Tweseldown pics

[Saf]

Hi

Tweseldown pics on http://www.everybodysmile.biz/photosynergy/

Show jumping sun page 12 no's 1103 to 1107
XC sun page 24 no's 2262 to 2265 and 2268 to 2274
Comments welcome (always looking to improve

)

For those who remember my report

think she may have been running from the combo bit, she had a really swollen nose the next day feel really bad

C&S

 

[Mel85]

Fab pics!

 

[tigers_eye]

I hate Mylers with a passion, so don't expect sympathy from me

- I don't mean that to sound nasty, it's just I disagree with them and think they can do a lot of damage.

Is she having a little holiday at the moment? William is now very bored of his and has been tunnelling through the undergrowth to eat acorns, eating the fence, bullying the other horses, throwing the slip rails on the floor... generally being a pest!

ETS: You didn't get a pic over the big airy logs

!

 

[Saf]

Hi TE

The myler has already been taken off the bridle and confined to my bit collection to gather dust, on seeing my family photos the nose part looked like it had slipped low thus causing the swelling and that was hopefully causing what had happened, lesson learnt the hard way

No hol just yet, going to jump at a show in a snaffle tomorrow as a bit of a test then Steve Hadley clinic next week. Work has dropped right off and she hates it, she looked horrified at having a day off the other day.

Yeah noticed my other photos missing seemes to have a 2 min gap

 

[vic07]

(just looked up mine! - or I would have forgot! so thanks!)

Yours look fab - It looks more in control than you said in your report. How is she?

T-E I am interested why you don't like the mylers. Used one once on recommendation of a bit bank - never again - couldn't turn or stop! I wouldn't use one again but I am intrigued? They do seem to make noses sore as well.

 

[juliehannah58]

I love 2271, she's giving it loads of air! Certainly doesn't look as bad as it felt, but thats often the case!

I love Saf

Out of interest, have you been to Steven Hadley before? I noticed you are going for a weekend of training?

 

[I_A_P]

wow they are lovely pics!!

 

[Saf]

Yeah was totally surprised at how dif the photos felt to the report and how if felt, weird, can't wait to see step dads video now

She is fine other than the nose, still bit swollen, she just felt like she was running through the bit, not had her go like that before but have used it on two other events, thinking the back strap had stretched hence it going low???

Where are your photos?

 

[SillyMare]

Great pics - is that only the Novice class? Those fences look HUGE!!

Saf looks as though she is having a brilliant time. She does look as though she may be unhappy in her mouth at the first XC fence though (hard to tell on still pics really isn't it).

 

[Saf]

Thankies

This will be the second time going to Steves, went in feb. Go up on friday morn have a lesson in the afternoon, two lessons on the sat and one sun morn. If still working on any problems have a further session pm sun before going home. He does some very good exercises that you can take home and work on

 

[Saf]

Hi
It was a IN

Xc did seem big incomparison with some and full of skinnys

That first pic is where I had done a huge circle between fences 2 and 3 trying to get control

 

[SillyMare]

Blimey - mental note not to take Lex to Tweseldown as one of her first attempts at Novice next year!

A good stepping stone to intermediate perhaps!

 

[vic07]

saturday pn page 14 1314 - 1323 - xc

sj - page 7 0616 - 0620. First pole we have had down all season! tsk!

You could try the bit I use on the horse in the pictures. It is very effective but not nasty as he accepts it! Not sure what it is called! Have heard of horses getting sore noses from mylers before perhaps they do stretch.

 

[Saf]

Hi

Love the planks pic and the corner Xc, makes a great shape

and bay too

Are you able to describe the bit can't quiet make it out?

 

[tigers_eye]

I've used the Myler Kimblewick once and wouldn't again. It was the extremem port that put me off. It was lent to me by the Fredericks at Aldon after I'd found my mare very hard to hold in the sj, and perhps a little too big for her (though not excessively so). It gouged out her gums down to the bone, I had to ride in a hackamore for nearly 2 months afterwards. This initially put me off, then I started looking at them more closely. I don't know exactly which part of the action causes it (I'm talking about the combo ones now), but several horses I know have been strong, then worn one of these, and after a few runs they start to exhibit bad/inconsistent behaviour. I think the combination of poll, nose and mouth action simply leaves many horses confused as to where they can go. I find some horses can react like this to a running gag too.

