That makes sense as it looked a little too big.

Bonkers2 - thank you for the advice. In the summer, we have access to a larger field so I could practice that, thanks. And yes she is not flighty, more strong :)
 
It may be a case of needing different bits for different things. You could be describing my horse and he has 3 bits (strangely similar ones to yours) for different things.
A myler hanging cheek mullen mouth (he hates anysort of joint) snaffle for flatwork and sedate hacks (either alone or with one other quiet horse)
A hanging cheek waterford for more lively hacks with other horses and decent cantering or if he's with a friend's horse as they wind each other up!
A waterford 3 ring gag with 2 reins for exciting things like fun rides and the beach (he's not allowed to jump any more but he wore it for jumping too)

It was a pain until I bought a bridle for each bit, but it means we're both happy - he likes the mouthpieces and I have brakes at all times.
 
That's interesting, annagain. I am curious as to why a waterford gave you more control. Is that because he has nothing to hold on to?
I do have two bridles so I could try what you suggest and have a 'fast hacking out' set up. I think I still have her old waterford gag or might look at a hanging cheek waterford.
 
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