Please help - at end of tether riding Chex

[custard]

I'd cut his feed out all together, hay and grass for now nothing else, he clearly feels fine! What is it about some pensioners that makes them think age entitles them to be really naughty, Im thinking of the human kind as well as horses!

Have you tried a market harborough with an ordinary snaffle

 

[the watcher]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd cut his feed out all together, hay and grass for now nothing else, he clearly feels fine! What is it about some pensioners that makes them think age entitles them to be really naughty, Im thinking of the human kind as well as horses!


[/ QUOTE ]

I would agree on the pensioners front..my mad pony was 17 when I got her and was still lively at 24 when she deteriorated with Cushings and was PTS (she hunted up to her last winter and loved every minute of it)

 

[Chex]

The bit could be a bit low, not really low though. Its not like he's grabbing it, just snatching/yanking his head down

 

[Chex]

I really want a myler combo, the one with 3 rings (I think its medium shank) with a comfort snaffle, but I can't find one

. I could get the long or short shank with the comfort mouthpiece, but long looks quite severe and not sure if short would be enough! Plus they're rather pricey if it doesn't work

If I can find a cheltenham with a lozenge I might get that, just don't want to hurt him, but then its him pulling me, rather than me pulling him!!

 

[Chex]

He has supplements so needs something to eat, but it is literally a handful of hi-fi and some cubes. Not sure about the market harborough, he carries his head really high in the air and always has

(outline is not in our vocabulary

)

I think thats why Chex so bad, because I've always been a bit soft with him because he's older, and he completely takes advantage of it!

 

[Patches]

I'm going to read your replies with interest.

I recently wanted to get Patches out of her waterford for anything other than pleasure rides. I bought a Sweet Iron French link and she seemed to really love it. Used it hacking and schooling and I've jumped her in it (tiny fences....but fences all the same).

On Sunday I met with a friend and we hired a school. Patches was following her horse at the time and we had a canter. She was trying to catch Otis up, race him maybe. I tried to half halt her to steady up her and she did exactly what you're describing. She snatched her head down hard and was pulling me forwards. She's NEVER done that before. Her teeth are done every six months, she's seen an Osteo just three weeks ago and her tack was checked just after Christmas.

The only thing I could put it down to was that she realised the bit was milder than the waterford and she was simply getting strong.

I schooled in the field yesterday and again in canter she got strong. Back to the waterford for me I'm afraid.

 

[Foxford]

The horse I ride has started shoving his head down in canter. He's nearly sent me flying over his head a few times. Can you keep hold of either the left/right rein when he goes to put his head down? That way his head will just move to the side and you might be able to regain some control.

 

[LEC]

He is being rude - he is pulling you out of the saddle forwards and taking advantage. I would use any of the following which will make him back off the bit and not yank on you - Waterford, Cherry roller, kimblewick or twisted snaffle. I would also make sure he has either a flash or drop on to further aid stopping this rudeness.

 

[Chex]

[ QUOTE ]

. She snatched her head down hard and was pulling me forwards.


[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, thats what he does. It gets so bad sometimes that he's really hurting my neck with the whiplash affect, especially if I'm not paying attention! He can pull me right out the saddle even on the bottom ring of the gag, just so strong. I keep going back to a mild bit, but he quickly realises he can do what he wants, so he does! Little monkeys!

 

[Chex]

[ QUOTE ]
The horse I ride has started shoving his head down in canter. He's nearly sent me flying over his head a few times. Can you keep hold of either the left/right rein when he goes to put his head down? That way his head will just move to the side and you might be able to regain some control.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats what I've resorted to doing, but I can pull one rein pretty hard and we still carry on in a straight line

or he just canters with his head bent round, or sideways

and still pulling it down.

 

[Chex]

[ QUOTE ]
He is being rude - he is pulling you out of the saddle forwards and taking advantage.

[/ QUOTE ]
You're exactly right. If I can just toughen up and nip this in the bud we'd get on much better

 

[dieseldog]

DO NOT BUY the Myler Combination bit you are talking about -it won't help at all. Mylers can be very mild bits especially ones with comfort snaffle mouthpieces - this one is milder than a normal £15 3 ring gag. If you want to try a myler go for one with a ported mouthpiece.

Spot who is very strong is ridden in a ported pelham

 

[Chex]

[ QUOTE ]
DO NOT BUY the Myler Combination bit you are talking about -it won't help at all. Mylers can be very mild bits especially ones with comfort snaffle mouthpieces - this one is milder than a normal £15 3 ring gag. If you want to try a myler go for one with a ported mouthpiece.

Spot who is very strong is ridden in a ported pelham

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah, ok! His snaffle just now is a low port comfort snaffle, and I don't have much control (hence why I changed to lozenge gag).

I wish I could get a bit expert to come and watch him being ridden because I'm just a bit confused now

 

[cheeryplatypus]

i totally sympathise as my new horse does this too, he's only 7 though so hopefully time to learn manners. he hardly needs leg aids and if i think about trotting he's off. yesterday i thought a nice trot in the field may be in order but he galloped off. i stopped him eventually and made him walk but then he had sort of learnt he could take charge and spun and galloped again!! he stpos when i fall off though (great)
i have had lots of things suggested but since behavioral haven't changed the bit. i wondered about using a treat (fed from the saddle) when i say whoa, hopefully he may hear me and think mmm yum and stop and give me his attention? i'm also trying groundwork so he respects me more

 

[Clodagh]

It won't do much for your image but would grass reins help? You can bodge some up with baler twine (what would the horse world be without it!). Run them from the bit to the headpiece and back to the saddle, at least he will only be pulling the saddle and not hurting you.
Chex would like to say - you don't get to his age without learing a few tricks. Monster pony!

