PLEASE HELP ME!!

welshponylover

welshponylover

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seem to have hit a rough patch with rocky in his schooling etc - i think its down to his bit...hes in a rubber pelham which he was going really well in but hes started to really lean on it which is just awful because then he wont stop etc and when you try and half halt he either stumbles or just throws his head up and does a little rear and im getting a bit peed off now!
He was too strong in the snaffle we found but i have a few ideas as to what we could have him in:
1. dutch gag - although i quite want a bit that will help him to mouth and accept the bit if that makes sense
2. a grackle with the snaffle??

Either of those sound right? or any other ideas?? xx
 
If the Pelham was working try a different kind.

It doesn't have to be a straight metal one. We have a french link pelham, one with a sprenger type mouthpiece, one which is just joined like a snaffle.

Have a chat with your friends you might be able to borrow a few to try first.
 
My tb came in a rubber Pelham when I first got him and all he did was lean & trudge forward really fast! Changed him to a Waterford which was pretty good to stop the leaning but since then got a good instructor and now ride him only in a snaffle.. No leaning, no pulling etc.. To add tho, between being in the Waterford to a snaffle he had an op for ringbone which was in his hind leg which could have been the reason for my boys leaning..
 
First port of call is to speak to your instructor who knows you and the horse and ask what she would recommend in terms of schooling and bitting.
 
Mmmmmmm, well I've no idea how you'll take this but it's not intended unkindly. I've looked at the clips of video with the pelham and think you need to work on riding him more from your seat and legs rather than pulling his head in until he's overbent with his mouth open in an effort to escape. You say he's overbent because he's not been worked like that before but as he hasn't been worked like that before he hasn't the muscles TO work like that and unless you were asking for very short periods of time he will have been getting pretty sore and hence the leaning on the bit. If he were mine I'd be putting the pelham back in, using two reins not roundings and not asking for much flexion, merely that when he was hacking out he kept his head below his withers and his nose just slightly tucked in in order to build up some muscle in the appropriate places before I started asking him. I wouldn't use the curb rein to ask for anything at this stage UNLESS he has suddenly got strong and whizzed off and you need to get his head down to get some control.

I know I said your instructor knows you and your horse but I really do wonder what another instructor would say. Do you have a local pony club or anything that you could go to for some additional instruction and help?

You've got big plans and he's a lovely pony with lots of ability, I just think you need a bit more help with him.
 
Do you use roundings? If so, I'd learn to use double reins, stick with the pelham and try to use it more subtly (the backing off from the bit and rearing is a sign he needs less on his mouth!) If he really leans, a waterford may help...
 
I had a similar problem- I used a dutch gag for a while and then swapped back to a snaffle when horse had stopped trying to lean- worked a treat.
 
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