Bit help

[Rachel]

Okay,

Snotts is an angel to hack out on his own, roads/field fine! With others on roads is an angel. With others in fields etc hes a nightmare.
Its ok but as soon as you have a little trot thats his brain gone for the rest of the time.

hes so strong and fast, in trot he is faster then the 16.2s, in canter he just leaps into a massive buck and tries to race or bronc.

Say after you have done that he pulls all the way, tried giving him reins, no help I go straight off, or having them or a contact.
He either rears, bounces, canters on spot, goes backwards or canters sideways, if I move my leg a little he rears then pings off.
He will not settle at all after hes trotted on grass.

When I got him he hadnt been ridden for 2years BUT, the girl who had him on loan before that, she couldnt stop him so we think she just pelted him 24/7 in a field, hence why hes like it, as before he went on loan to her he wasnt like it.

Went out for 1hour and 30mins yest, we had a trot 20misn into it and every min afterthat I had an impossible pony.

Hes fine XC, he has things to think about but the girl never hacked on her own and gave him back as he was too much, so think hes been allowed to do what he wants.

He put his head right up, then if he cant get away shakes it, or shoves it into his chest.

Hes had everythign checked in the last 5weeks and nothing at all wrong,teeth,back,saddle refitten, had some bowen, vet througherly checked him over when vacc were done.

hes bloody strong, but he has a very sensitive mouth.

Its not other horses behavious either, we go out with ones that are sooo laid back they dont notice.

I need something that when I check him he will come back, not me constantly fighting him 24/7 as its no fun.

Idea's please

[olivia]

Oh dear - that sounds no fun at all! By the sounds of it, it's become a bit of an ingrained behaviour for him as he's been allowed to get away with it in his previous home. I'm going to sound a total bore now - sorry! - but I do think that the only way to cure it is lots and lots of schooling - I'm talking weeks of just walking until he learns to do that quietly, then adding in very steady trots until that is completely quiet and controlled, then bringing in the canters. I don't mean that you can't school him in walk/trot/canter - just the hacks have to be calmed right down. And you'd need to find a very patient friend to do this with as it's only a problem in company.

Having said all that I do think that looking at the tack can help. I had a very similar problem with Lucky my welsh cob - total fruit loop when I got him - two paces: stop and GO!!!!!! (for some reason I completely trusted him and never felt in danger- lord knows why!) He was being ridden in a Dr Bristol and martingale which he hated and fought every inch of the way. We messed around with his tack and found that a rubber mullen mouth pelham worked well for him. He liked that it was relatively mild while he behaved and I liked I had the curb rein for when he didn't!

Maybe with Ottie he would respond well to something with some nose pressure - there are nose bands you can try, or a myler combination bit? You could also try something with a bit of poll pressure - pelhams have a head lower action (and you can add in the curb if you want) and true gags have a head raising action (so if he's over bending this might help). I can't for the life of me remember what action Belgian gags (bubble) bits have.

Then you can mess around with the mouth piece - Tilly has a very fleshy tongue and low palette so was most comfortable in a thin (bridoon thickness) double jointed mouth piece. Others like unjointed bits - maybe with a port, or thicker mouthpieces. One mare I knew just LOVED her multi jointed bit which looked SO severe, but she loved it! Personally I really don't like single jointed bits for any horse, but others do....

So all in all - not much advise, other than it's a question of finding what suits both Ottie and you. The Bit Bank were absolute god send to me in sorting out both Tilly and Lucky. It's not cheap - but a lot cheaper than having to buy dozens of bits!!!

Good luck

Olivia

[mickey]

What sort of bit is he in? TBH it sounds more like working hard to solve the problem rather than a change the bit and a magic cure seem as he's learned a few different evasions. I'd put a martingale on as a start if he hasnt got one already, I was thinking maybe a pelham but the curb may make him go up and I find they tend to have a lower head carriage which may not be so good if he's prone to bucking.
I'd look at going out with one quiet horse and just walking on the grass fields initially to try and get him out of grass = go. Then build up to a few strides of quiet trot, no fuss and walk. Or if that doesnt work he trots a small circle on the grass until he settles.
Its no fun having a pony that pulls and is a little too strong- Yeti is stoppable in a snaffle but its blooming hard work and not enjoyable so I use a pelham, far kinder as I ask once rather than constant tug of war.