Help, which bit to slow horse up and stop lowering head

[Nicola.2000]

Hello all,

This is my first post so apologies if it’s not in the right place.

My gelding cob is 5 and I’ve had him 18 months, he’s a really good boy but has a couple of things he does in canter/gallop I’d like to resolve.

He’s VERY forward and excitable and I’d like to find the best bit along with my riding to slow him down, listen and stop him dropping his head whilst in canter.

On his own he’s fairly good, if anything he’s less speed and more spooky…. but in company he will lose his mind in canter, it feels like fear of being left behind and I’m simply a passenger and not a rider!

I had a bit expert in but the bits she suggested made no difference, he’s got quite a fleshy mouth and is now in a Waterford Gag which is the only bit so far I’ve found to slow him up (a tad) to get a little more control back when cantering with another horse in company up the front, if he goes in front he will shy plus I try to use the lead horse as a wall to slow him up - neither are an ideal scenario.

Hes getting very fit, full of himself and feeling good which resulted in yesterdays hack being quite unnerving as I could barely pull him up as we were running out of track ( I think he needs glasses as well )

Because he’s slower than most ( they are bigger 16”+ and he’s just 15” ) and young he drops his head and powers from what feels like the front, and I feel like I’m literally surfing and praying on him rather than riding him with control and enjoying it.

They say horses can’t latch on and lean in waterfords but he definitely manages to and I’m not sure what to do next, I do have light hands as I’m always conscious of that but I’d just like him to lift his head so I don’t feel like a perched pimple on a headless horse and slow up a bit so we can both enjoy the journey.

Any advice would be fantastic and apologies if there’s any clear mistakes I’m making, I’m no horse whisperer and I’m quite green to all this myself as I’ve usually ridden older horses and riding school horses, he’s the first one of my own. ?

 

[Spot the Merry Risk]

Practise lots of transitions to keep him concentrating on you, you can do this alone or in company (but let the others know what’s happening). Canter five strides, now trot a couple, now canter on the other leg. Teach him walk to canter. Teach him to leg yield, shoulder in, traverse, trot but change the speed and the stride length. It will be mentally exhausting for you both - try a 20 minute hack doing this the whole time - this is work! You want it so he is constantly focused on you for the next instruction. Beware of not confusing him (it doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect, it’s the trying that matters) and give him loads of praise.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Hi! welcome ?

The thing that sticks out to me is you say he feels like he’s getting left behind and that being smaller your riding partners horses are faster.

Do the people you ride with actually know what’s happening behind them?
It sound like a considerate nanny horse and rider would really help you out here. Maybe try popping yours in front and asking them to stay back and steady. He’s a baby and his friends are tearing off ahead of him so it’s kind of understandable, also totally get it’s something you need to get on top of.
Quiet hacks, a quiet companion.
Try transitions as above, a few strides of canter while the other horse trots maybe, then bring him back to trot.
Good luck

 

[Wishfilly]

Just wondering what noseband you have him in- I wonder if he is doing something with his mouth to evade the bit, and something like a grackle or flash might help short term?

How is his behaviour in the school? How is he with other horses in the school?

What do you actually do when you are trying to pull him up? Has anyone else ridden him, and how do they find him?

Personally, assuming he is not evading the bit, I'm not sure putting him in stronger and stronger bits will help, necessarily. My pony can get strong and excitable in company- I've worked hard in the school to ensure he really respects and listens to a half halt, and it does help when we are outside the school too. I also try and work on using my seat to slow him down in the school, which, again, can help out hacking. I think you need to ensure the right buttons are there before taking him out to do fast work in company!

I'd also suggest that you maybe take him out hacking with just one other sensible horse, so that he can have a canter with them that doesn't feel to him like he's being left behind- it could be becoming a bit of a vicious cycle and stressful for him, hence struggling to pull him up and the lack of self preservation.

For me, I don't necessarily think a different bit will 100% be the answer, I think you need to look at the whole picture and maybe go back a few steps in his education, as well as perhaps avoiding putting him in situations which to some extent set him up to fail.

 

[Red-1]

I feel like schooling is the way to go rather than a different bit. A Cheltenham gag is quite severe, and the bit is not supposed to hold the horse, it is supposed to communicate.

I would get a trainer out to help, practicing changing the various canters/gallops without pulling, in an open field is where I would want to be, before going back into the group situation.

I would also want to learn to ride from the leg into the bit, as a closing and shortening aid, rather than just taking a pull. I would also learn to use lateral bend (ride a shoulder in) in order to stop the pulling when excited. All of these skills on his own before going back to the group situation.