I think there are too many bits aound that focus overly on poll pressure, this is such a sensitive area in the horse, hence the success that bridles alleviating pressure here have had. Yes, some horses are naturally strong, but I think in so many cases there is a rush to get the horse out competing xc once it has xc schooled once. Paradoxicly the higher up the levels you go the more the cross-country is about the bits inbetween the jumps and not the jumps themselves. I do like to do "cross-country flatwork" with mine, I find it means I can save time and have to do less hauling.

Sorry, bit of a soapbox moment and a slight thread hijack. Another talking point possibley: do people think there is a rise in use of bits using poll pressure, and is this at the demise of use of curbs, and if so, why?

 

[igglepiggle]

Do you consider their snaffles ok?

 

[tigers_eye]

I've not used them, but again don't like the port... also not sure about the independant side action, most horse and riders pull harder on one side than the other, this would mean the bit is always at a different angle on the left and right bars.... just doesn't seem right to me. What do you think?

 

[Saf]

Te
Very intrested in this subject and would be glad to hear you thoughts more, I was going to try a running gag next but maybe on reading this it would not be suitable for Saf. Was thinking on going back to a http://www.neueschulebits.com/acatalog/Universals___Gags.html the universal with back strap but this would also seem to have same action. Its the setting up I have the problem with?
What do you do in the XC flatwork? Sorry loads questions but desparate to improve

 

[tigers_eye]

Just looked at that bit, do the top rings slide on the big ring? If they do that is an interesting concept, it would reduce the amount of poll pressure exerted. What would be best now that you have the whole winter is to have a really good play around with different bits. Ideally you want to determine which type of pressure she's running away from (which was how I felt you were describing her at Tweseldown). It's most likely either the poll or the nose, so eliminate one then the other and see what she does. You'll need to have a good rag around a field to test them properly!

Also, when you are schooling her at home (both jumping and flatwork) what mouthpiece is she softest in? Is it straight-bar, single-jointed, double jointed? If double jointed is it on an angle or a more traditional one? The key to F (though he wasn't a difficult horse) was the mouthpiece, he didn't need (or like) poll pressure, and ended up running in a waterford fulmer snaffle. Deco on the other hand could only take the simplest of mouthpieces as she was very prone to cutting, both on her lips and her gums. A thin mouthpiece was out of the question as it just sliced her

. The key with her was much more to do with my riding, I simply had to be brave enough to completely let her go between fences, as she would come back to me - but not if I'd been hanging on her mouth trying to keep her under control the whole time as I think it just numbed her mouth. Another horse I competed abroad had to wear a pelham with the curb done up quite tight to have any effect on him, and it would only have effect if I rode on the lightest of contacts between fences. It's quite a scary thing to do.

For "cross-country flatwork" I like a good field preferabley with a gradient of some sort. Although as a general rule I don't canter my horses down hill I do like them to be able to do it and come back to me in a balanced fashion as they have to do it at competitions. I started this with F when he was getting a bit onward bound. It's not rocket science - I just canter around focussing mainly on lengthening and shortening, asking for bigger and bigger differences according to how capable the horse is. I try to do it all in a jumping position. The most important bit for me is that they come back when asked - F was starting to fight more and more and it was taking longer when coming into fences. He had a good mouth so when doing this one day and he didn't listen the first time I socked him in the teeth. Not nice, but he didn't do it again. He was simply getting too cocky and it was going to land us in trouble. Being cruel to be kind if you will! I do it with all of them now (not socking them in the teeth - the schooling!), I also like them to be able to do flying changes like this. The whole time I like them to be forward but listening, and I HATE leaning, it's not on in my book as I think it's dangerous.

