what bit do you have your cob in?

have tried him in a dutch gag but he didnt seem to like the poll pressure? i read somewhere dutch gags arent the best for cobs? although not sure why, just a lot of cobs dont get on with them
 
Markie came with a NS univeral tranz angle lozenge (I had never heard of it before!) with a plain cavesson bridle for schooling and anything 'non-exciting'! For anything 'exciting', he came with a Myler ported barrel snaffle and a bridle with a flash noseband (haven't used it, so can't comment!). For everything we do on a day to day basis, the NS is totally fine.
However, he is very, very, very strong in the show ring and it's nearly impossible to replicate to see what will work! Started with a plain, mullen mouth pelham, he leant more than pulled but he wasn't very fit then. Then we tried a jointed, rugby pelham (looks tidier!) but he ran straight through it! Back to the mullen mouth, much fitter Markie and he pulled like a train. Then we tried a straight bar pelham, but he really didn't like it and chucked his head about. The last show we went to, he was back to a mullen mouth, but a rugby, and the judge could see that he was tanking in the 'go round'! I've borrowed a NS Waterford pelham to see if it helps next time, so am watching this thread with interest.
 
Hi, I took part in this thread earlier - I have the bulldozer mare. She was (and to some extent still is) down on my hand. She's actually croup high, so even built that way. The worst thing was she would lean on my hand and then go behind the bit - result she couldn't see where she was going and didn't care, I could, but had no vote in the matter. The Kimblewick (ported, no slot) I use stopped that. I don't know why, I'm not that sophisticated a rider, but I have control without the need to whack her in the back teeth to get brakes.

I hope that helps. I'm just sharing my experience, it may not work as well for you, but I hope you find something that works for both of you.
 
I ride mine in a sweet iron loose ring with copper losenge, or a brass french link. My boys mouth anatomy means he cannot stand a thick bit or a single joint.

I also have a mullen mouth rugby pelham which I put him in every so often in preparation for showing or if I feel I may need more brakes.

Fortunatley he's not one to tank for any length of time - usually gives up after about 30 secs so i've found it better to just wait until he has tired himself - turn him round and make him do it again twice over - has sorted most of our issues! But not everything is like him.
 
MS - did you find she leaned with the ported kimblewick? just thinking about what it said on that link about it not being for leaners? but the extra breaks might make them back off a bit so they dont lean (or lean as much) so i could get away with the ported kimblewick instead of going for the jointed one - im not a sophisticated rider either so all these bits are a bit of a mind field! :)

vanner- when my boy does tank he also doesnt do it for long, but he isnt too fit atm so i think the fitter he gets the longer it will take for him to stop, so want to be prepared! lol i have made him walk past things a few times if he has spooked at something and ran a bit instead of a full on blast
 
Came in a waterford hanging cheek 4yrs ago but had to go in a waterford 3 ring gag for jumping. Has been in a full cheek snaffle with a lozenge for flat for a while & we are just in the process of trying him in this for jumping as don't think he really needs the gag anymore!! Tried 5 different bits in a jumping lesson on thurs & the snaffle is now seeming the best!
 
Archie, 16.2 hh ID x Cob, ridden in a full cheek happy mouth straight bar snaffle.

He is a huge boy with plenty of power but he seems suited to this bit and is very responsive to my voice.

I rode bitless for over 3 years but due to an accident that was totally my fault I chose to put a bit back in, it just made me have a little more confidence though I did feel I was giving in to my feelings, afterall, Archie didn't do anything wrong but there was a doubt implanted in my mind of 'what if' after the accident. I don't like controlling but figured that if I rode with more confidence it could only be a good thing and I ride very much on a loose rein anyway.
 
probably cheating but I have a solid little welsh cob ;)

And she's ridden in a loose ring french link she's quite happy with it.
If we're going to jump or do fast work she has a dutch gag in but she needs a bigger one.
at the moment we are just hacking so a snaffle is all she needs!
 
My lad is in the NS Verbindend but schooling he was either blocking me out in walk or blocking me out in canter! Asked him to trot and he started the wall of death canter. Then I rode down to the field bareback, he buggered off and we jumped the 3 ft electric fence, hat or protector just headcollar! Whoops! At least I stayed on! Such a dumb horse.
 
mine has a bit of welshy in so its not cheating :) not sure on how much but he seems to of inherited a bit of stubborness and if he wants to go in a direction he will do e.g i was trying to teach him to yield to pressure on his dually and he just fought it, he doesnt like pressure on his head, i wonder if this is why he ignores the bit he is in atm? he is just pulling against the pressure
 
Mine is a heavyweight irish cob with a thick neck. He responds best to a tom thumb gag .... I only need to use a light contact
to get him to slow down. Previously tried 3 ring gag, waterford etc but found he just opened his mouth, put his head down and went! ... not sure how strong the tom thumb would be for a 4 year old though.
 
