Need some bitting advice (sorry, long post)

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nomini

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Bought alisha last July, was riding her in a loose ring french link snaffle - previous owner had her in a sprenger french link snaffle. She went really nicely for the first month or so. I then started to find her quite strong when jumping so instructor find me a nice mild myler bit which worked wonders to start with.

However, before she went lame she was really resisting any contact and putting her head up really high and even doing small little rears to prevent me from pusing her forwards into the contact. She was doing this in french link snaffle and myler bit. I have had her teeth and saddles checked recently and no problems there. Don't think it's her back, she just seems really unhappy in her mouth. She has been out of work for 4 weeks or so due to lameness, but I sat on her on sunday for the first time, rode with very little contact and she was still throwing her head in the air. It's getting to the point where I'm scared to ride her.

When I tried her she had a naturally high head carriage but with a little encouragement came on to the bit and worked very nicely. She kept a nice regular rhythm before and after the fences, now she just charges at them!
I am really worried that I have ruined her over the 8 months i have had her, and can't see how she has changed so much! I am not sure whether to try the sprenger bit to see if it makes any difference
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Don't really know what else to try, I bought her to showjump but at the moment i am scared to even ride her on the flat! She has become really edgy and nervous too!

Have spoken to previous owner, who said the worst she did was have a spook on a hack with her! I am feeding her the same as previous owner and if anything she is doing more work now than she was before.

Sorry for the long post, just want some advice on what to try. I really don't want to give up on her as she is a sweet little mare, but i can see myself losing my confidence on her if I don't sort something out soon!
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I can sympathise with you as when Shadow came back from being on loan he was like this- would rush round the arena, would not come down and work softly and would spend 40min doing mini rears and bucking if i tried to push him forward. He did this in a loose ring frensh link, a myler comfort snaffe (altough eventually he accepted this bit again) I have now found a bit he is happy with a KK Ultra which was a risk to try as it cost £76 but im happy with him in it. To sort it out in the end we used two techniques, firstly to let him canter round with no contact what soever, using seat aids only, eventually he would relax and i could edge cm by cm the reins into a contact, secondly rather than try and bring his head down i would ask for inside flexsion and put my inside leg on. This brought him into a contact asfter a lot of work- but he could not rear doing it, he could not get his body into the air if he body was in a bend. It really worked, try it and let me know how you get on- the work shadow achived when messing around when i was doing this was to leg yield himself across the arena- fair enough we were all over the place to start with but he could not buck, rear and eventually learnt it was easier to jusr chill out.
 
Thanks, I can't canter her for another 2 weeks
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but could try trotting on a loose contact. Considering buying her the sprenger kk ultra as she was very happy when I rode in that when I tried her, as you said though £76 is a lot of money when it might not work!
 
It is a lot, but i had come to a dead end and had to try something (my plan b was to sell it on ebay if it did not work out!) Troting loose may well work. Is she wet in the mouth when ridden? If not then it may be the material of the bit she doesnt like. What Myler have you got? I have a comfort ported one that you could try if you want- seeing as she started nicely in it originally. Have you tried a pessoa to see if she is willing to work softy in that?
 
Try a bit bank for the bit first so that if doesnt work your not out of pocket by loads.

Any chance you can try a bitless bridle but have a bit aswell? Sounds wierd i know but it was a trick i learnt with our babies. We rode them in hackamores with happy mouth bits in till they were used to the bit then slowly could build up contact on the mouth so that it was all easy slow and gentle for them.
 
Think it's just stainless steel, not sure cos I bought it second hand from my instructor cos I couldn't find a new one! Usually finishes work with a very dry mouth, although will salivate occasionally. Haven't tried a pessoa, have lunged in side reins and she always has a wet mouth at end of lunging session. Not riding her till saturday now, as wanted to give her a week out in the field just to chill, as she has been on and off box rest for the past few weeks! Thanks for your advice, will let you know how I get on riding her on sat
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