stupid bliming bits!!! :(

martlin said:
I haven't for one moment suggested that she should go away from snaffle at all:) What I'm trying to say is, that if the horse is resisting the bit badly, flaps her head and sticks it in the air whilst running away or through contact - it would seem that current snaffle (whatever it is) is not suitable and no amount of schooling will make the mare happy; so, the logical solution would be to look at different, more horse friendly mouthpieces, different metals, thickness and so on. IMO, you should do your utmost to have the most comfortable bit for your horse from the word go, that's all:)
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i never said you did. i agree she needs to find the right bit for the mare. my point was that she should rule lack of schooling out in a suitable snaffle first before she goes spending money on new bits to try. but like i said just my opinion :)
 
Lots of good points made, still think you are wasting what money you have on the instructor you are with. There will be a better one out there, you just need help finding them.

Also, try a bit of background reading in those good old horsey books about exercises to help when rushing fences. You'll see there are literally hundreds that your instructor doesn't seem to have tried (I say this because I think you would have told us about them if you'd tried them).

I had a really whizzy mare once who I couldn't stop speeding into fences, so I had one session with steven Hadley who had me halting before the fences. She soon started listening to my slow down aids!!!!
 
i was finding my newish horse a bit strong to jump, and i know he isnt as he was ridden by a 12 year old before me at bsja and i watched them alot before i bought him so i knew that if i was finding him strong it was down to me and my riding!!
i got a bsja accredited inst out (wasnt that expensive, less than the cost of a new bit!) and she did a jumping flat work orintated lesson with me. oh my god, what an eye opener!!! honestly, i never thought i could learn so much, esp about how i use my seat!!! so please do try it!!!
 
I'm another who would go back to basics with this little mare; sometimes horses do get whizzy when they see fences, so you've got to teach them that it's really no big deal and they should be schooled to see jumping as a flatwork session with obstacles ;)

Jumping repetitively can get them wound up going faster and faster, and I have to say that sometimes grids can have a similar effect; so you need to take everything back a step or two. The most important part of riding a fence is the approach, your horse needs to be balanced, listening and have a good line to the fence, that is you responsibility, so you need to make sure that you can half halt, get your mare back on her hocks and listening to you, staying balanced round any turns and corners before you even think of jumping a fence.

I also agree with other posters who say to go back to trot for jumping to help her learn that it isn't a race. Having flatwork lessons will help your jumping no end.

If she is in single jointed bits then these can hit the roof of the mouth if her mouth is shallow, so would definitely be looking at trying mullen mouth or french link/lozenge type mouthpieces with her if that is the case.
 
touchstone said:
If she is in single jointed bits then these can hit the roof of the mouth if her mouth is shallow, so would definitely be looking at trying mullen mouth or french link/lozenge type mouthpieces with her if that is the case.
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I agree with this! The £15 bit would be good and its not that expensive.

Also make sure you have the right size bit as having it too small will pinch her mouth and too bit will change the action. You sould have about a 1/4 inch either side of her mouth
 
I had two horse who were really strong and I jumped them in a Cheltenham gag which gave me all the control I needed and the horses were settled in this bit. Agree re schooling but just thought I'd mention it.
 
BSJAShowjumper123 said:
im in buckinghamshire/oxfordshire boarders i cant get to any intrustors or clinics as i dont have a horsebox or trailers
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well i'm in oxon too, and my instructor is in oxon too. it was £35 for the hour and i was so shocked at the stuff we did- i class myself as fairly (!) compatent but she had my doing stuff on the flat i've never done before. it had worked wonders for our jumping!! and i only have a lesson ever 2 months as i too cant afford to do everything. 8 weeks in between to practice what she's taught me!!!
 
