Need advice on what bit to use.

M

MadMacher

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Wiltshire
www.madmacher.co.uk
My boy is 10 years old and is very strong to ride.
I am having to ride him at the moment for no longer than 30 mins because he is pulling my arms out!
Currently ridden in a snaffle with lozenge but proving not enough for him!
He is just so strong and hangs on you, you ask him to go on the bit and work from behind he will in walk but as soon as you ask in trot he bascially says forget it and pulls your arms out.
Just wondering what I can do!
Not enjoying riding him at the moment.
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I agree with the above.. try a waterford, he sounds like my horse!!
Had a good lesson the other week with riding club and she was encouraging me not to pull at all when he got faster, just to keep a very light contact and if he sped up do a 10m circle until he slowed down again, then go large, if he sped up again circle. You'll get very dizzy and it seem quite scary not to touch their mouth but they can't go very fast on a 10m circle and they soon stop pulling when they realise its not getting them anywhere!
My chap tends to get into a battle with you if you pull he pulls harder!! It is unfortunately a bad habit thats dificult to get him out of... his previous owner was quite nervous of him so from the age of 4-9 he was ridden with no leg and his head pinned down...
 
wow we must have the same horse just in a different colour! You posted re the Brewers yeast and I have been trying that, think it's working????....

And re the bit i use a Waterford now on my cob, it's a pelham but it's been fantastic. He doesn't pull as such but can get very heavy in the hand especially out hacking. I find it great for schooling too as he can't lean on it. I was advised to use it by an instructor though. There seems to be varying opinions on these bits from very severe to OK so I think as all bits they are only as good as the hands using them!

I got mine from shop4bits the lady was very helpful when I phoned up. You need to get a size larger than your normal bit size, do talk to her though as she is very knowledgeable.
 
I used to say the same thing about my mare and tried all types of bits. Anyway when I changed instructor she said 'she can hold get hold if here's something to get hold of' - in other words I was holding on! she had me doing lots of work in walk, including flexing, circles, leg yielding, shoulder in etc. Then when she was nice and light we'd go into trot if she started leaning it was usually my hands that were holding her rather than half halting and riding her forward with my leg. So we instantly went back to walk. She's lovely and light now in all paces unless I give her something to hold onto and she's in a french link snaffle
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Well I am going to try the waterford as everyone seems to say the waterford.
I got my friend to ride him yesterday for her opinion and she could not believe how strong he was, she couldn't feel her arms afterwards.
Another person suggested a market harborough!!!! what do you guys think?
 
i ride my lad in a hanging waterford snaffle & my arms are killing me from him leaning on me yesterday
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