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Bit question

simple answer: do not gallop him there anymore. take that big open field and do big serpentines. Do other patterns. Do equitation in that field. make it a Work field. It sounds to me like you’re cruisin for a bruisin…

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Agree with this. I had a stretch of the hay field I used to gallop my gelding on frequently when he was younger. To this day, with him 22 years old now, I have to deal with jigging on that stretch. Work now to make galloping your choice, and your choice only. I wish I would have back then, but I was young and “knew everything”. :slight_smile:

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Bit suggestions; waterford, Mullen mouth 2 ring, or french link 2 ring.

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Somewhat counterintuitive, but have you tried a bitless bridle,or other form of hackamore?

I switched Belle to a bitless bridle because of (grey horse melanoma) tumors on her lips, and found (unintended side effect) that it was actully easier to contain her enthusiasm for “THIS is where we are SUPPOSED to gallop”

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We’ve restarted a few off the track and started 4 homebreds. We use a lot of trail riding (ride ‘out’) experience and use the meyer bit with some nose action Myler 2Ring Combo Bit Comfort Snaffle Wide - Statelinetack.com currently coming up 30% off.
My daughter ends up being able to ride them out in a simple soft sidepull, or even just a lead rope on a halter bareback after they have learned some respect and confidence. This bit is also very handy to start cross country jumping and let them learn to rate. If you have good hands this is not used harshly.

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The first aid to riding is your brain, your actual thoughts. You say you like his energy and encourage it so let’s think about that. When you approach the spot where you go fast are you saying to yourself “100% NOT going to gallop now” or is it actually “Not going to gallop but we do both enjoy it so much”. That little mental open door is quickly picked up by your horse.

I was riding a horse that had real issues with his mouth due to previous pain and past experience. Any pressure, he would speed up and was hard to stop though he never went as fast as he often felt. I found the trick with him was to visualise hacking him quietly on a warm sunny day and just think about change in gaits. He responded very quickly and I came to really enjoy riding him because it was so interesting getting that mental link.

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A 3 ring bit is more “harsh”/“pressure” than a 2 ring elevator. Think of it like a western shank bit. The longer the shank, the stronger the pressure applied to the pole when using it. I generally choose a 2 ring over a 3 ring for that reason.

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I am agreeing with you and building on your post but I want to clarify that a 3 ring is stronger if the rein is on the lowest 3rd ring. It would be equal if the rein was on the 2nd ring.

IMO you really should use an elevator bit with 2 reins- one on the main ring and one on the lower ring so you have the option of riding off the top ring which has less leverage when the horse is behaving but the second rein gives you the option of more leverage and a stronger bit when necessary. However I know many people only use one rein on the lower ring.

For the elevator bits I have also seen people will add a curb strap for a little extra.

OP- I am really confused about your comments on the running martingale. A properly fitted running martingale should not come in play unless the horse is throwing his head to avoid the bit. It shouldn’t matter if the reins are loose or not. Pretty much if the horse has his head and neck where it belongs the running martingale is doing nothing. If he is throwing his head to avoid the bit then it will come in play and prevent that. If he is curling behind the bit or rooting it won’t help you either.

In general I will try a bit or new piece of equipment such as a running martingale, figure 8 noseband ect… a few times before I decide if they do or don’t like it. It sometimes takes both of us time to figure out how to properly use it and respond to it.

I personally like the Beval as a bit with a little bit of brakes but is not very harsh. I use one with a French link.

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If he is that sensitive, and you do think a running martingale will eventually work, what about acclimating him to the new weight with an irish martingale, or some other equivalent weight that doesn’t interfere with his head. After he is used to that, perhaps then you can add the running martingale, and that change won’t be as dramatic to him?

Just a thought.

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As someone who has owned a sensitive horse and spent too much time pussy footing around her - I suggest you get him accepting of the aids, spurs and crop included. Put your leg on and leave it there, carry the crop and let him figure it out. He’s got to be a “big boy” about some things, and quit throwing tantrums over silly things like two rings on the reins.

Sensitive is fun. Overly sensitive is not.

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I have a hypothesis that the horses use the second bit as a valid “second opinion” even when there is no contact with it. It is like they have a question about the contact or an aid, consult the second bit with their tongue, see the agreement and all their questions are answered, yes their rider DID mean what they “said” with the reins.

Since you are going to continue with the double bridle you may well get to that truly delightful place where the horse “talks” to you by manipulating the bits a little bit with their tongues. I have had many interesting “conversations” with the horse when using a double bridle that I never had when I used a single bit in their mouths.

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For decades the British fox hunting riders mostly used a double bridle while following the hounds. In fact several hunt seat show classes over there require a double bridle if you want to place. (The British developed the loose ring “Show Pelham” for horses with a small “smile”, whose snaffle ring is attached to the mouthpiece sort of like a Fulmer ring is, and one really needs a bradoon hanger to keep the snaffle ring from flopping around. At a distance it looks enough like a double to fool people but it most certainly does not FEEL like a double bridle in their mouths.)

I read a lot about horse problems here, and often the answer is obvious, these riders really, really need to try a double bridle on their horse. Whenever I read about snaffle/Pelham bits of ever increasing severity I wonder why people rarely think about the double bridle because it has been used by centuries by advanced riders to control hot, hot, hot horses who disagree with their riders sometimes.

I am so glad it worked out so well for you and your horse. Isn’t it amazing how good a horse can get when it finally can understand what their rider is saying with the bits even if you never use the curb rein. I have had horses cheer up considerably when introduced to the double bridle because now they can understand me and my aids.

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