 

[miamibear]

I would try a waterford, i would also resort to walking and trotting in hand round fields, even lunging in a field to get him used to the fact that grass doesnt mean go!

He needs dicipline and as a rider you are just a passanger he forgets you are there! I know its an awful feeling! There may be more communication if you were on the ground?

Difficult one i think!

xx

 

[Chex]

Lol, that is very tempting! He's definitely picked up many tricks over the years!

 

[Chex]

[ QUOTE ]
I would try a waterford, i would also resort to walking and trotting in hand round fields, even lunging in a field to get him used to the fact that grass doesnt mean go!

He needs dicipline and as a rider you are just a passanger he forgets you are there! I know its an awful feeling! There may be more communication if you were on the ground?

Difficult one i think!

xx

[/ QUOTE ]

I did a lot of inhand work before I was allowed to ride, but that didn't work well either

. We would just get half way round the field and he would start by squealing, then bucking and then cantering in tiny circles on the end of the leadrope. I tried long-reining too, but he was bucking too close to my face for comfort

. Same with lunging, he just squeals and gallops round and round

I'm definitely a passenger, and not a happy one at that

I've made him sound so awful

but really he's not, just, um, misunderstood

So bit choices seem to be either a waterford, or a cheltenham gag

2 totally different bits I thought

 

[LEC]

I feel Cheltenham Gags are good for horses who need head lowering not picking up. My horse is a rude git hence he is now in a waterford.

 

[buzzles]

Sounds like he's just taking the p***! My horse is like a tank and if I'm up in the fields and he decides to go he just goes, fixes his neck, head down and full speed gallop. It got to the stage where he became dangerous and I was fed up being nice to him about it so got a cheltenham gag and used with 2 reins, he was ridden off the snaffle but when he went to bolt he got a check with the bottom rein! He didn't know what to do, he came right back to me I put the leg on and we had a wonderfully controlled and collected canter!! I only use it in situations when he might bolt, like hacking in company or hunting and I like the cheltenham because 99% of the time I ride him off the snaffle and the gag only comes into use when I feel he's about to take off. I know it's quite severe and I was wary about using it at first but it was as a last resort and it's made both our lives easier as we can now enjoy hacking, he's in a french link snaffle for schooling and sj and is now starting to hack out in that as well. It sounds like your fellow just needs to be reminded who's in control and it certainly should'nt be him!!!

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

Thought I would throw in my 2cents on the bitting front.

I've known a few horses, especially the older ones, who learn to snatch down and grab hold of dutch gags. My old boy used to do it in that sweet-iron, copper roller tom thumb bit you see around a lot these days and my friend's horse does it in an American gag.

Someone told me that these bits aren't 'true' gags because they don't have a free running sliding effect (unlike the cheltenham gag which is the only true gag) and a lot of horses learn that if they can brace themselves against the limit of the poll action they can quite literally 'run' through the mouthpiece.

I would say to try him in either a cheltenham gag (which has worked for my friend's horse) or a slotted mouth Kimberwick (which I ended using to great success on my old boy).

Might be worth having a couple of lessons as well because if you have recently had an accident you might be riding a bit differently (more tentative/less strong etc) and your horse could be taking advantage of this.

JMO

 

[Chex]

I'm pretty sure I am riding differently, my leg is really weak, and really painful to canter, especially when I'm getting dragged out of the saddle every two minutes! He probably is picking up on it, before my accident I probably would ahve had the strength to really pull him up, but now I just don't. I will try and borrow bits (beg, borrow or steal!) from others, this could get expensive if I start buying them!

 

[hayter]

Hi, I know I am new, but just needed to ask if he lives in? I came accross a very safe cob once who turned into a nightmare out hacking all because she started coming in at night. As soon as she went back out 24/7 she completely changed back to sane beast. This is only a thought I hope you don`t mind me butting in.

 

[Chex]

He is kept in at night, hopefully going out soon. It might affect him a bit, but I do try to keep his time inside to a minimum, usually about 10 hours a night. All opinions are welcome, doesn't matter if you're new or not

 

[fizz-tally]

oh chex,what a bad boy he is [has always been lol]

as you know Jay was doing this to me & the only thing that has worked so far is the pelham. how about trying a joined one this time?

 

[Walder]

my old pony was like this - i used to jam one hand behind my leg to keep her going round and round in circles - but i expect youve tried that one??

 

[Chex]

[ QUOTE ]
oh chex,what a bad boy he is [has always been lol]

as you know Jay was doing this to me & the only thing that has worked so far is the pelham. how about trying a joined one this time?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup, he's a little devil!! I might try a jointed pelham (I think I'll just everything!)

 

[Chex]

Yep, we went round...and round...and round...and round... I ended up heading for the gate when I realised I wasn't winning that game!