Question for all you brainy folk

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Hovis_and_SidsMum

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So......... the Destroyer is currently ridden in a cheltenham gag. This stops the brute hanging off my hands and also gives me killer brakes when i need them. In fairness 90%+ of the time I could ride him with two fingers on the reins so he's not strong in this bit BUT its blatantly not dressage legal.
Some of the local venues are allowing me to do walk and trot tests in the cheltenham gag but if i want to do any riding club stuff or any BD / BE low level tests at some point I'm going to have to find a dressage legal bit that i can at least hold him in.
As he's got older he does lean less than he used to but I am trying to contain 1/2 a ton of young, still growing, and usually enthusiastic, clydesdale!

So any ideas?
 
Oh dear, sounds like you've got your work cut out ;)

Does he just have a normal single jointed mouthpiece in his gag?

I think I'd be inclined to continue schooling in the gag at home, with 2 reins and see how much you can ride off the snaffle rein. Then use the gag rein for back up when he needs showing that he can go without leaning on you. If he is happy in this mouthpiece I think I'd then start with the same thing as a snaffle, probably with a fairly thin mouthpiece as this is less inviting to lean on :D
 
I used to ride my welsh in a happy mouth dutch gag and then dressage in a happy mouth snaffle, I used to have just long enough to complete a test before she clicked that the gag action had gone. I did have pretty amazing shoulder muscles from hanging on to her the rest of the time though, which helped with holding her in the snaffle.
 
I think a Baucher or Hanging Snaffle helps with horses that lean - but I'm not 100% on that one. Good luck finding a bit too suit anyway :-)
 
Shame he has got such a big gob or I would lend you my hanging cheek myler port, it is only a 5.5" which does give some brakes but I am not 100% sureit is legal for dressage. If not, hanging cheek may be the best you can get.

Wanna swap for Farra - flat out gallop no problem on a french link - though she is starting to show signs of being fitter and more full of herself - for a whole 20 minutes at times, though still very easy to stop.
 
rlhnlk said:
I did have pretty amazing shoulder muscles from hanging on to her the rest of the time though, which helped with holding her in the snaffle.
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Well, the trick will be to teach him not to hang on to the other end of the rein :D I don't think the OP would stand much of a chance holding onto a clydesdale to keep him up together and nor should she aim to ;) Massive shoulder muscles or otherwise:eek:
 
Personaly I like double jointed bits for horses that lean, I find that the movement in the bit makes it harder for them to grab and push against it. French link hanging cheek? It might be worth checking out if your local tack shop has a 'try it' bin, ours used to have a bin of second hand bits that you could borrow if you gave them a fiver or your old bit, you could try it and bring it back for a refund or get you old bit back if it didnt work.
 
Cakey (three quarters of a tonne!) really likes his Sprenger Tornado which is dressage legal and he is perfectly stoppable in that, so might be worth a try?
 
if its of any help Frank (not quite clydie proportions ;) ) leans more in a baucher (we save that for jumping) and is best in a loose ring snaffle one joint, quite thin bit. It will prob be a case of trial and error I'm afraid. It is actually the bradoon part of the double he also doesnt lean in!

ps he also doesnt lean in a waterford and I have been known to school him one the day before dressage.

milliepops you have the old smirk :D
 
ester said:
milliepops you have the old smirk :D
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Yep, thought the new forum was sadly lacking :smirk:
smirk.jpg
 
Big rude IDx mare I ride does dressage in a very thin mouthpiece french link loose ring snaffle. The thin mouthpiece gives a bit more reaction than the normal bit she has, which she ignores....... she goes beautifully in a double but sadly they aren't allowed at novice.

If leaning is the problem a twisted snaffle can be a good solution, you'd have to check that they are dressage legal though. They aren't as harsh as most people think, the twist doesn't dig in to the bars, it means that the bit twists away when the horse leans almost like a cherry roller, but I'm fairly sure cherry rollers aren't dressage legal.
 
Katt said:
If leaning is the problem a twisted snaffle can be a good solution, you'd have to check that they are dressage legal though. They aren't as harsh as most people think, the twist doesn't dig in to the bars, it means that the bit twists away when the horse leans almost like a cherry roller, but I'm fairly sure cherry rollers aren't dressage legal.
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Neither cherry rollers nor twisted mouthpieces are dressage legal.;)
 
Dylan's not quite a Clydesdale (he's a TBX lol), but he used to be a b*gger for leaning, pulling, and generally tanking about. He was ridden in a single jointed D-ring snaffle, I've changed it for a hanging cheek with a french link, and he's much better. He pulls a lot less and seems to find it harder to lean on the mouthpiece.
 
This might sound daft, but have you thought of a double bridle? As with the gag suggestion earlier, you can ride on the snaffle, and use the curb for brakes and leaning issues.
 
Cheers milliepops, I had a feeling that they wouldn't be. Though I happen to know at our club people get away with both! If the cheeks look ok no one checks inside the horses mouth. Not that I am advocating that of course!
 
The gag has a single jointed mouth piece and then obviously the cheltenham gag leather side pieces. In fairness to him as he is developing he is leaning less and less as he finds his own balance but I like to know I can stop him if I need to. Rampaging clydesdales leaping forth across dressage arenas tends to result in one not being asked back again!!
If he's enjoying himself his canter is v v powerful and so cantering in a 20m circle surrounded by "ladies" and his adoring public in a piddly little bit, I do have visions of next being seen in Kent..... :p
 
have you thought about trying a thin neue schule verbindene they are a loose ring and I found it to work call heather she is helpful and can suggest what would fit him best too
 
Have a chat to these people - very knowledgeable and also as its a bit bank you get to try a bit for 10 days to a fortnight so can change it if it isn't right and keep trying unitl you get one that is. Just make sure during your trial period you do all the things you want o use for - ie hacking, dressage/schooling, jumping etc so you get an accurate picture of it being right or wrong.

http://www.bitworld.co.uk/
 
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