Amazing what riding bareback does for your riding... not saying you should try it until you have complete control.... but my instructor had me jumping 1.20m with no saddle the other week and I felt so much more balanced having done that
 
Hi BSJA Showjumper....Me and Av used to have issues showjumping because we could do one fence really nicely, then when I was weak in my position on landing she would grab the bit, drag me forwards and off she would go at speed flattening and sending poles scattering. I have been trying to work on my position after the fence, making sure that I sit up rather than flop over her withers for a few strides. Doing that and improving my core strength has really helped, (more than any bit change did). When I showjumped her the other day I suddenly realised that she no longer zooms around courses but it much more rhythmical and balanced. My fantastic instructor also got me doing exercises like coming to halt in between fences on a course, or whenever av grabbed the bit. This really taught her to wait. I do not have any idea if this would help you in your situation or not but it has made showjumping 100 x more enjoyable for both me and Av!
 
BSJASJ123, I'm in Oxfordshire, where are you more specifically? I will offer to give you a free lesson, charging only petrol money because I think your mare could go far if you had some good exercises and constructive criticism from an instructor who has been through what you're facing with your mare and come out the other side.

I'm fully qualified and insured, and would love to come and help you.

Let me know.
 
Starzaan said:
BSJASJ123, I'm in Oxfordshire, where are you more specifically? I will offer to give you a free lesson, charging only petrol money because I think your mare could go far if you had some good exercises and constructive criticism from an instructor who has been through what you're facing with your mare and come out the other side.

I'm fully qualified and insured, and would love to come and help you.

Let me know.
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thanks
im on the borders next to oxfordshire
near places like aylesbury ect?
 
Starzaan said:
BSJASJ123, I'm in Oxfordshire, where are you more specifically? I will offer to give you a free lesson, charging only petrol money because I think your mare could go far if you had some good exercises and constructive criticism from an instructor who has been through what you're facing with your mare and come out the other side.

I'm fully qualified and insured, and would love to come and help you.

Let me know.
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:eek: :) What a generous offer :)
 
It may just be that she finds jumping exciting and really enjoys it. My old ex racer used to hurtle into fences, and put his head up, and once he had "locked onto" a jump I had no way of stopping. I did a lot of schooling over poles, around jumps, even as far as entering a clear round, and cantering/trotting around the arena and then coming out again
 
Hi, I havent read every post on this thread so i may be repeating what someone else has said, but if you have an instructor that comes to you regularly, she should be the one devising excercises and plan to get you and your horse working properly together, if she is a decent instructor she should be helping you to get through this by working with you and setting you excercises to practice and home in order to really crack this - just changing the bit you ride your mare in wont solve the problem, she will soon learn to evade that if it is your riding and her schooling that is the issue and you don't want to run the risk of ruining her mouth if with some changes in your technique you could make a difference

. It's all very well and good coming onto the forum to get advice, but really your instructor knows you and your horse and it is much easier for her to help you than for people on here to help with just a few seconds of video footage....my instuctor is fab and is always at the end of the phone, if i have been schooling on my own and i come up against a problem or i am not sure about something i can call her and talk it through without having to battle through on my own til my next lesson. I have had to totally rethink the way i ride and adjust my position, it has been bloody hard work but i have come to realise that the way i sit in the saddle and little things like how high i hold my hands really makes a massive difference to my horse. We are now getting some real results but through lots of calm schooling sessions and no changes in tack or bits whatsoever.

I think that if your instructor isnt helping and supporting you with this you really need to find a new one. You obviously want to improve and to get to a decent level with your horse but as a young girl without the help of a knowledgeable and really comitted instructor you will find it really hard. Sorry hope you don't think i am being mean but i can see you have been posting for a while about the same issue....it really can't be that hard to find a new instructor - speak to you local riding club, see if they can reccomend someone, or ask around in your local tack shop or feed merchant. It may take a little while to find someone you really click with( i tried 3 instructors) but it will be well worth it in the long run.
 
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I don't know what the latest with this one is and I don't usually reply to these posts but I do read some of them. I'd say you need to find a new instructor. One who will school you both, teach you how to control your horse with your seat and legs instead of changing the bit all of the time.