Hope some of that helps! Going back to the bits I do like the Neueschule website, there is some lengthy text on there about mouth conformation and so on that I found very interesting.

 

[vic07]

Actually that was consistent with what happened with mine - he maybe was confused. Trouble was we had a bad fall and I knew I needed control, asked the bit bank and the myler combination was all they could advise. Nice to hear that it isn't only me that has doubts about their action.

Think I might have started the thread hijack. Ooops!

On poll pressure I use a bit that has a slight poll pressure but it seems to suit him and he is happy in it. Don't think he would accept a curb pressure. But I don't like the use of a baucher, horrible action and goes against my ideas of flatwork and dressage! Sorry to everyone I have now offended, its probably my personal opinion!

 

[Saf]

Wow TE thank you so much for this lenghty reply, I will print this out.

Loads of what you have said fits S, and I defo think she was running from the nose pressure of the combo, I have used bits with poll pressure before with no problems so will now go away for the winter and play around with different bits, luck has it over the years have a big collection

Saf seems best in a double jointed mouthpiece and have a few different cheek styles from Neule, the one in the pic is a fixed ring. She also splits easy on one side the left where she had some warts removed

Saf runs free between fences then I seem to spend ages setting up and feeling like I am hauling at her which I hate, she has gone best when I have almost SJed round but then get loads of time

The problem seems to occur when I let her run.

I will be practicing the XC flatwork as you suggest, we have the farm to ride round so no excuses

Thanks you once again for taking the time to help, the people on HHO really are fantastic Thanks TE

 

[tw1nn1ejo]

Wow, well done! You have a lovely horse, looks like your both having a fab time

 

[vicijp]

Totally agree about the combo. I had a mare come to me halfway through a point to point season, she had been bolting and running straight on at the bends. Her lips, mouth, nose were all cut, and had some strange cuts/rubs up the sides of her face, from a myler combo.
I put her straight in a hackamore and it took her about a month to settle properly. She was very, very tense and could barely walk in a straight line without wavering. She improved rapidly and only upgraded to a rubber fulmer to race in.

 

[dieseldog]

Totally disagree about the combo. We ride 2 of our horses in them. Because of the curved mouthpiece we find that it cause less pinched lips than a traditional bit. They all come in differnet mouthpieces and you have to find the right one for your horse.

Mine was too forward in a snaffle SJ, but anything else stopped him dead, 3 ring on the top ring, kimblewick, rubber pelham - all too strong. Tried him in a Myler combo with a triple barrel mullen mouthpiece and he really likes it, can shorten between fences now with out him stopping. So obviusly more mild than the other alternatives for him

SAF out of interest which myler what size did you have?

 

[igglepiggle]

I've got the Myler Comfort loose ring with no independent side action, just normal snaffle and i think the only difference is the slightly shaped mouthpiece...have only been using it a couple of months but so far, its ok. There is quite a lot of bit either side of his mouth but that is how they are fitted, I think. I used to have a KK but I think the mouthpiece was too fat for his mouth as he is IDxTB and has quite a large tongue.

http://www.tackroominc.com/catalog/myler-loose-ring-with-comfort-snaffle-wide-barrel-p-3821.html

javascriptopupWindow('http://www.tackroominc.com/catalog/myler-loose-ring-with-comfort-snaffle-wide-barrel-pi-3821.html?osCsid=1714ca16e4618b49fd6423656e9af64b')

 

[Saf]

Hi
Its the comfort mouth 5 1/2inch short shank. Think my prob was the back strap had stretched and the nose had dropped too low

Jumped her at Merrist Wood today in a thick KK snaffle so very happy

, had 4 faultitus (sp) but hey ho first indoors and had brakes

 

[BBs]

Hi Saf

As always super pictures!

Just wanted to say that, I used the combi myler on bally - flat work she was amazing in it! however, when i came to jump she didnt get on with it at all well

after the session she too got a very swollen nose

and so I never used it again!

Have you tried using a double or an american gag cherry roller? they help me control winston!

I cant believe its the end of the season

sob but Im getting my bling together

ready for BSJA lol