Which bit to try next?

[fairhill]

I've been using a loose-ring single jointed snaffle with Meg as she's been struggling to go into the bridle and take a contact. She has a tendency to draw back, hollow and scrunch herself up rather than stretch through her neck and back.

We've made some progress with this, but she started taking too much of a hold on the left, and none at all on the right rein, and after a horrific lesson I switched to a hanging cheek snaffle. This gives a more consistent contact, but she's still jawing and chewing on it - it just means I can't feel it as much

However she is a lot more even into the contact in this one.

So do you guys think using an eggbut snaffle would be a good move, or keep persevering with the loose-ring?

I've also tried her in a french link, lozenge (both loose-ring) and straight bar (eggbutt) and she was even worse in all of them, so a double joint isn't the answer...

Help!!!

 

[zizz]

have you tried a happy mouth or copper snaffle on her, just something warmer and softer to make taking up a contact more inviting. Also go for a D ring rather than an eggbutt.

 

[fairhill]

Tried copper and sweet iron, which she wasn't keen on either. Happy mouth is a good idea.

What difference will a D ring make compared to an eggbutt?

 

[sherwood']

what about a fulmer eggbut with copper r ollers.for steering and therefore she cant leane as much on it. loose rings are good but dotn encourage a contact as the horse has nothign to hold on to as is a loose ring. i used a copper roller one on my boy who wouldnt take a contact at all and when he did wudnt soften and has helped him to do so. The copper helps them mouth too a bit easier and the rollers stop leaning on the fixed cheek.

 

[PennyJ]

Would suggest you borrow a "magic bit" (aka Cambridge snaffle I think) and see how she goes in that. Our boy loves his - he seems to hate anything jointed in his mouth, and a straight bar snaffle was also unacceptable as far as he was concerned! Basically it's a straight mouthpiece with a little port in the middle, looks like the weymouth part of a double bridle if that makes sense. He goes really sweetly in it.

 

[Parkranger]

[ QUOTE ]
I've been using a loose-ring single jointed snaffle with Meg as she's been struggling to go into the bridle and take a contact. She has a tendency to draw back, hollow and scrunch herself up rather than stretch through her neck and back.

We've made some progress with this, but she started taking too much of a hold on the left, and none at all on the right rein, and after a horrific lesson I switched to a hanging cheek snaffle. This gives a more consistent contact, but she's still jawing and chewing on it - it just means I can't feel it as much

However she is a lot more even into the contact in this one.

So do you guys think using an eggbut snaffle would be a good move, or keep persevering with the loose-ring?

I've also tried her in a french link, lozenge (both loose-ring) and straight bar (eggbutt) and she was even worse in all of them, so a double joint isn't the answer...

Help!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't want to sound like a knowitall

but Ty is the same. Got myself a very good instructor a loose ring snaffle and we're making great progress. I was moving my hands around too much and not holding the contact etc etc

 

[fairhill]

Know-it-all

I've been having regular lessons with an excellent instructor, and it's definitely not my hands\contact. It's my awkward horse