No brakes or rubbish riding??

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showaddy1

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My daughters new mare is a 15'2" irish cob, 6 r old... we have had her for about 4 months now, having bought her from a delightful elderly couple. She has done very little since being broken at 4.
90% of the time shes a lovely ride, she isnt too forward, and is happy to plod along whilst out hacking.
My daughter was complaining that she was too strong for her, I just assumed that my daughters riding isnt up to scratch... until I rode her the past fortni.
The mare could be toddling along in the school, being an angel... then run full pelt towards fence, and have no brakes.. she does the same out riding, will be quiet, then lurch forward, as if shying, and run into whatever is infront of her (luckily today it was my friends gelding).
She is ridden in a 3 ring gag... second hole.
I am wondering whether to change her bit, or get a trainer to have a ride first, just to see if my riding is rubbish or whether there is genuinely a prob....
Does this sound like a plan?
 
I would consider teeth, bit, saddle , back pain once they are ruled out some lessons could only benefit your daughter and horse.

Was their any reason why she was put into the gag and what is she like to school in just a plain French link ?
 
I think change the bit, I agree a French link would be a good place to start, it might be the 'poking' on the roof of her mouth from single link, and if she is otherwise quite ploddy she will probably go ok in that and you can go up from there if need be. It does seem like there is something giving her a twinge OR she is being naughty/exciteable. Do you lunge her, you could try that with and without tack to see if she does it?
 
To be honest she was previously ridden in one, I do have a link there... teeth fine... Id be suprised if it was pain because the strops are so few and far between... though, if after schooling there is no improvement then I will have her checked.
I should have said she is not 100% on the ground either... rarely, when being led in from the field she will use all her strength to get away from you, leg it back to the herd... and be a cow to catch again..
I know your prob thinking, 'bought a cracker there'....
Horses, more trouble than the kids!
 
my cob was a little like this when I first brought him. He used to set his neck and just go when he felt like it,usually as a way to avoid working properly. However with schooling and a change of bit he improved no end. He was ridden in a 3 ring gag to start with together with a flash and a martingale. He is now in an uxeter kimblewick and no other gadgets and goes really well in it. You may find as this horse is also a cob that a snaffle type bit doesn't suit and a low ported bit may suit better.
 
Try schooling in a snaffle and introducing lateral work, then use it when the horse try to rush forward. It's funny how they slow down when it's hard work (be carefull that the horse don't just bend the neck, they've got to bend the rest of the body as well). There is also the emergency one rein stop (lots of info on the net if you haven't heard of it), a good trick to know just in case.
 
Thanks all...I shall get someone to watch me ride her to see what can be done. I dont want her bitted up... ideally my daughter would like to show her, so I'd like to stop her running off because she wants to work rather than me using a gadget to force her to stop... if you know what I mean...
 
Agree re schooling. I think its a case of stopping & starting. She plods along then has a sudden explosion of energy. Instead she needs to be forwards all the time, & use her energy evenly.
 
Re bits... I'm generally not a fan of bitting up however the 4yo Coblet used to have a tendency of doing this. With lots of schooling in a loose ring Waterford, she's like putty as there is nothing to grab hold of and if she tries it just collapses in her mouth. She loves it. She was originally ridden in a French link fulmer but could fix on it and could get very heavy in the hand. By comes up into the bridle now and is light in the hand.

Saying that, depending on how soft your daughters hands are.
 
showaddy1 said:
I should have said she is not 100% on the ground either... rarely, when being led in from the field she will use all her strength to get away from you, leg it back to the herd... and be a cow to catch again..
Click to expand...

use an extra long lead rope or a lunge line to get her in fom the field, that way you have a much better chance of holding on to her and will stop the habit. She sounds like she is taking the pee a little, she does it because she knows she can.
 
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