Question - we always talk about strong bits and light hands..

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And them being better than soft bits in bad hands...

But is there ever a time for a strong bit and strong hands too???

I'm just thinking about my mums horse, his mouth is as hard as nails (like the rest of him!) he's fine most of the time but when he feels like it, normally at team chase warm ups or at a meet, he will totally drag you allover!! With a snaffle he does completely what he wants, in a strong bit (i.e. cheltenham gag) and with a strong hold you have a small say in where you are going!
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So what are you supposed to do with these types?

BTW - He's a chunky 16 hander and completely safe, just rather exausting!!!
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I think in hinds sight using a 'harsher' bit you don't have to pull on them so hard.
If I hunt Bear in a snaffle my arms are dropping off, but in his pelham he only needs little tweaks
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BTW wheres you siggy gone? It looks wrong without it lol!
 
Have you tried bitless? Sounds weird but some times the strong ones respond totally differently with a different aid. I mean obv try it in an enclosed area, if it works on your own bring in some other horses and increase the speed. You never know and I think you can get Dr Cooks on a trial period.
 
We don't really have a problem with him, I was just wondering really!
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He managed to get a huge cut in his mouth from the hook on his stable door a while ago so we rode him in a hackamore for a bit while it healed up he was ok in his usual lazy mode but I wouldn't have dared try him in a exciting situation in it!
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[ QUOTE ]
I wouldn't have dared try him in a exciting situation in it!
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[/ QUOTE ]

Lol I'll come over with a stiff drink for you and a couple horses friend for him and gallop about madly and we'll see what happens! LMAO
 
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Quote:
I wouldn't have dared try him in a exciting situation in it!


Lol I'll come over with a stiff drink for you and a couple horses friend for him and gallop about madly and we'll see what happens! LMAO


[/ QUOTE ]

see he's not really like that, you'd survive the galloping around. It would be the pulling your arms out of your sockets, plunging his way round to his best mate/girlfriend/infront of eveyone else, or wherever he fancied going that would hurt!
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with or without the hackamore!!!
 
I think there's a difference between strong bits and strong hands like you describe and strong bits and harsh hands. If a rider uses a strong bit and then yanks the horses mouth, socks them in the teeth jumping and uses their hands to balance then that's a bad thing.
 
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