Help! Need some advice

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Ok well Bria the young mare i've got the ride on, used to behave like a prat but has been schooling well the last few months. However she then had 2weeks off when me and her owner went away on holiday and shes now an absolute prat again (bucking her owner off, pissing off at the rate of knots!).
However schooling her in the myler WITH a standing martingale and we're fine.

Here's the problem: I'm taking her XC schooling next week for her first ever time and obviously I don't want to go XC in a standing martingale - but just in the myler with a flash and running martingale (which i try and showjump her in) we have NO control - she just takes the bit, tilts her head and pisses off.

Have any of you got any bit/tack recommendations to add a bit of control? I wanted to try a grackle as she seems to be crossing her jaw but her owner didn't want to use one. And at this rate I have a feeling i'll end up dumped on the floor (though she may surprise me).

I posted in here as wanted the advice of the eventers really about what they would do if this was their young horse. Would you just take her as she is (myler, flash and running) and hope for the best or try something else?xx
 
Personally i wouldnt take her x country until you can school her without a standing on.....

However i use a combination noseband on Archie, really good and stops him from sticking his head up and crossing his jaw over, and then b*ggering off with me
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They are a million times more effective than a grackle aswell, as with grackles they can still cross their jaw over, even if you do them really tight (which i hate doing with any noseband)

http://www.kmeliteproducts.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=ste009&cat=33
 
Ah that looks interesting - what archie does is exactly what Bria does.

Yeh I might take Rocks instead - thing is I booked it a month ago when she was behaving like a dream and schooling beautifully in just her myler - then she had 2weeks off and has gone back to being a devil!
I don't have to decide til next week which one I take so if she settles over the next week we'll see. Bloody horses!
 
No change of noseband is going to make any difference. Up the bit long term it will be better as she will not become numb and unruly in the mouth. I would try something that is going to back her off the bit such as a waterford or a cherry roller. She is being rude and currently getting away with it.
I think you are a bit nuts for going xc schooling with so little control and would get my issues resolved out hacking/schooling first. If she is doing this at home then xc schooling is going to be far more exciting.
 
Personally I woould not be attempting XC schooling on a horse with no brakes etc, sounds like she needs swtiching off in the school again IMO
 
Mmm I thought you would say that and have to say I agree with you all - like I said I booked the XC a month ago when she was schooling beautifully - it's just how to say that to her owner (who has booked the day off work).
I'll warn her that she might not be ready, but will wait and see if she settles or not by end of the week once she realises shes in work again
 
i would take her in the standing martingale, make it as long as possible. you not getting dumped/run off with is the most important thing. she must learn that you are in charge, and if that's the only thing that works at the moment, stick with it. the last thing you want her to learn xc is that she can do what she likes. if she doesn't manage to bascule etc quite as you'd like, so be it... that's for the future when she's better behaved! lots of people used to jump huge hunt fences in standing martingales, fwiw. good luck!
 
Good news people - Rode bria today and for me she behaved impeccably - will be jumping her on thursday evening in a few different bits and choose one for XC - looks like she just needed to realise she was back in work
 
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