Ideas - a bit needed for a very sensitive soft mouthed young TB

cobface

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My rising 5 TB used to be ridden in an eggbut snaffle, she didnt like any kind of contact in this - she would head toss terribly when asking for any contact, so we changed to a loose ring snaffle with lozenge - although better in this she would still resist contact and either snatching her head down and opening her mouth when asking for contact or throwing her head about so high i can see her star
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i tried some flexi reins and she is a little better in these she still does the head thing.
I would really like to be able to school her nicely and get her behind working correctly - love to be able to do a bit of dressage in a few months time. I have had lessons but shes still the same and i know its not me as am very very light with my hands.
She has had her back checked last summer and all is well, her saddle was fitted back a good fitter too - although i am getting it checked again at the end of march.
Had the dentist out 10 days ago and he had a good rasp and took 2 wolf teeth out. I told him about what happens when i ride her and said it is a possibility the wolf teeth were the cause. Now tomorrow i will be riding her for the first time after her dental visit and am hoping i will see an improvement.
So, if i ride her and feel she is no better do i consider changing bits again? if so to what? also could there be any other reason as to why she is like this whilst asking for any contact? she sometimes does this head tossing thing whilst out hacking if she wants to go faster in canter - she never gets strong but feels like she has the power coming from behind her so therefore has a very collected almost on the spot canter, other horses will be trotting and she will be doing this lovely ryhtmetic bouncy canter, which is so nice when shes not being silly. I have seen her race around the field and on the lunge and she moves so nicely so why cant we achieve this under saddle?
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I would maybe try a straight bar happy mouth snaffle, or maybe an eggbutt french link happy mouth snaffle. My horse really disliked a normal snaffle, and much prefers not having metal in his mouth
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My ex racer, Avey is fairly strong and used to be very yakky in the mouth, I had her in a french link and then my instructor suggested I try her in a straight bar happy mouth (as per Stencilface), this was much better and over time she became much less yakky. The only problem then was that she had not respect for it whatsoever, so now I have her in a Myler comfort snaffe which really seems to do the trick.
 
I started my horse in the straight bar, then when he got too leany on it I changed it to a french link. I started off with a fulmer french link happy mouth which was really handy for a wobbly 4-5 yo
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Fingers crossed you will see an improvement now she has had her teeth done (and even if there is no immediate fix it may be worth giving her a little time as the behaviour might now have become 'learned' and she will need to adjust) Otherwise it might be worth trying a hippus snaffle? They aren't especially common -yet- but the logic behind the design is undeniable
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Best of luck x
 
I know you want to do dressage, but maybe to test thats definately the bit thats an issue, what about trying a Dr. Cook's bitless bridle? I was having problems jumping my mare last summer, but when I tried the bitless she was great - just prefers it to a bit.
 
There are a couple of happy mouth straight bar bits on ebay quite cheap so i think i will try one of these.
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The dr cook bridle looks fab too but not dressage legal unfortunitly but maybe worth a try if all else fails.
 
Not a fan of happy mouth bits because of the ridges and roughness of them tbh!! But thats probably just me
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I would try a nathe first of all, as this will encourage her to take the contact forward
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Otherwise something with a shaped mouthpiece like a KK dynamic, a NS team up or starter, or a JP or hippus snaffle would be my next call, as they sit well in a horses mouth without any "interference" so to speak
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