Schooling advice needed for horse who snatches/leans a little...

[charlie76]

I have a horse that I am riding at the moment who is new to the yard and he is a big moving 17.2 6yr old wb type who is yet to grow into his paces and is lacking in the correct muscle development at the moment. (I hope that makes sense!).
When I am riding him he sometimes becomes unbalanced and then becomes strong in the hand and either leans or snatches the reins a little, its not that obvious as people say that they can't notice it when they are watching him but you can def feel it!
My immediate response is to half halt him and use more leg to get him to lift a little in front and also do lots of transtions with him but at the moment this seems to cause him to become even stronger! He the also uses this 'pulling you forward' style when you jump him. If you use to much leg this worries him and he rushes forward so we are going around in circles a little at the moment.
He is a beautiful moving horse and very eyecatching with a super jump so I am prepared to take time with him.
I am looking for ideas to help build he top line, stop the snatching/leaning and perhaps some ideas for bits?

He is currently in a Neue Schule training bit, he has also been in a kk ultra. He was in a grackle as when he snatches he crosses his jaw but I now have him in a flash.

Ideas please- he's too big to be pulled about by!

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Couple of thoughts really - have you lunged him much? Lunging in somethuing like a Pessoa could really help him develope top line and find his own balance. If he snatches he will be snatching against himself.

Are you maybe becase of his type riding him too uphill? This would prevent him from developing real engagement through the hindleg and through the back. Maybe a deeper frame for a bit may help.

 

[charlie76]

I was thinking the pessoa route might be a good idea for him, apart from when he snatches he is pretty uphill anyway and I agree with you, he does need to learn to work in a longer, low outline but when we ask him to do that he then leans and snatches rather than take the contact down nicely, until he does this we are stuck a little.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I think you will find if you regularly use the Pessoa for a while it will make a huge difference.

 

[K27]

I know how you must be feeling! one of mine is a giant too!
I have found that sometimes it is easy for a large horse to want you to 'carry' them and hold them in an outline when they should be carrying their own weight- it takes time though for them to build their strength up so that they can do this.

We have been using loads(and I mean heaps of leg) and no hand- keeping he hands really soft when they are soft and pushing them through over the back and keeping him round just as it sounds like you are- so that they cant lean on you/be short in neck.
My 17.2 I.D X T.B X Clydesdale went thru a phase when he was a 4 y/o of running away from the leg and again using your leg and keeping the upper body really secure so they can't pull you forwards and keeping the position strong really helped, he soon stopped 'running away from the leg'!.

Also I have found that big horses need to be allowed to go forwards (but not fast or flat in their pace) so that they find their own balance- Its just a case of taking time and not rushing them- mine is 7 but he is more like a 6 year old because of his size! Hopefully the hard work will be worth it though! Good luck, and yes the Pessoa is handy esp when they are learning to Canter in a more balanced way!

I ride my horse in a french link hanging cheek and also a Happy mouth dutch gag for hacking and even sometimes in the school for flatwork(he's been schooled in this all week), esp when he is learning new things. My trainer has been helping us loads though and riding him as well, which has been great for me and keeps him how I want him to go! Maybe your trainer could help you as well. Good luck! sorry for the essay!

 

[viola]

For snatching, quiet mouth and building the top line I would use a chambon (lunging only). One of my current rides is a 17.2hh Cleveland Bay who barely had any schooling done with it until July this year. I started off with lunging on a chambon as he would pull my arms out of sockets even in walk but would refuse to stretch properly towards the bit...After six weeks of lunging he found how to carry himself very nicely in long and low outline and is becoming very soft and responsive in his ridden outline too.