What to try now?????????

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berry

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I am at my wits end!!!!!!
My mare is very strong out hacking and jumping, I have tried a number of bits with different nosebands and she was going really well in a waterford 3 ring gag and a grakle, but over the past few weeks she has been a night mare.
Everytime I give her a 1/2 halt she throws her head up so high that she almost knocks me in the face, also if I ask her to slow down behind another horse she just goes straight up!!!
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She has her back done regulary (sp) as she has suffered some stiffness in the past (it was last done the beginning of april) and her teeth were done a few months ago, she has'nt changed in any other way apart from this.
She carries her head quite high anyway so I always ride her in a running martingale, someone suggested a market harborough but I dont know how she would react to this as she hates the feeling of being held in/ restricted.
What bit would lower her head but give me enough breaks to be safe???
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Any suggestions would be really helpful.
Thanks x.
 
How many months ago were her teeth done? It might be she has a sharp tooth or something develop - when that happened to my mare she almost knocked me out she chucked her head up so high!
 
How about a Myler combination? They spread the pressure over the whole head rather than just the mouth, so she won't feel the need to resist the bit, while still giving you the control that you need.
 
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Well i'd try something with a curb action seeing as a gag has a head raising effect! Sorry but gags with martingales annoy me= counterproductive

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I know its a bit 'contradictive' (for want of a better word), using a gag with a martingale but she was going so well in it I just carried on using them together, she has been going fine in it for about 6 months.

Her teeth where done the end feb begining of march, she doesnt throw her head if I ride her in her kk snaffle but she is so strong I really have trouble stopping her if I hack her in it and I would have no hope jumping!!!
I was going to try a pelham but riding with 2 reins would this help do you think????
 
have you had her hocks checked? Alot of people mistake hock problems with a back problem....I'd get a vet to look at her.
 
[ QUOTE ]
How about a Myler combination? They spread the pressure over the whole head rather than just the mouth, so she won't feel the need to resist the bit, while still giving you the control that you need.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ohh didnt think about one of those!! How much pressure on the nose do they give though cause when I tried her in a hackamore everytime I picked up a contact she reared up!!
confused.gif
 
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have you had her hocks checked? Alot of people mistake hock problems with a back problem....I'd get a vet to look at her.

[/ QUOTE ].

It was the vet that said she had some stiffness and muscle knotting in her back as she was going through a really mad period a couple of yrs ago, so got vet out to check her over. He recommended a really lovley back lady to me and she comes out every 3 months just to make sure everything is fine x.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Well i'd try something with a curb action seeing as a gag has a head raising effect! Sorry but gags with martingales annoy me= counterproductive

[/ QUOTE ].

I was going to try a pelham but riding with 2 reins would this help do you think????

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't have to have 2 reins. Put roundings on I did this with my boy used a rubber pelham as he could tank off in a field when out with other horses and I felt I had no brakes but with this combination (used running martingale first with it than didn't need it didn't have a nose band either. Had all the brakes I needed. He was 17.2 Hanovarion x Irish draught.
 
Bitting up/strapping down is a road to nowhere. The nerves of the mouth are deadend and the horse learns to tolerate the pain. It is like climbing a ladder... bitting up and up and somewhere you come to the end of the ladder and drop off the end!

When I come across a horse like this I go back to basics. Do the total oposite of bitting up/strapping down. First I check the horse out for physical problems. Having eliminated this I start to school in a simple bridle and a Sprenger style french link. The results are amazing. I go right back to basics and make sure the horse hears what the bit is saying. Strong bits shout the message. If someone shouted at you, you would be upset but eventualy you would get used to it and ignore it. If someone whispers to you, you draw closer to hear what is being said and it is a far more comfortable experience. I back up the seat, legs and hands with the voice so the horse is in no doubt what the bit is saying.

I have a friend, who, in these situations removes the bit entirely and attatches the reins to the noseband, obviously in the safety of the school. She has had horses who were nutters on the bottom ring of a gag actualy sigh with relief when the ironwork has gone. They are happy to listen.

So, IMHO the way forwards is to go back and teach the horse that a bit is a means of comunication, telling him what to do, not what he can't do. Your horse will listen to subtle messages from your legs and seat, so there is no reason why he can't be educated to respond to subtle messages from the bit.

All is not lost
laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Bitting up/strapping down is a road to nowhere. The nerves of the mouth are deadend and the horse learns to tolerate the pain. It is like climbing a ladder... bitting up and up and somewhere you come to the end of the ladder and drop off the end!

When I come across a horse like this I go back to basics. Do the total oposite of bitting up/strapping down. First I check the horse out for physical problems. Having eliminated this I start to school in a simple bridle and a Sprenger style french link. The results are amazing. I go right back to basics and make sure the horse hears what the bit is saying. Strong bits shout the message. If someone shouted at you, you would be upset but eventualy you would get used to it and ignore it. If someone whispers to you, you draw closer to hear what is being said and it is a far more comfortable experience. I back up the seat, legs and hands with the voice so the horse is in no doubt what the bit is saying.

I have a friend, who, in these situations removes the bit entirely and attatches the reins to the noseband, obviously in the safety of the school. She has had horses who were nutters on the bottom ring of a gag actualy sigh with relief when the ironwork has gone. They are happy to listen.

So, IMHO the way forwards is to go back and teach the horse that a bit is a means of comunication, telling him what to do, not what he can't do. Your horse will listen to subtle messages from your legs and seat, so there is no reason why he can't be educated to respond to subtle messages from the bit.

All is not lost
laugh.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I know what your saying but She is so responsive in the school in just her kk snaffle she will not lean or get strong or anything she is very well schooled, but as soon as you put a jump up or canter her on a hack she gets so eager that she just sets her mind on going and she is so strong, she doesnt take off or get faster you just have no brakes, I can hack her on the roads in walk and trot with a loseish contact and she is fine its just when we do faster work.
I did'nt do any jumping with her for the first 2 yrs of having her as she was so set in her mind on how she wanted to jump the jumps and she would always decide the pace and I was just a passenger. I just want to be able to enjoy her and take her out and do things as she does enjoy her outings and hacks x.
 
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