A 'bit' of a problem!

Jen Pigs Fly

Ok I'm currently riding my mare in a D ring snaffle bit, pretty tame, but I'm not sure wether it's the right choice for her.

She can be incredibly strong on the bit and her downward transitions are sloppy as she just will not listen to my aids (half-halts included) and its often a tug or war in order to get her to halt.
She also gapes her mouth open even with a flash whenever I try to make any sort of contact through the bit when she fights which puts me in even less controle. (Got a smaller flash however today, so I will try that tomorrow)

So I'm just wonder if a different type of bit might benefit her.

I have tried a flash on her, it helped a bit, but then head shaking started, she's basically taking advantage of me whenever I try to regain some sort of control when it comes to transitions, especially downwards.

And on the roads when hacking it can be even worse, she can sometimes be unstoppabl.
The whole pulling on the bit and not listening could also just be freshness, as after about 10 mins she's usually way more responsive to the bit, but I'm just wonder if she would benefit from something different.

I use a normal cavesson bridle on her, flash optional, usually when hacking, at the moment though all the time as I'm doing transitions and flat work.

So any suggestions would be appreciated, I'm just fed up being taken for a joy ride whenever I try to school her, funny thing is, is that she's extremely responsive and willing after about 10 - 20 mins.

Thanks in advance!
Jenny

togster

OK you will probably get the following suggestions

• Get her teeth checked
• Lots of transition work to get her hind end engaged and off your hand etc

I would suggest also to try another bit.

What i would do and may not be deemed very appropriate would be to ride her in a stronger bit, maybe a three ring. Again do your transitional work but this time teach her to make a downward transition by using your legs and seat only. Sit into the saddle and squeeze with your entire leg. If she doesn;t listen then use the new bit, quite hard at first. Teach her that when your sit and squeeze, you mean a downwards transition. Gradually she will learn that you don't need to use your hand to stop. Lots and lots of transitional work and good half halt work.

ell

Agree with togster, check teeth first. Horse might be going ahead to avoid pain.

After that, I'd retrain & do the following:

1. Train her to give to the bit, not lean on it. (You can do this from a halt initially with any bit that fits, I wouldn't use something strong as it's not about force or leverage)

2. Install light brakes.

convert

Like togster and ell have said, check her teeth first. Then look at working on transitions, etc. You can do it in a half, as ell said. Just ask her to 'give' when you pull gently on the reins. It may take her a while to understand that what you want isn't initally to simply take a few steps back, but instead a submission of her mouth/head (I know that's not phrased well, it's kind of hard to put into words). If she learns at the halt then it transfer into transitions, too, and shouldn't take as long to learn when moving.

Re, the head shaking when you put on the flash - that could just be her way of telling you she doesn't like it. We put a flash on a pony we had a few years ago to see if it would help during her dressage tests, and found that while she was fine for the first few minutes, she started to shake her head after about 5-10 minutes, which was completely out of character for her. She stopped when we took it off. It wasn't pinching, rubbing or hurting her in any way, she just didn't like it.

Jen Pigs Fly

Ok thanks everyone!

I am going to get her teeth checked right away, just hafta get the yard owner to make the call haha. (or give me the number)

And as for flashes, I see them as a lost cause at this point, she gets too irritated ... so I'm just going to hope that she no longer leaves her mouth wide open once I find out what the root of the problem is.

(Up to about 3 months ago she was grand, it's only recent that she gapes her mouth open and head shaking has gotten gradually worse, but only when in trot and after jumping, so I'm thinking it's definitly some sort of pain connected)

I really don't want to use a stronger bit on her really ... I might try her in a full cheek snaffle, as she prefers one when lunging, as she hates one side pulling over the other.

Sure I'll keep you guys posted on her anyway.

If all else fails, I might even get her tack checked, could be another reason for the headshaking, might get her a cob sized noseband (Arabian horse, has a very small head ... pony sized everything except for the browband).

Also might be irritants, it is spring after all, pollen flying around, and she's such a princess I wouldn't be surprised if her delicate nasel passages were too sensitive :rolleyes:

Hobbidance

After reading that she is part arabian then I'm just going to add to the previous comments above. My 3/4 blood Arab pony tosses her head alot when she's got extra energy or is anxious but she will also work well and behave when I ask her too with no messing about.

Don't be worried if you don't find a problem that you need to fix like teeth or back pain, even ill-fitting tack. If you've exhausted every reason and still can't find anything wrong then it may just be that your horse is happy enough while riding out to express its eagerness and joy and wants to run and play. I had everything checked on my pony too and my vet found absolutely nothing wrong.

I'm not saying to dismiss it, certainly check to make sure she's alright and also try and teach her that when you want to work that she behaves (pretty much from the minute you sit on her back until you finished your exercises and are giving your horse its head while cooling down but by this time she may not even need to toss her head as she will have burned off some energy) If you see her running in the field and giving her head a toss and throwing a buck don't be too worried about it not everything is down to a problem. Once again though do check everything just to be sure she isn't in any pain and make her understand that when she's working mis-behaving is not acceptable.

Jen Pigs Fly

Hobbidance wrote: »

My 3/4 blood Arab pony tosses her head alot when she's got extra energy or is anxious.

If you've exhausted every reason and still can't find anything wrong then it may just be that your horse is happy enough while riding out to express its eagerness and joy and wants to run and play.

She tosses her head a lot when shes in the arena playing and messing around, in other words when me and her are playing chasing!! so I do think that the head tossing is a way of her showing her enjoyment, so while you may be right with that, I'm not just going to say that's it so I'm still going to get her teeth done anyway, they're getting sharp had a look at them yesterday, so regardless she needs them done.

Ah arabs haha, full of the joys of life haha! My girl is purebred, and my god doesnt she know it!

junca

In cases like this, what with shaking and rubbing of head and especially opening the mouth and running it is usually an indication of teeth, also i would put the mildest bit, in a three link bit called French link with out the flash noseband , i do not like them personally.

I mean it is meant to be a partnership with our horses and after all, by clamping their mouths shut, what chance have they got of telling us if something is not right or even right as the case may be as a horse needs to be able to champ the bit happily and for that it needs to be able to open his mouth. Mostly if you then get a nice sharp stop from a horse it is an indication of the pain they feel from stronger bits etc and can actually then become a dangerous situation, some will only put up with so much before they rebell some will put up with all sorts of things.

It is as all the others have suggested a schooling issue so lots of downward transitions and bulding up the horse to bring it on the bit gradually. I once helped a friend with a really strong horse by getting rid of the flash and instead of a strong three ring dutch gag we put in a french link and the horse instantly started to relax .
He did not like the nutcracker action of the normal snaffle as it was hitting him on the roof of his mouth. He then tried opening his mouth to show his discomfort, the riders answer to that was to put a flash on. When he then started to raise his head and bang it up and down her response was to put on a martingale....
When we put the mild bit in it all stopped completely and he started to respond to schooling nicely. After all, it is a very private and sensitive area: the horses mouth with delicate tissues and full of nerve endings and i believe firmly most problems can be sorted with good thorough schooling because horses are co-operative by nature . Some horses go extremely well in a pelham as well it all depends on the shape of the horses mouth