Which do you prefer?

[Halfpass]

Having a conversation with my OH yesterday and we couldn't agree on this so eventually agreed to disagree but thought you lovely people would be able to convince one of us otherwise.

My view on biting horses for hacking / faster work, of any age, is that you are far better using a stronger bit and not having to haul on the reins for control.

My OH firmly believes that he would rather use a milder bit and use his manly strength to pull the horse up if possible. IMO by using this method you run the risk of making your horse hard mouthed then never ebing able to pull it up regardless of the bit.

The situation is that he has a 5 year old ISH that was backed last Dec but has only just started to have anything done with it. I am goign to start schooling him as I feel that this is where his issues lie. OH is not a schooling type person but finds XC and hacking great fun. I know that they should go hand in hand but he is a man and you can't tell him anything.

At the moment out hacking on his own this horse is fine but in company if you try and have a steady trot of canter all steering and brakes fail horse bolts spins etc etc and OH ends up on the floor!!! He is currenlty in a low ported myler with no hooks and a martingale.

My advice to him was to try and stronger bit ie Kimblewick and then concentrate on his schooling to try and slove the issue.

Any comments or advice much appreciated.

 

[kerilli]

i'd rather have the horse in a slightly sharper bit that it respects, and be able to use my aids lightly. a LOT of damage can be done when a bit is used with strength - for instance i had a nice young horse sent to me which could not accept any contact at all, it turned out to have bone fragments in its jaw (where bit lies), a permanently'pulpy' feeling, which my dentist said was typical of someone hauling on a vulcanite pelham.

i'd say more schooling, and use a slightly stronger bit for parties, tbh.

 

[jumpthemoon]

To be honest I prefer to use as mild a bit as possible and school my horse so that I don't need to haul. If I was going hunting or something I'd put a stronger bit in, but if I couldn't control my horse in a snaffle out hacking I'd def be getting some lessons.

Disclaimer... Before you all shoot me down that's just my opinion and I'm also aware that some horses are exceptions ie hard mouthed or nutters.

 

[the watcher]

I would certainly consider the next move up on the Myler, and something with full cheeks or a hanging cheek to deal with the directional problems, although not necessarily a more advanced mouthpiece

 

[Halfpass]

This was my initial though. I actually got on this horse for the first time yesterday and thinking about it now I do actually wonder if he is runnign away from the bit. He does seem very soft in the mouth and a slight touch on the reins seems to send him into a panic. So maybe OH is kind of right in that a milder bit with the fulmer ckeeks for steering is more necessary.
He also has a tendancy for really hollowing his neck when trying to bu**er off. The martingale just does not seem to help this so peoples thoughts on a market harborough or similar for hacking would also be great.

 

[amandathepanda]

If I'm riding something I find a bit strong I prefer to stick it in a double bridel if possible - that way you can 'school' it whilst hacking on a mild bit and still have the breaks there as back up if you need them! Plenty of other double rein options if you don't want two bits in the horses mouth seeing as he is only young - three ring snaffle with reins on the bottom and top rings? My favourite schooling aid is the harbridge as that really helps to encourage them to work over their backs in to a soft contact althoug I would only put this on to a snaffle/french link or similar mild bit. If he hollows whilst he is tanking then you may have answered your own question about how to solve the problem - get him working correctly and you should have more control

 

[Blizzard]

I ride Lance in a cheltenham gag all the time.

Most of the time I dont even need to use it when hacking or schooling, as he is responsive to voice, seat and leg aids, however if jumping you need it, and if doing fast work out hacking too, or if he plays up.

I would rather have the brakes when needed, than not have any when it matters, simple as that.
If anyone would like to prove me wrong and try riding him in a french link snaffle or something be my guest, but with a neck like his brakes will be zero if he wants to go!

 

[alicedove]

Definitely sounds as though horse and OH need more schooling. Maybe if he is running away from the bit he just couldn't take a stronger one; perhaps a thinner one at a push. But schooling sounds the way forward, so he is on the bit and contact rather than all over the place when he gets excited?

 

[Nailed]

The bit is only as mild as the hands it is in. I ride in what ever makes life easy.. usually a loose ring snaffle. However if needs must i would use a more severe bit... As i said.. the bit is a severe as the hands on the other end of the reins.
lou x

 

[Seahorse]

My horse is very well schooled, but when we hack out in company he gets very strong and if I'm in a snaffle he puts his head up and goes. Only sheer brute force will stop him.
So I hack him out in a jointed pelham with roundings, and he's fine. This is the same bit I show him in so he's comfortable and used to it for shows too.

 

[teapot]

stronger bit, softer hands personally

Rode Baron in a pelham and two reins - barely needed to touch it; however in a snaffle he was unstoppable

 

[happyhack]

[ QUOTE ]
i'd rather have the horse in a slightly sharper bit that it respects, and be able to use my aids lightly. a LOT of damage can be done when a bit is used with strength - for instance i had a nice young horse sent to me which could not accept any contact at all, it turned out to have bone fragments in its jaw (where bit lies), a permanently'pulpy' feeling, which my dentist said was typical of someone hauling on a vulcanite pelham.

i'd say more schooling, and use a slightly stronger bit for parties, tbh.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree

 

[bexandspooky]

A bit is only as severe as the person on the end of the reins!!

Spooks wears a dutch gag for general pottering about, but if we are doing any type of fast work (we do alot of endurance) or jumping, I put him in a Myler long shank combination. He respects the strength of this bit and never even considers taking a hold, he behaves politely and concentrates, where if we ever attempt these things with just the gag, he bunches up so far his ears are virtually stuck up my nose, and he actually squeals out loud before trying to surge off into the distance!!