Sorry, next stage bit advice please!

J

JAK

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Having watched BB & MD when they went off to play with Pidge, sister & neddies at the weekend, it was obvious that BB was teetering on the very cliff edge of control under these exciting circumstances & although MD didn't actually lose control completely & disappear over the far horizon, BB was a bit of a c*w at times!

Kimblewick on the lowest slot was just about enough to stop her charging off, though MD would've have to have ripped her back teeth out to stop the headlong rush at some of the jumps once she was locked on to them!

Favoured method of evasion - flinging her head higher to evade control once she felt the bit & curb kicking in. Didn't look unhappy, uncomfortable or stressed, more just trying to find a way round it!
Usual method of evasion is head between the knees & chaaaaarge, so presume she went for the opposite tack when she cottoned on that the usual wasn't going to work too well! (MD wasn't hanging onto her mouth & gave her plenty of opportunity to settle!)
Do not want to keep upping the ante with the metalware but have several options as I see it:

1. Add a martingale & hope for the best! (Pony may object & rear or start broncing for England!)
2. Change leather curb for a chain! (Suspect this may result in increased tantrums, followed by rearing!)
3. Do as previous loaner did & gallop her flatout before doing anything to wear her out a bit! (Not always practical though, is it?)
4. Change her bit for 'exciting' outings - Sue seemed quite impressed with Pidge's new cherry roller?
4. ??? (Schools & hacks with bit on snaffle setting & generally goes very well in it - was obviously expecting her usual headlong cavalry charge initially however & was a little 'difficult' when this did not occur!)
 
can vouch for the fact that BB just sticks her head in the air and goes
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don't really know a great deal about bitting but I must admit to being pretty impressed with the cherry roller on Pidge, can't remember the last time I felt 99% in control
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You can be 99% in control - wow, what does that feel like then? lol

Seriously though, I disagree with rest of yard whose opinion is that 'it's just her, don't try & change her'! (Why not, who wants a cr*p, naughty pony when you can have a nice, obedient one?)

'Hurting' or 'threatening' her is not a bitting option - she'd fight it with her dying breath, it has to be similar to CB's waterford solution, i.e. when he found he couldn't lean, he gave in, gave up & pretended it was all his own idea to go nicely! (Hope that makes sense?)
 
feels very strange
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Oh for heavans sake are they tree huggers or what! She can't carry on carting MD around like that can she!
I think something she can't grab hold off may be a good idea as she goes from one extreme to the other, head down and charge to head up and charge, but I'm sure there are far more experienced people on here who can suggest something
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Do agree with you though on the "its their idea" as if forced to do it it fails, but persuasion on the other hand works very well
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Grasping straws but how about a cheltenham gag; this will allow you to pull the horses head up & wont upset him with a curb! However if your steering is bad you might have to use double reins, which can be a pain....
 
I would just change the bit for exciting things. I used to have Rhyn in a french link 99% of the time and change to a kimblewick for exciting things.

Just a thought....do you use a flash with your kimblewick? I have no hope of stopping Rhyn out hunting if I don't use a flash with mine, but as long as flash is on (even loosely) he's fine.
 
Jemayni - steering not a problem, thank heavens - just the initial headlong rush really! She gets very excited & can be quite stressy initially it would seem but settles eventually - she has simply never got past the 'my turn, whooooosh' stage of development!

CC - no, no flash, stupidly I never even considered it! Am not over keen on anchoring her down with a martingale as I'm worried she might go ballistic!
She is very strong & at home MD can just 'ride' or 'sit it out' until she gets a bit bored (though this is needed less & less tbh!) but out & about, she may be required to behave from the word go, if only for safety's sake!
 
I always jump in a running martingale most of the time they are never needed but when they are then they come into action. I would give it a try they are not very restictive so if it did cause a problem all your daughter would have to do is drop the contact. Also try a flash and see if this has any effect. Does not seem like a change of bit is needed just some additions!
 
A few thoughts: 1. a pelham will help lower her head if the preferred tactic ATM is to throw her head in the air and charge off - if she leans try a jointed or waterford version. 2. Either a flash or a grakle may help - I have found the grakle is a super help! 3. A running martingale - has she shown signs of rearing in one before? I've never known a horse to rear because of a properly fitted running martingale (although don't dispute it may happen!), plus it give rider a grab handle XC too! And finally - try Heather's bitting helpline at Neue Schule bits - I had a catastrophic loss of brakes eventing earlier this year, the bit she suggested was perfect, she asked all kind of sensible questions, and gave me a list of things to try, and now he is superby well mannered XC. She is well worth calling and will be the first person I speak to should I have an issue again. Plus there is no pressure to buy from her.

Good luck, MD is certainly gutsy!
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In terms of the cherry roller, this worked very well for my ponio in the school as his favourite tactic is to wait until we change the rein, then just before we hit the track grab the bit, turn the other way and tank towards the gate. He couldn't do this so easily in the CR. However, he was still too strong overall in that bit. He did canter right out of the school in it - he didn't really grab the bit, he just set his neck and went and I couldn't stop or steer him.

At the mo ponio is in a Dutch Gag on the middle ring, which is working pretty well, although he quickly learnt to evade it by getting behind it. I'm trying a pelham and a kimblewick soon (as you know!) so we'll see how we get on with them. If you did consider trying a pelham they are uber cheap on Tesco online at the mo.
 
Thanks for all replies!

lec - you are quite right, she is so good in her current bit usually that I don't really want to change it unless I have to, so I reckon a running martingale & a flash would be the best starting point?

(She no longer jogs on hacks on the way home & is reasonably calm & sensible 90% of the time, so a few 'tweaks' to her current set-up would probably be the best option!)
 
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