Help I'm out of control!

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Sheri

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I own a lovely Cob x Mare who is 9 this year, I have had her since she was 9 months so know all her history etc.

She is having a go at everything at the moment but we are more serious on evening rather than anything else.

Ffern is ridden in an eggbut snaffle for flat work with a caversson noseband and spurs.

For hacking, jumping and XC she is in the same noseband and a Cheltenham Gag as she leans right down to race off with me. Problem is she is getting worse as she is now very fit and getting the hang on XC and SJ and I took her on a fun ride yesterday and she was a nightmare. Not naughty but just so strong, I have soft hands but really had to oull to try and get her head up, as a result she was opening her mouth and even sticking her tongue right out the side - she has never done this before ( I did stop and check her tongue wasn't over the bit)

The end picture is I am starting to realise this is getting dangerous as she runs into jump then missing a stride and launching it to compensate.

My question is how can I regain control, my first thought was a grackle, but after lots of searching I'm not sure whether she should have a different bit too
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Please help!

Thanks
 
I would try a grackle as you have thought about trying.
I dnt lyk the Cheltenham Gag anyways but you cud try a waterford or waterford gag, this will stop her leaning on hte bit so much and gives her sumthing to play with as so to speak.

Hope this helps.
Keep us posted.
 
Personally if I were in such a strong bit and still had very little control I would be going back to basics with the schooling and leaving xc etc until I had better brakes!
 
I'm absolutely no expert on strong horses Sheri hun, but I do know that the way to deal with a strong puller isn't to change the bit. Whilst it is possible that there are other reasons for it eg she's worried by it all so runs faster to get it over with or sore mouth/teeth etc etc etc. But if you've ruled out back/tack/teeth/etc, I'd go back to basics and forget jumping for a bit - concentrate on her flatwork. Does she get strong in flatwork? It may be that she just needs to be reminded of her manners and to be reponsive to your aids.
 
thank you all,

Ffern is up to date with back, teeth etc. She is very gooing ont he flat and always scores 60% plus in dressage. She is more on her hocks with indoor showjumping but can still get a little strong. She just gets very excited outside and this is why she is trying to evade the bit. I am just unable to bring her head up. I can walk her on a long rein its just in faster paces.

She has her diet monitored by Spillers too so I know her feed is correct for her. I really feel she is simply trying it on as in her mind I'm stopping her having fun! I don't really want to go to a stronger bit, I chose the Cheltenham gag with my trainer as it was still a snaffle but with a gag action. She has a lovely soft mouth in the school
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I have found that working my incredibly strong horse (17.3 ID) in a pessoa has worked wonders, also working him in long reins and lots of changing of rein etc as he has to be a lot more responsive in the bridle so that he can get the messages without relying on my leg (I can be a bit lazy when I school him as it is easier to get him carrying himself completely rather than asking him to go into his bridle in a correct contact... if you know what I mean) So I have concentrated on my lazy, bad habits too.
I ride him in a grackle and a 3 ring dutch gag, I have had to change my approach out on xcountry too, I have check points that are the only time I change anyting about his pace and way of going and then it has to be a very obvious check to rebalance him and get him back onto his hocks. I can only make specific corrections at specific times and other than that I have to leave his head alone as he gets stronger and stronger. I also have to be very strong through my leg when all my natural instincts are telling me to ease off, so that I push him more into a contact... I use spurs on him too as the correction can be a little more assertive with these. I have to catch him and rebalance him the minute he lands and then he is left alone again until the approach to the fence.

Strong, keen horses can get anxious the more you try and slow them down as they think you are trying to stop them from jumping; once they learn that you are simply rebalancing them and guiding them rather than fighting their attitude does begin to change.

Try very hard not to go down the path of messing with your bits too much as this can do more harm than good. Maybe try something with a lettle less or no poll pressure if anything as this may be upsetting her?? A lot of people on here rate bits with curbs.. I have never used on on my big horse though so can't comment. The problem with the running gags is I find that the signal is a little diluted when it reaches the horse and slow to get there. Less of a gag will allow for a quicker more obvious signal to your horse.

When I hack or do fun rides with my strong horse he has a standing martingale on as then he fights purely with himself and this has made a massive difference to those aspects of his work. He no longer mauls as he has got used to not getting a reaction when he does, no messing with my hands to encourage the fight so the habit has been broken.
Bit of a ramble there so if I have made no sense tell me!
 
Thanks thats fab, your not the first to mention that the Chelenham gag sends a bit of a wishy washy signal to the horse.

We are doing lots of grid work with her at the moment which is why I think she is improving indoors but we are yet to find that control outside!

Does anyone have any suggestions on a curb bit that raises the head please?

Thanks again
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My first thought would be to use a curb chain, you could attach it to pretty much anything, but I would risk maybe a hanging cheek snaffle... if snaffle not enough I would follow with waterford.
As somebody mentioned - don't back off with your leg when you are being pulled, maybe go for spurs as well - you need to push the horse onto the bit not pull it onto its hocks if that makes any sense at all
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ETS - another thing maybe worth trying is a Myler, maybe snaffle with hooks, it has a bit of a gag action, but little and it is nearly impossible for the horse to hang on to it as it's flexible.
 
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