Take this from someone who, 12 months ago, was being told by my instructor at the time that my horse rude and ungenuine, needed a strong bit to jump because he was so naughty and strong (we tried waterford snaffle, pelham, cherry roller, all sorts) plus a "strong" noseband (she wanted a grackle on so tightly he couldn't move his mouth or jaw at all), and that we had to keep trying more and more bits. Around Oct time last year I changed to a fantastic flatwork instructor who has worked on *my* riding, helping me to school my horse correctly, is teaching me how to use my seat properly. For you I think flatwork is the key. You need to find a good *flatwork* instructor first because once you improve the flatwork and your own riding, you'll find everything so much easier. In Spring of this year, I started having jumping lessons with a pro SJer who has turned out jumping around, again working on my seat and aids, showing me how to warm him up properly on the flat before even considering jumping. From jumping in a waterford or cherry roller with grackle, I now have a horse who jumps in a loose ring french link with either a drop noseband or no noseband at all.

So it can be done, you just need to, IMHO, sort out your flatwork first. The jumping will be so much easier if you do that. Take a break from jumping to work on the flat schooling. Play around with nosebands instead of bits.
 
sorry i like others havent read all the posts but i actually went through the same thing about 6months after getting my current horse math
he was in a dutch gag and we would turn to the jump and he would bolt even over grids at first i thought it was him testing me then one day he hit thejump fell landing on me and i went to hospital after that the bolting got worse and i realised there was something wrong
so i got the dentist and his teeth were not terrible but he had sharp points after that he still bolted so i had him professionly bitted they put him in a myler combination and he ended up going over on himself eventually we realised he only needed slight poll pressure so hes now in a hanging cheek but its taking over a year to reschool him and tbh i think you should have back teeth checked and also get her bitted and poss a new instructor i know mine sat me down and we made a plan on what we were going to do and goals to achive ectt
but if you ever feel like shes too much theres never any shame in selling her i know sounds horrible but you have to enjoy riding and if all your having is being bolted over jumps then you cant be enjoying it and if shes always been fast no bit can change horses begavior just a thought good luck x
 
Ok I know everyone is saying you need to re school etc. Yes you do but in the mean time I'm sure you want control right?

How is your mare with presure on her nose? Have you considered a bit which will not put too much pressure in the mouth and put somne on the nose, such as the pee wee bit or the myler combination bit? Using this will let her have a softer mouth aswell so you may be able tor ide in a snaffle nor problem.

Have you tried a but with rollers on? I went from riding my horse in a very severe bit to in a snaffle with copper rollers, thsi really helped.

Another bit which I find is quite good is the scourier bit, its a very good bit for brakes and isn't that severe just has bit more poll pressure. At 5ft I'm able to control a 16hh ex racer in this bit.

I am currently reschooling my horse to get him into a snaffle but like you I want some breaks until I get him sorted so I feel the problems you are having.

Ohh yeah just thought another good one to stop them taking hold is a doctor bristol. All the buts I have mentioned (besides the myler combination) are relativly cheap aswell. If she is calm ast home but not out at shows have you thought about taking her out and hiring arenas or doing clear round jumping? Are you a member of the pony club? If so have you considered taking her to lots of rallys so she gets out and about more?

Best of luck with them and i hope she recovers from her ring worm quickly so you can get out competing :)
 
i watched some of your other videos and as others have said, your postion is encouraging her to rush forwards. i had the same problem with our mare, star to jump at home, take her out and she's full of it.

you need to sit back and KEEP YOUR HANDS DOWN. when you lift your hands, it lifts her head which encourages her to rush, you need to keep her head down, not between her legs or anything just so that she doesn't poke her nose out.

As soon as you land after a jump you should be thinking, right, next jump, come back to me, slow down and collect the stride. dont collapse on her neck and let her run forwards the first few strides after a jump. sit up and ask her to come back to you, this will help set you up for the next jump. as you go into a jump you need to keep ypur hands down aswell, it sounds like alot to do but it really does help me with my mare who i have to jump in a pelham with double reins as she is so strong and keen

you also need to get yourself ONE good instructor so they can get to no how you and your pony tick, its no good having one for each discipline whilst your only really just starting out, the more they no the horse and rider, the more they can teach you.
 
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