working on the bit

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Beccahh

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Hey guys
im looking for some advice on getting my lovely welsh working on the bit and getting him to use his back and start tracking up
he seems very reluctant
iv had back/saddle/teeth checked and there all fine.
hes ridden in a jointed hanging cheek and i personally wouldnt like to go any stronger than this.People have told me his bit needs changing as it doesnt suit fleshy mouths and others have suggested a pelham,double bridle,Draw reins ect but i think these sound like quick fixes and plus iv only ever ridden a handfull of times in things like them so i dont think im extreamly experianced and i dont want to make anything worse.
In the school we have been doing alot of streches and getting him loose and supple for about 2months hes getting fitter and he will work with his back and track up but as soon as we ask for trot and canter his head shoots up and well it goes abit wrong.i havent got a instructer as of yet but i have a very experianced friend who's helping me with it.she simply said its just going to be a constant thing to be working on but does anyone have any tips to help him
hes also lunged in a pessoa about 3/4 times a month
x
 
First of all, don't go there with the draw reins and any other contraptions you have been advised to use. I would work on a circle in walk, make the circle various sizes. I would do lots of transitions from walk to halt, back to walk, a few steps of trot and then back to walk etc. Don't get hung up on the fact that his head is going up. Do the same exercises in trot that you do in walk - spiral the circle in, then take it out again. As soon as your horse starts to offer you what you want, be quick to pat with your inside rein. Don't fight with him as you'll make it worse.....when you are in trot, before you even think of where his head is, make sure you have a nice forward going rhythmical trot, and then start your exercises.
You're bound to get loads of suggestions on here
Good luck!
 
Is this a young horse? I am getting the feeling from your post he is.


It's hard to know without seeing it and as a result I would find a really good instructor (if horse *is* young then it's probably better to have instructor come to where he is used to working. They will be able to suggest things you and your friend may not have thought of. It certainly wouldn't do any harm.

The only thing I can say is what I find often helps with horses. Make sure you give lots with your hands. Lift them and offer them forward, if he doesn't respond you can always take it back, but it might help and then you can cross of the list that his head is going up because your hands are fixed or too strong.

Spiralling in and out should really help, also serpentines should get him bending round your leg and should encourage him to become rounder. I like serpentines in the advanced shape cos by going back on yourself a bit there's that extra bit of bend, but as long as he is bending and moving forwards in a balanced way the head carridge should follow.
 
Meant to say that you know you and your horse best though, so ignore anything that isn't relevant and good luck. it will come it may just take time!
 
Thanks for your sugestions guys :D will try them all out
and will look into a instructer maths 12 but he is very young in the head haha he picks things up quickly but is also rather inclined to do things his way and try to take control this is mainly when were jumping but hes not so bad anymore and iv sorta learnt to ride him through it
thank you for your help =D xx
 
Why the obsession with working "on the bit" - it's not natural for horses to work like this!

Let him go in a nice natural motion - don;t hold on - and if you can, ditch the bit. You really don't need it, and your horse will thank you for it.
 
Working 'on the bit' is all about being trully between leg and hand...... you must think about using legs first and foremost to create impulsion, then your hand contains this energy with a sympathetic, elastic contact. So, think about using your legs to drive forwards with energy, rhythum and balance, forget about where his head is for the time being, because once you have him going forward from the leg, he will start to soften into an outline 'naturally' - I have a green 5yo who is just beginning to 'get the idea' of working in an outline, MY RI has told me to forget about where her head is an work on getting her to go forwards from the legs, my hands are low and wide, this encourages them to lower their head, and I hold a constant contact with the outside rein, and an elastic, 'sponging' contact with the inside rein...... lots of walk/trot transitions and circles - I find that when I ask for more inside bend, she lowers her head......

Good book to get for ideas/advice with schooling is "101 schooling exercises"
 
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