Suggestions how to get brakes!

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JessPickle

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Pickle is an absulute star in the school a complete novice ride, but as soon as he gets onto the downs he turns mad! Now when he came to me he was like this but after a lot of time and effort I got him under control, I then moved him onto a waterford dutch gag just to have a little bit more control over him as he is a strong lad.

Now this bit has worked for at least a year but it seems to have lost it's affect on him! I rode him out today and he was completely unholdable, then he managed to bend a metal clip on his martingale completely just from pulling that hard!

So any suggestions how to regain control, I do ensure I do various different paces of hacks, and I walked him all the way home after he galloped off with me.

Ideas welcomed bitting or any other ideas
 
Schooling, schooling and more schooling!!

Is he tanking off, naughty, scared, etc?

How old is he? Also, maybe have a look at what he's getting fed? If you keep getting stronger and stronger bits, there will come a day when even that won't work so I would look to other things first.
 
the problem is he is near perfect in the school, I take him out with VERY sane horses and he has great manners. He just tanks off out of excitement.
 
What are you doing in the school? By schooling, I don't just mean going in there!! Make sure his brain is always thinking and do exercises that will engage him. If he's tanking off, that's pretty bad manners!

Does he tank off when you go for a canter on a hack? If so, maybe try cantering for (say) 10 strides, then come back to trot, canter for 10 strides, trot, so you are alsyways in control. I know it sounds boring but schooling exercises is really where the obedience kicks in. I know they get excited sometimes but you really need to be in (vague!) control on a hack, particularly if where you go is busy with dog walkers/other riders.

If he's tanking off at random times from walk, when you are walking along, practice some of the brain engaging exercises you have been doing in the school. If/when you start to feel he is getting excited, ask for leg yield or some shoulder in when walking down the track, anything to get him to think about what he's doing, rather than tanking off.

Good luck
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If you're absolutely certain that a bit change is the only way to go about how strong he is, then I'd recommend that you try a pelham on him (probably best to try a mullen mouth firstly
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). I use a pelham on Ali for fast work and hunting, and I have pretty decent brakes, and he gets VERY strong when hunting...
 
In the school we can canter then trot whenever he is asked, he is strange in that way his manners in the school are very very good, he is used on working livery for beginners and is basically perfect.

Think will take him out with my friends very very very sane highland and try and get him to behave himself, the problems start though when another horse either overtakes or tries to race him!

He doesnt tank off in walk unless he sees a dog (he was bitten on the leg by one so is understandably scared)
 
Try a cheltenham gag , our pony sounds like a carbon copy of Pickle! , he can be so lazy when schooling but take him on a hack and he gets excited and silly , the gag stops him leaning and taking hold and he seems to respect it, ours is a single jointed because he diddnt listen in the french link one , we hired one from a bit bank first and got some good advice and a few bits to try before buying the gag , good luck
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My mare has no brakes outside the school. When I take her out I ride like I'm in the school - ride 10 and 20 metre circles, serpentines etc. I can only take her out for half an hour or so though so it doesn't work very well!!! Works very well for YO on her horse tho...
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My mare is 35 & is dead as a dodo in the school but a v hard puller out hacking. The only thing that her rider has a prayer of holding her in is a mullen mouth pelham. Everything else, she ignores. I think she's prob a bit too old to mend her ways...

She was in a snaffle today & ran off as soon as her feet touched grass.
 
Have you tried going out and just schooling instead of Hacking? Pick an area of ground and do the things you would in the school. It sometimes helps to break the routine.
 
Well, I would ask your friends not to race you or overtake, let you go first.

Practice the canter/trot/canter by yourself out on a hack too.

Sometimes the open space just goes to their heads, so see if you can find a field in the open where you can have a schooling session, so open space does not always mean gallop.

A local farmer's wife has a plateau on the top of a hill where she schools her young horses (scarey) so they get used to working even if there is space all around.
 
Im a firm believer that some horses will still tank off and be very strong out hacking regardless of how well they are schooled, some, not most, just some. Can you ride in a snaffle while in the school and only ride in the pelham out hacking, just so he doesnt get to used to it and his mouth doesnt get ruined by all the beginners riding him in the school?
 
He is not ridden in a strong bit in a school, I would never let anyone! I sometimes jump him at shows in a stronger bit but only me. I genuinely try and "school" him when out but me Vs 17.1hh beast never seems to go as planned.

This stronger bit would be for my own use only, I have requested no clients hack pickle till I have got him under control properly.

Anyone know where I could find a 6" either gag or pelham
 
School or lunge him first. what is he like out alone ?? there is one horse that I have to struggle with when hacking out on my lad. When I know I am going with her I I use stronger bit. Normally a snaffle but when with firend Tom Thumb
 
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