very long-horse is being silly!

[vickers22]

(this is reposted from common room so a bit higgldy piggldy!)

am on such a low-took zak out and he was being an idiot-being really stong and fretting when others went ahead, and he reared and twisted-nearly got me off.I took him at a log, and he charged at it at a gallop heedless to my stopping him and just leapt from a mile away really flat over it.grrr. he had a snaffle in today-but i am lost at what to use with him as he is SOOO strong yet really sensitive at the same time!Have tried;
dutch gag, happy mouth, with losenge
pelham (goes well in this in SJ but still really strong)
american gag(couldnt tell much difference with this-still hard to stop)
and then a two ring gag with french link, which he goes quite well in but not much difference, have to get shorter cheek pieces to use it though and havnt got round to it yet!Any suggestions?i was thinking of trying a myler but dont know if that would just make him worse?Because i know making the bit stronger and stronger is not good, so i switched back to a snaffle to try and re-school him but its made NO difference! Have tried a bitless bridle to no avail, and when he is schooled he is very good but when out on a hack etc its impossible.

 

[taggartgolf]

My Sympathies...I know what a nightmare it is believe me. I have had tremendous trouble stopping my 17.1 hw when on hacks.She just sets off when she wants and is so strong I nearly wrench my arms out trying to stop her...spent a fortune trying different bits...pelham (all types) cheltenham gag,dutch gag,waterford gag.mullen mouths,straught bars,etc etc etc. After a nightmare hack where she behaved like a coiled spring I eventually got back to the yard and declared that I was going to sell her (to a strong man!) when the lady that owns the yard said she had so many good points it would be a shame to sell her.She suggested (and lent Me) a double bridle and told me to try her in that.I was unsure but put it on her and took her in the school first.She objected a little and put in a bit of a buck and then went forwards and dropped her head and actually listened to me....! I used two reins years ago on my pony when I was a kid but it soon felt familiar and after a while I felt confident I was using the bit kindly and correctly.I set off with my sister on a hack and my horse behaved beautifully..amazing.No pulling just walking nicely with her head in a nice position not doing a giraffe impersonation.... When we were nearly home and the horses were on their toes a prat (bloke,I'm afraid) came trotting up behind us and carried on trotting briskly past us.We asked him to slow as our horses were getting a bit 'jiggy' but to no avail. Off he trotted at speed pleasing himself. My sisters horse who is normally quite well behaved lurched forward and set off down the road.My horse pricked her ears and thought she would like to follow suit.I wasn't sure what to do as the first horse and then my sisters disappeared into the distance.I knew if mine went that would be it flat out down a country lane.I was astounded that when I used the curb and the bradoon rein she listened and didn't bolt.I had a really 'good hold ' of her and managed to control her despite her intententions of catching up.We did catch up with my sis further up the road where she was regaining control of her horse (now in jog mode -not canter as she had been).The 'prat' was nowhere to be seen and had presumably 'trotted off' home.We calmed down and got back safely.My point being if I hadn't been in the double bridle I wouldn't have stood a chance and god knows what would have happened.I am going to use this bridle to regain control of my horse and teach her some manners until I feel that we can 'downgrade' to a more regular type of bit.If you can ( under tuition) have a try riding yours in a double bridle to reinstate the balance and let your horse know you are the boss.I am amazed that this bridle was so effective and it has given me back some confidence which I was losing rapidly.It needn't be a permanent change but a short term method of reminding your horse that YOU are in control.I hope you manage to try this and that works as well as it did for me today .Good Luck !!