Bitting question

[Loulou]

I am really confused at the moment regarding bitting for my boy.
He is a real jekyl and hyde character and although he is like a schoolmaster in a riding school at times he can act like a very unruly 2 year old at others. He is 15 and is an anglo arab cross dartmoor. He is about 15.2.

I understand the concept of soft hands and try very hard to keep a gentle, strand of cotton contact.

When I ride him in the manege I can ride him no problem in a snaffle. He is very lazy in the school and it is a constant battle to get him to work.

When I ride him out hacking he is fizzy, silly, fast, strong and doesnt seem to know that he actually can trot. We seem to have two paces, walk and canter sideways. To be fair he is not like this all the way round but gets worse as we start to head for home. A few days ago he frightened me as quite unlike him he took off across a field and it took all my skill to stay on him and to keep him under control.

He is in 24/7 and fed only hay as he has had very bad mud fever and is recovering from that. Because of the fright I had I rode him today in a pelham with double reins and he was much better.

He is a very 'mouthy' horse. He picks everything up in his mouth including buckets, rugs, brooms in fact anything he can get hold of. He is quite naughty about biting as well and constantly grabs the lead rope, reins, my coat, my hands when I am leading him or doing anything with him.
He doesnt have a wet mouth when ridden. He has a large tongue and a low palate.

I want to change his bit for something a more suitable for both schooling and hacking but it is very hard to get anything out of the ordinary in France and I cannot afford to buy something which doesnt work as I have to get it from the UK. I bought a rubber unjointed snaffle a couple of weeks ago and he wrecked it in an hour as he bit through it. I have been looking for a french link bit but unbelievably I have yet to find one here in France!

I have thought about a Myler but I cannot afford one of those in case it doesnt suit so does anyone have a suggestion for a bit that has a gentle but definate action and that in an emergency will give me the brakes I need?

Sorry so many questions here but you are all so bloomin knowledgeable and I am so far away from anyone knowledgeable and horsey.

Thanks

Gail

[Vicky&Beenie]

hiya
i think he is silly because he is in 24/7. its different in a school but on a hack they are out in the open and have more of chance to bomb off.
why not try a 3 ring dutch gag (happy mouth) it can be used a snaffle, then slightly more severe and then very severe for extremly strong horses. you might also want to try a hanging cheek snaffle. a very good alrounder.
get his mouth and teeth checked though.
but anyway a recommend the last ring on the dutch gag because it is garanteed to stop it works through leverage
hope that helps

[ajb]

Sorry to disagree with the above but I HATE 3 ring gags (bubble, dutch whatever you want to call them) I hastily add everyone has their own pet hates and if it works for you ok fine but my lad came to me having been ridden in a dutch bag and had white hairs all across his poll from someone yanking him around in one! Nowadays he has a hanging cheek snaffle for everyday hacking and schooling (!!LOL) and for v. fast work, ie fun rides/hunting try a waterford. Does he lean and snatch at the bit - if so he cant do that half as effectively in a waterford - they look as if they would be quite a severe bit but IMHO they are relatively mild - they just dont give the horse anything to "grab and run" with. Also if he has a typical Arab type mouth he will have quite a fleshy tongue and low mouth and so it should lie quite nicely in his mouth. If not what' wrong with a pelham with 2 reins for hacking in? As long as you know what you are doing you should be ok with that.

[Loulou]

Thanks for your replies. You are probably right about the pelham being ok for both as it is much easier to get him on the bit in a pelham than in a snaffle as he does tend to lean on a snaffle.
I suppose I should have said in my original post that the reason I am confused is because of the concept of lovely light contact on the reins and then the horse gets strong and fizzy and one has to take a firm grip and a VERY firm contact with the bit. I have tried everything from riding on the buckle end when he gets silly to pull/give, pull/give but he is just determined to go and it is unsafe to not hold him tight.

I will have a look at the bits you suggest and see if I can find anyone here who might lend me one to try. My horse has a white stripe of mane hair across his poll so I wonder if that is the reason for him?

Gail

[bliss]

I would say the pelham is Ok for both too, my sister has had dressage lessons in a pelham, and her trainer was happier that she could be light on 2 reins in the pelham, than be bogged off in a snaffle - her mare would blind bolt! it was frightening!

If you like the mylers and want to try a bit which will give more tongue relief I do myler trials, and I have no issue with posting to france
Check out:
www.scallywagsequinesupplies.co.uk/p/category/0709109336-MB+04+Low+Port+Comfort+Snaffle/

Jill