what bit do u think i should use....

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Ashliebaby

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<font color="purple"> </font> I have a 4 year old very fit cob.. and he isnt very strong in the arena and he is ok to stop round our yard farm ride..

my trouble is when jumping!!
He gets very exited and very strong.. he can do a course (With my hands hurting ALOT) need that extra strenth on the bit to help him calm down and help him turn.

Im riding him in a normal snaffle at the moment and was thinking of using a wilky JUST for jumping..

I dont want to put a too harsh bit in his mouth as he is such a baby.. but want something to make it easier to stop and turn.

Thanks
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x
 
Why not stick a fulmer/ full cheek in to help with your steering, and go back to basics instead? If he tows you around courses then try grids instead, lots of pole work and grid work to curb a bit of the enthusiasm. I used to ride a horse who was fine hacking and schooling in a loose ring French link snaffle, but she'd get stronger when jumping. We had her in an eggbutt single-joint with copper rollers and she loved it, she even went XC in it fine and the only thing we ever needed a stronger bit for was fast work in company. She could still get strong for jumping although not uncontrollable, so I stopped doing courses with her and went back to gridwork, on a circle, trotting in over trot poles then a small cross to an upright to a small spread and then canter poles after. When we progressed onto grids in straight lines I'd have exactly the same arrangement of jumps, and when I got over the last jump I'd ride away in a straight line and halt at the arena fence. She soon learnt to listen and then I could introduce a turn after the grid to a small single fence, then a stop at the arena fence again. If she started rushing again we'd go back a step. It really worked much better and I reckon had she continued jumping (she damaged a ligament so can't jump now) she would have been ok to progress onto using the French link.
 
i dont think the turning bit is because he struggles.. hes quite stubborn.. likes to get his own way.. read all that.. and ill start doing that on either wed or thurs.. thanks for that x
 
Hi there, he might be a bit unbalanced at the moment for his age .I can hack etc in snaffle but when doing fast work and jumping with my cob I used a 2 ring waterford gag its the best so far the others like french link don't do anything aslo if you get a waterford get a 1/2 inch bigger as the sit round the lips !! good luck.
 
My ID mare was like your cob but instead of changing bits I went back to basics. Started with jump wings and poles on ground and worked round them. At first she was really excited but after a few days she calmed down. Then I put one fence up and she was really excited again but stayed working round eveything until she calmed down and listened. After a few weeks we were jumping 4 or 5 fences fences calmly! She still gets excited sometimes but doesn't pull anymore.
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Hiya, i've got a horse that is over keen on his jumping and i've tryed going back to basics but to no avail. If i was you ash-revs i'd try a hanging cheek snaffle as it's basically just a snaffle except it has a little poll pressure aswell. I think it'll be a case of starting from the least severe and working your way up till you find something that works for your horse
 
sounds like my pony! only prob is she is more like 14 not 4
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she isnt too soft though so i have had to go down some harsher bit routes than you may like to with your younsgter. i have found best thing is waterford 3 ring gag then i have a choice of wear to put my rein/s depending on how cooperative she is feeling on the day.

maybe a waterford mouth piece may be the way to go, as for cheek choice perhaps a hanging cheek - quite mild. or a fulmer / D ring for help with steering.

good luck.
 
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