I'll put my nose on my chest and run like the wind....

[poiuytrewq]

And nothing much you can do will stop me!

Big horse is sound and having a new lease of life this includes tearing off in canter (only canters when I ask). His mouth is literally touching his chest he's so over bent and there's very little I can do to pull up again!
Whilst obviously I'm thrilled he's sound a little more control would be lovely especially as daughters pony is about to start cantering soon and we used to just sit in behind them?!
I've got him in a Minos precision gag type bit with a lozenge. Would this have a massively head lowering action?

 

[Pigeon]

Gags generally do have a lowering action!

Only really used snaffles on my bunch so can't recommend an alternative, but if it's any comfort my tb went through a phase of this and it stopped as suddenly as it started, he's probably just feeling well!

 

[calmgirl]

Hanging cheek is meant to lift the head. If you could borrow one might be worth a try.

 

[L&M]

The cheltenham gag is the only type of gag that will lift the head - all others work on poll pressure and lower the head.

 

[Mariposa]

My old boy does the same - I put him in a loose ring Balding gag, it lifts him up so he can't lean on me, and it's the only bit I've tried that seems to work.

 

[Mince Pie]

Isn't a single joint mouthpiece supposed to raise the head?

 

[alainax]

As above, the lozenge may not be helping. My boy likes to go behind the vertical and I was advised by my dressage instructor to have a nice thick single jointed eggbutt snaffle, as the bit will sit nice and still, and encourage him into the contact more. A lozenge is better to stop one from leaning, no use of the opposite!

 

[D66]

Slightly longer term strategy - teach him a voice command to stop, backed up with a polo when he does it.
Good Luck.

 

[showpony]

Have you tried a Waterford?

 

[Kallibear]

Put something with cheeks on and teach him to one rein stop. He can't naff off forwards if his nose is touching your stirrup!

 

[webble]

Lots of schooling and transition practice and maybe learn the one rein stop for emergencies

 

[Alyth]

IMO bits do not control horses!! I have seen more bitted runaways than bitless!! So again imo you need to teach your horse to respond to a feel....this means nh groundwork!! Rewarding every try and starting your cue lighter than you think you need, increasing the pressure and as said, rewarding the slightest try! Perhaps you need to start looking outside the square!!

 

[Nari]

This was a popular trick with my big lad too, and he wasn't too fussy about where he did it or being asked for canter first. With him I found a full cheek Myler mullen snaffle was my best bit - it was mild enough that he was less inclined to drop behind it (the flip side was he'd occassionally get strong, but that was preferable to no contact) & the full cheek meant I had a better chance of getting some bend in his neck & containing him. Which brings me to my key trick - bend! If he got straight then nothing was going to stop him, but if I could instantly get some bend in his neck I stood a decent chance, & if I'd got space to send him sidewards then even if he stayed in canter it would be slow & controlled. The other factor was rider speed, I had 3 strides to get a lid on things or I wasn't going to so it was never a good idea to switch off or give too much rein when hacking him.

God that makes him sound like a monster, he wasn't that bad as long as you knew him!