UPDATE on schooling/biting

Kelly1982

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Well after some of your advise i came to the conclusion that i think Senza may prefer a straight bar so i asked my friend if i could borrow her straight bar rubber snaffle. I knew i wouldn't be able to pick it up til the weekend so i asked my other friend if i could borrow her Myler comfort snaffle as that is a straight bar too in the meantime.

I rode her on Thursday night in it and OMG she went like a dream!!! I had my superstar horse back WITHOUT having to use a pelham!! I was so chuffed but thought i would try it a few more times first.

I decided to give the jumping a go too and she was soooo much better. Because she was a lot more relaxed in it she was making a much better shape over the fences and wasn't rushing at all like she has been in the loose ring snaffle. She still had a few 'hollow' moments but only a couple so i was very chuffed. Even my friend commented
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Then on Sunday me and my friend wanted to ride together, obvioulsy she needed her bit so i used my rubber jointed snaffle. Well all i can say is the b*tch was back LOL. She was all over the place, snatching the bit, shacking her head, tanking off you name it she did it.

Then yesterday i put her back in the Myler and she was an angel again.

So i am now on the look out for a comfort snaffle if anyone has one that they dont need anymore
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I am sure she will throw the spanner in the works in a few months time but for now i think we have cracked it.
 
That is interesting - I've always wanted to try a Myler comfort snaffle on my mare. What sort of problems were you having? Mine has a tendency to throw her head in the air when stressed and also when excited about jumping - were your problems similar?
 
That's great news
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Why do they always like the most expensive things though lol!

Did you have any joy in persuading Vicky to get out to a show before Feb btw ?
 
I had a mare and you couldn't hold her anything except a normal metal straight bar snaffle. Some horses do seem to like the straight bar rather than a jointed one.

Excellent news
 
She was just being a complete nightmare, she was snatching the bit, she wouldn't turn which resulted in us going up the banks of the school, she was tanking off with me with her head in the air and i had NO control jumping.

We would just battle all the way through our schooling sessions.

I was a bit worried about trying it though as my old horse HATED it but she is the complete opposite.
 
[ QUOTE ]
That's great news
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Why do they always like the most expensive things though lol!

Did you have any joy in persuading Vicky to get out to a show before Feb btw ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi ya

Well only just LOL we are going Medstead Grange on the 28th
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I changed my horse from a Happymouth eggbut snaffle to a Myler comfort snaffle about 8 months ago and it made a huge difference to her way of going. She didn't tank off in the happymouth as you describe with yours but she was just never really consistent in her head carriage and if she was having a stroppy moment then she used to shake her head and really back off.

Tried her in the myler and she was a completely different horse, she was soft, consistent and still in her head and much more willing to move forward, even when she found something difficult. She was great in it jumping too until we developed a saddle problem which caused some rushing, not wanting to take corners etc but my new saddle should be arriving this week (hopefully) and then it's just a case of waiting for something else to go wrong!
 
Thats also what i found that she wasn't keeping a consistant contact/outline. we kept having constant battles and i felt like i was almost having to force her into something she didn't want to do and then when she had enough or thought something was more exciting (like trotting poles on the floor) she would tank with me.

In the Myler i have the lightest contact with her yet she is still in a consistant outline, no fighting and definatly no tanking. She actually 'wants' to work now if you know what i mean as she is so much more relaxed.

I have only jumped her once and i saw an improvement straight away so a couple more times and i am hoping we will be well on our way to sorting that out too.

Got a show on the 28th so we will see what happens then
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Ooh kelly I have one im not using anymore but its slightly different - has the hanging ports on the bits and did the one you use have the roller bit in the middle??

anyway if your interested let me know
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Thats really interesting.

I've been playing wit bits as well and discovered mine goes really nicely in a hanging cheek straight bar mullen mouth snaffle (dunno if this is the correct name but you get the idea).

Tried her in a friend's low port myler tho and she was AWFUL. I hadn't realised they did a straight bar version as well. I will maybe see if I can find someone with one of those and give it a shot.

Congrats on solving your bitting issues, I feel as if I'm just starting on mine!
 
I have tried her in various jointed snaffles and she is a little monkey in all of them.

I put her in a pelham and she went really well in it but knew it was too harsh so thats why i tried my friends straight bar and she is really happy in it.

I am sure she will start playing up again in a few months time and my biting issue will start all over again
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Dont worry i am sure you will get there
 
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