RachelB
Well-Known Member
I'm absolutely useless with bits so need some advice - the little coloured cob I ride hates her bit and I need some suggestions as to what to try. A bit of history (no pun intended
):
Kit is seven years old, about 15hh ish, cob, owned by a novice. She's totally safe and bombproof, but a little green. She had a Neue Schule tranz-link snaffle at first and was fine, although J (owner) didn't do much with her then apart from having lessons. She's now being hacked by J twice a week and by me hopefully twice a week (until we get our school built, then she'll be schooled, jumped etc. as well).
She's now in a Cambridge mouth kimblewick (not slotted, with curb chain). She's recently started tanking off, and J being novice just can't hold her and I think it's starting to worry her. The thing that really struck me yesterday when I rode her was that every time I took up any small contact, Kit's head would go up and she'd object to the bit. We also don't have much steering, and leg steering is non-existent (she's a pull-left-to-go-left kind of horse!).
What I reckon (any other opinions welcomed!) is that Kit doesn't like the mouthpiece with the bar pressure, hence why she's chucking her head when I try to take a contact? And hence why when she takes off she can't be stopped with rein contact as she resents the bit?
J has tried a French link Rugby pelham (with roundings) and has a lot more control, but I really don't want to go down the over-bitting route and my job with Kit is to school her out of the habit of running off.
So what would everyone suggest I tried? I want to get the NS back for when the school gets built and I have her in there in a safe environment, I imagine she should be fine for schooling and jumping in it. It's just the hacking! ANY suggestions welcomed!
Oh, and her back, tack, teeth etc. have all been checked recently and are fine
Kit is seven years old, about 15hh ish, cob, owned by a novice. She's totally safe and bombproof, but a little green. She had a Neue Schule tranz-link snaffle at first and was fine, although J (owner) didn't do much with her then apart from having lessons. She's now being hacked by J twice a week and by me hopefully twice a week (until we get our school built, then she'll be schooled, jumped etc. as well).
She's now in a Cambridge mouth kimblewick (not slotted, with curb chain). She's recently started tanking off, and J being novice just can't hold her and I think it's starting to worry her. The thing that really struck me yesterday when I rode her was that every time I took up any small contact, Kit's head would go up and she'd object to the bit. We also don't have much steering, and leg steering is non-existent (she's a pull-left-to-go-left kind of horse!).
What I reckon (any other opinions welcomed!) is that Kit doesn't like the mouthpiece with the bar pressure, hence why she's chucking her head when I try to take a contact? And hence why when she takes off she can't be stopped with rein contact as she resents the bit?
J has tried a French link Rugby pelham (with roundings) and has a lot more control, but I really don't want to go down the over-bitting route and my job with Kit is to school her out of the habit of running off.
So what would everyone suggest I tried? I want to get the NS back for when the school gets built and I have her in there in a safe environment, I imagine she should be fine for schooling and jumping in it. It's just the hacking! ANY suggestions welcomed!
Oh, and her back, tack, teeth etc. have all been checked recently and are fine