I use a eggbutt french link, with the addition of a running martingale for 'running party occasions' :D (x/c & big groups like hunting).

Very thick set through neck, also slightly croup high, this Fuzzy was a very rude person on arrival. Its taken a lot of work to get big Fuzzy to accept who is in control - and still reminders are needed on occasions even now.

If problem persisted, I'd be trying a jointed pelham or possibly a Sam Marsh for the hunting, just so Fuzzy isn't a danger to others.
 
mine also has a thick neck and uses it to his advantage if deciding to go faster than desired on hacks! ok in the school though so far, im thinking of trialing a waterford and kimblewick from the bit bank, but still continuing the use the french link for schooling
 
Have you thought of trying a market harborough?

I did this (am nasty horse owner ;) ) for about 3 weeks in January and for the odd occasion after - Fuzzy didn't like leaning on herself! :D
It still comes out now on the odd day (I seem to get a 2nd sense for it :D )

Worth a try, then can keep in your french link :)
 
My boy at the moment is in a French link gag for hacking and is schooling in a full cheek Waterford which I'm hopingto get him into a full cheek French link but we need abit more schooling for that ATM. My boy is stupidly strong and have never ridden anything like him when he gets excited out hacking. He goes beautifully in the school when fit and sitiing on his hocks. He his a lw cob though but has a big neck and shoulders
 
Not sure of Tont's breeding, but he's a cobby build :)

I currently have him in a straight bar, happy mouth dutch gag :rolleyes: He used to be in a jointed eggbut snaffle, but when he wanted to go, he was gone :rolleyes:

He's only been backed a year, although he's 15, but I needed the gag to have any control :D

Nicole :)
 
Mine's in a hanging cheek snaffle in the school... (got a bit above his station a few months ago so rode him in a 3 ring gag for a bit and now he doesn't know he hasn't got it!)

But tbh he goes best in a proper double... sometimes I need extra brakes hence the curb but can be back offish occasionally so can ride him just on the snaffle... works well for me but I'm very used to double reins. (I've ridden across country in a double bridle before now!)

BnBx
 
caroline23 said:
what would this teach him? or would it just stop him leaning/fixing his neck?
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if he is a 'nose poker' - either out or up - then he would lean on himself & find it pretty hard work after a short while. (its no good on an overbent chin-on-chest tanker tho)
Its a bit like using drawreins, but the horse only leans on itself. its a useful gadget to use for re-schooling, but i wouldn't use one as a permanent tool.

I've kept one in the weapons cupboard for years & only had to drag it out on occasions, usually for a bit grabber oand outwards upwards leaner.

Worth a try if you can borrow one :)

edited to add, please don't try one unless in a snaffle variant :)
 
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he never pokes his nose in the air, more like pulls downwards on the bit and leans (so maybe a bit grabber) not head to floor though, just lower down

main problem is him getting to listen/respect the bit, even if its a bit change to make him see he has to listen to it so when i say slow down or stand then go back, he does as he has figured out i have no control is he decides to not listen and go a different way
 
My girl hates jointed bits. She has no respect for them at all. However, put a mullen in and she's happier.
I was determined that she was always going to be 'snaffle mouthed' but some things are just not meant to be. She is now ridden and schooled in a NS show pelham with a forward port. She is shown in a Sam Marsh - she is so settled and accepting in this, plus she listens to me in the show ring. When we dressage, she's in a hanging cheek, mullen mouthed Myler.
Complicated I know, but after years of trying different styles, different mouthpieces....and years of arguments, We've settled on a pelham bit with 2 reins. I just change the mouthpiece according to what we are doing that day. The hanging cheek is the closest snaffle I can find to a pelham.
 
so does the market harborough stop them putting there head down and running off? or better control of the bit? ive just looked at the pics of when i tried him he was in same bit as i have him but a flash, would this make any difference?
 
caroline23 said:
so does the market harborough stop them putting there head down and running off? or better control of the bit? ive just looked at the pics of when i tried him he was in same bit as i have him but a flash, would this make any difference?
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if he is yanking & tanking - then yes, the MH probably would help.

Do you have a friendly instructor who might be able to observe & then advise?
 
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