Strong horse..help!

[MandyMoo]

hi

my 16.3hh warmblood x hanoverian gelding is SO strong out hunting! i really want to enjoy hunting, cus i love jumping the fences and watching the hounds work, and riding accross country, but i just have no control, so its a bit :crazy: for my liking!

at home he is in just a french link snaffle and a cavesson noseband... so for hunting last season i tried a plain noseband and dutch gag on the 2nd ring...i couldnt stop ATALL! (but its not that he just gallops off...he seems to be faster than evry1 else...so its worrying really...)

so then i tried a flash noseband with the dutch gag on the 2nd ring down...again, couldn't stop (although he was better in the flash) I then tried 3rd hole down and it didn't help cus he just goes right down to the floor and rags me forwards so i can't sit back and hold him...=S

My friend suggested a cheltenham gag...cus they pull their head upwards instead of down (like the dutch gag) so it will stop him leaning and ragging me forwards...but isn't this a bit strong?? i really don't want to be too extreme with bitting =S please any advice will do!!!

xxx

p.s. its not a schooling problem (which ppl always say ''school more rather than bit up'') he is schooled regularly and works in a lovely outline doing halt-canter and canter-halt trnasitions and isnt atall strong there...so no more work is needed there...its just on the hunting field i can't control him!!!! HELP (sorry this was a long one =P)

 

[Irishcobs]

A bit is only as strong as the riders hands. I hunt in a cheltenham gag with a light contact. The horse needs it as he can sometimes put his head down and go and this stops him. If you are worried use 2 reins then you can use the second rein if you need to.

 

[MandyMoo]

hmm ok...

so your horse puts his/her head down aswell?? and the cheltenahm stops this??

can u ride cheltenhams in a flash aswell?? or can you not? lol...dont know much about cheltenahms... lol xxx

 

[Irishcobs]

My horse has a very big neck (ID, cut late) so he does occasionally use it. He drops his head and runs. The cheltenham lifts his head and I can then regain control. I don't need to ride him with a strong contact.
I use a grakle, mainly because it sits higher on his face as the cavasson of the flash rubbed him. But yes you can use a flash.

 

[HayleyandBob]

i use a 3 ring gag with a flash and a curb strap attached to the cheek piece rings (suggested by my horse dentist) which just about works, again pony is in a snaffle for everything else and works on a nice outline not sure if its the bit or if i have just learnt to let him go until i actually need teh brakes instead of fighting the whole time! it helps if i stay near the front aswell hope you sort something out

 

[beh]

I hunt my WB, and had the same problems as you, he seems to have a huge stride compared to everything else!

Anyway I've found that a dutch gag with 2 reins, one on top one on bottom, and a flash nosebad seems to work well for us

 

[Gamebird]

I much prefer a Cheltenham gag to a Dutch gag as the leverage is a lot less extreme. Use two reins if you're worried. You can use it with any noseband you like. Mine (see pics in Picture Gallery) is a big strong horse - what would be in old-fashioned terms a man's hunter. He is very polite in a Cheltenham gag.
I broke my bridle y'day (again, see Pic Gallery) and went back out with a double bridle on which was equally effective with the bonus that if we were just trotting down roads I could ride solely on the bradoon and save the curb for the more lively moments. You do need to be fairly proficient with two reins though.

 

[MandyMoo]

'Gamebird' yea my horse is also a ''mans hunter'' haha =P im going to try the cheltenham gag and flash then...

cus i really dont like dutch gags...make him too low and leany.

thanks everyone for your advice =)

xxx

 

[chestnut cob]

I used to hunt my cob in a kimblewick because he dropped his head/tucked his head between his knees and buggered off. It was the only thing that worked! Tried 3 ring gags etc and that just made it worse.

New boy has been out in a waterford snaffle (cubbing) and that was a bit of a disaster - he's really a man's horse I think too, 17hh IDx and I'm only 5ft4!!!! I think I'm going to try him in a kimblewick too, and also a mexican grackle noseband instead of the flash.

 

[JenHunt]

a cheltenham gag can be worn with a flash, but IMO it works the same as the dutch gag by applying poll pressure to encourage the horses head down.

i hunt in a double bridle - a pelham makes mine bunny hop, but he loves the double bridle. the curb chain and lip strap is what helps stop them just jamming hte head down. and the port in the weymouth (curb bit) helps discourage it too.

Mine is like yours, works in a wonderful light outline when there's no hounds around!and even steers when jumping if there's no hounds around!!

 

[MandyMoo]

i would hunt in a double bridle/pelham out hunting if i could be bothered with the faff or two reins...its ok in a show ring or in the school...even on hacks,....but out hunting i have little time to sort myself out with two reins...lol =P

i heard that the cheltenahm pulls their head up because it puts pressure on their lips?? =/ i might be wrong, while the dutch gag just puts poll pressure and pulls their head down...

could try the kimblewick if the cheltenham doesn't work (luckily i have access to TONNES of bits so i can trial and error a bit =D )

thanks again for advice guys =) it really helps =) xxx

 

[JenHunt]

a waterford/boucher type mouth piece might help....
i used to think the same about the double, but i don't carry a stick and have got used to the extra reins - trick is to make sure they aren't too thick!

 

[Leonie]

Hi
I used to have a really strong horse out hunting. There was a few times I did think I can't fight this anymore. I found after the first few months of the season he would get over the excitement & settle down. I also found that like Bob_the_cob said if you let them go it really makes a difference. If you can I would even kick him on if he battles you and if you catch up with the field master to just take him off in a big wide circle. Scarey it did work for me as he then started to listen when I asked for brakes!

Good Luck.