Sorry - harsh bitting advice please!

L

Luckylocalian

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I have been recommended to try this bit on my horse for cross country:

http://www.neueschulebits.com/acatalog/Universals___Gags.html#a8023u
Scroll down to: 8029NG NS Waterford Nelson Gag

It is a running gag with fulmer cheeks and a waterford mouthpiece. My boy is 17'2 and takes over when we cross country becoming impossible to steer and he grabs hold of the bit and yanks forward out of my hands (and sometimes puts a little rodeo in hence the broken arm).

Thoughts please - it seems quite severe for a 6 year old but I am desperate and can't afford to take another 2 months off!
 
If you have tryed different bits and had no success then i probley would use this
the thought you got to think about is how dangerous it can be if you have no control of this horse cause he is a big strong horse .
 
You need to be safe, and you need brakes.

Try it out. It's only as harsh as the hands at the end of the rein.
 
The only advice i can give you is that it is the way you will use your hands when your lad has this bit in, not so much the bit being harsh.

Many years ago i had a 14.hh welsh cob X but with the neck of a stallion and solid with it. I tried so many bits with him as he was always dragging me every where and learnt the trick of head and nose stretched out and going for . I spoke to a friend of mine and explained that i was at my wit's end with this pony and was also concerend that i felt it cruel to bit him with harsh bits, but he told me that it is cruel to saw away at his mouth and trying to get him to stop because he will end up with a dead mouth and then the pony will be ruined. He advised to go ahead with a strong /harsh bit, i choose a running gag for him and thankfully it brought him under control. That bit was a god send and from that day i stopped fighting with him and also sawing his poor mouth and i got more pleasure out of him after finding this bit.

As i say it's your hands that do the damage not the bit.
smile.gif
 
Ditto the above

I went to a sj clinic the other week and had braking issues and the guy (Brian Lear) said he would rather see a stronger bit and better hands than a soft bit and bad hands!!

Im now in a kimblewick and have no braking issues at the moment.
 
Thanks guys - you have made me feel an awful lot better. I plan to trial it for 30 days and ride it with 2 reins but he really needs to learn some respect for my aids cause next time it could be my neck not my shoulder that gets broken!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ditto the above

I went to a sj clinic the other week and had braking issues and the guy (Brian Lear) said he would rather see a stronger bit and better hands than a soft bit and bad hands!!

Im now in a kimblewick and have no braking issues at the moment.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to train with Brian, what did you think of him?
 
I thought he was very good!

He had me doing 2 jumps 6/7 strides from each other and cantering over the first and i had to stop in the middle which proved extremely difficult as sus tends to lock on to jump and then i have no brakes.

hence the reason for the change of bit lol

I definately came away with a lot to work on at home.

Im going to arrange some with him for the riding club that im on
 
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