Hot Horse Problems with Bitting

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elliexmileham

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My mare has always been very hot and spicy when jumping. She is never nasty, just extremely strong and enthusiastic.
She gets her head over the bit, tossing and throwing her head about. Doing this she can't see jumps properly, and makes it very difficult to maintain a rhythm, make good turns and see a stride. Many people have noticed she may not be happy in her mouth.

THIS IS NOT A SCHOOLING ISSUE - This horse has won at Novice Dressage, she is beautifully behaved and responsive on the flat, and over small cavaletti, and all kinds of technical showjumping situations in just a snaffle, however when the jumps are raised the same problem arises. She has had back, teeth, feet, physio, saddle, vet everything checked and she is fine, and is not hormonal at all, and on a completely molasses free/non heating diet.

She is currently ridden in a grackle (which works very well so don't want to change preferably) and 4 ring Dutch Gag on the 3rd or 2nd ring down. Usually in a lozenge mouthpiece, but have also used a Waterford which helps only slightly.

Any bitting suggestions welcome, Thank you :)
 
In some cases excitement and anticipation (nervousness also) of jumping can show as tension through the neck, head and mouth, which might be what you are experiencing. The problem may well be nothing to do with the bit if the horse is otherwise absolutely fine until you start jumping.
 
Hackamore?

For what it's worth, I hate Dutch gags - I find a lot of horses fight them, but without seeing your horse, it's hard to judge what would work.
It could also be tension coming from the rider - does she do the same with another rider?
 
we have tried a German and English hackamores and was worse than a snaffle sadly.
Also the same results with other riders, I've worked particularly on having soft elbows, hands and relaxed upper body but she's still very excitable.
 
elliexmileham said:
we have tried a German and English hackamores and was worse than a snaffle sadly.
Also the same results with other riders, I've worked particularly on having soft elbows, hands and relaxed upper body but she's still very excitable.
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Sometimes some horses just love jumping! Some use the "excitement" (for want of a better word) to fire themselves up, to give themselves power and scope.

I had one who was similar to yours, who jumped at high speed with her rider (and terrified her). I schooled her, slowed her down - and the mare started stopping and running out, as she had never actually seen the jumps before as she had always been going so fast. I got her trained off the voice, and managed to get her down to a jointed pelham (from running away in a hanoverian pelham). She was incredibly sensitive to the weight and legs - something you might think about with yours - I couldn't use ANY leg or weight aid in front of the fence, as it would shift her up a gear in a second. I had to sit very very light in front of the fence and almost take my leg off - she had enough natural impulsion without any assistance from me.

It was very hard to do - my natural instinct when I see a stride is to close the leg, but I had to learn to do the opposite with her. She was amazing when we got it right - she jumped me off over an elephant trap once, going round the Intermediate track at Spring Hill, but she took some nerve to leave alone!!!
 
Thank you, I usually have to sit and wait in my seat but I will experiment with what you have said about weight and leg, and hopefully there is some difference.
 
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