Help with brakes and steering required!!!

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dazedandconfused

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Help! My new mare has only ever hunted (now 7years old) and although she has a sensitive mouth I have discovered a problem when I took her XC for the first time... no brakes and even less steering!!! I'm not especially strong but I'm not a fan of fancy bit work if a snaffle will do, she seems to have a sensitive mouth and normally comes back when asked but is currently rushing everywhere whether in the manege or hacking - walk is OK now but trot and canter are WAY too quick and as I say XC just terrifying to the extent that she was jumping the jumps she wanted when she wanted but I had no say on anything :-(

Her teeth and back have been 'done' last month and teeth are great, back is strengthening with lots of ground work, she's currently in a hanging cheek french link. Any advice...
 
If she is rushing everywhere going xc schooling was probably just a step too far, I would go back to basics and get her more established before trying again.

She needs to learn to slow down and carry herself in a balanced, relaxed way in walk, trot and canter, plenty of stretching, leg yielding, transitions will all help more than any change of bit at this stage.

At least you know that, once you have control, she can jump and sounds very bold.
 
I was advise by knowledgeable friend to use cheltenham gag and it works a treat - for xc you may want to just use the gag rein - I ride with 2 so riding on snaffle 90% of time but hunting I just ride on gag rein and for xc would just use gag rein. Mine was off ebay with leather cheeks and peanut in centre but you can get other combinations. They apparently are only a good option if horse tucks in and buggers off rather than sticking head in air ! I tried hunting on snaffle but had literally no breaks and tried to use hedge for braking but he jumped it ! in cheltenham gag he is controllable - I have tried loads of other bits and nothing else did the trick !

I am suprised yours is soo good hunting that you can use a snaffle but xc you are struggling ! is it just the sight of the fences that is exciting her ? is she strong hunting when jumping ?

good luck
 
I would say back to basics. Lots and lots of transitions up and down the gaits, and within the gait.

I don't know what level you are currently schooling to, but I would start jumping again from the beginning, start trotting over small x-poles, and occasionaly asking her to stop before the jump, so she doesn't get too excited by them.

If all she has done is hunting, it could be that out in the field she has been allowed to go her own pace all the time; now you need to start enforcing that you are incharge of speed and direction ;)
 
Our horse was exactly the same when we got him last year, he had done some hunting and definitely has that hunting mentality. We are still working on it but he is improving so don't be disheartened. I wouldn't turn to a new bit but as others have said go back to basics and do lots and lots of schooling, and get her building up some muscle as if she has only ever done hunting she probably doesn't work from behind very well and that results in her rushing. I'd do loads of transitions and try and teach her that your legs don't mean go all the time! I'd also say take it really slow with her, hunting always seems to make them very excitable!! Good luck.
 
lots of schooling at home, get her to respect you, it may take a long time with her only ever hunted. Put jumps up in the school gradually and school around them, mabye pop the very odd one before returning to schooling.
When you feel there is enough improvment to try xc again (may be a couple of months) just school round the xc for the first 20 mins jump the odd one with lots of schooling in between.
Good luck :)
 
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