need bit advice!!

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helenhorse

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My TB mare has a relatively good mouth while schooling but tends to be quite heavy and forces herself on her forehand (typical ex racer/trainer) often when exeited or lazy/tired. So leaning is a problem but nothing very drastic she just tends to lean a bit and then will come off and then go for it again....im also precently finding it very hard to sustain a good contact with her nose in she tends to go slightly died and pock her nose out (repeat: like ex racer) its nothing to do with her neck muscles because i school her regularly in an outline and do lots of flexiuon work its just id like a bit that would help with the percuasion, and it would help me alot as i usually have to argue with herin order to get her on the bit....could you recommend a bit that would help her be more supple and submisive to the contact..i was thinking something like a sweet copper loose ring snaffle, which would help her mouth ans soften, do you agree guys??..nothing to fancy as i can only get hold of so many makes in a short space of time and i dont want to go searching and ordering from afar and for lots of money as they might not work, see. thanks alot anyway...xxx
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p.s shes currently in a hanging cheek snaffle which 'reduces' the leaning but not much and her mouth is fairly dry, however i had her in a well fitted Dr Bristol before which she mouthed 'very' well to but the leaning was a big problem when excited.
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I would keep her in a snaffle and maybe ave some lessons and make sure you're riding her forward properly. most ex racers will hang on the bit and it takes alot of work to get them off it. With Ty we found that fiddling with his mouth constantly just doesn't work - he needed to be ridden forward until he was more on his hocks and then the 'outline' came more easily.

If she's still a little unbalanced then I'd be tempted to do some more lunging on her (alteast twice a week) so that she doesn't need to lean on your hand and can find her own footing.
 
yeah thanks, as i said, shes fine schooling i can get her forward and back while lightin my hand however when she gets bored or excited she leans anyway and ignores my contact. she doesnt mouth at all in this bit which would suggest shes not very comfortable anyway, so i was thinking of asking what bit would be best...i was thinking a loose ring sweet copper snaffle??
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thanks xx i wont be changing it constantly, if she goes well in the new bit il be schooling her on further, if not il go back to this bit and do some more concentrated schooling.
 
There are some really good books on bitting - complete book of bits and bitting - by elwyn hartley edwards it's worth getting just for his comments it's hysterical!
I don't know if it would help for you but a Kimblewick was suggest to us to try on a mare who could get quite heavy. I don't know why it worked as I always thought they encouraged a lower contact, but it did.
 
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i would try her in a copper roller, i had a simulair problem with my horse and she settled my better in the copper roller and has been in it ever since

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thanks, is it better to get a straight bar for leaners or is it the link?? i cant remember which one was best?
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straight bars will increase leaning, try loose ring to

BUT, try instructor and lots of forward motion first, but changing does not always work and should be a last resort
 
I would avoid curb bits such as pelhams and kimblewicks, these sorts of bits have the effect of encouraging a leaner to lean even more with the downward action of these bits. A hanging cheek will also have a much reduced, but similar tendency.

I recommend a loose ring lozenged or french linked snaffle and agree that an instructor would help/schooling lots of upwards and downwards transitions and leg yielding and half halts.
 
yes i agree, im not going near a pelham or any shanked bit like that on this particular one!! again, yes she is lovely to school very light and she carries out the half pass, shoulder in etc very well untill she gets bored or excited!!..thanks, i am going to try the sweet copper loose ring snaffle on her and go from there..thanks for your recommendations.
 
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