Hi Everyone,
Thought I would ask you all for some advice.
I am not one to “bit up” I believe that most horses can go in a snaffle with proper training and time. And for a gelding that I have started in the Jumpers that is true for on the flat (for the most part). However Jumping… That is a different story… He loves to jump! LOVES IT!!! But loves it too much. Feels like leaving out 2 strides is acceptable and getting a leaping start is much more fun then actually going around like a less eager jumper… He is the most athletic horse I have ever met. And when he is going he is a blast, but I am also a huge fan of stopping!! At the end of a line we have a tendency to do a couple victory gallop laps. At the moment he is in a Mikmar flexsion bit with the nose rope on my second rein and my main rein on the snaffle portion with a running attached… (if that makes any sense) On the flat we just use the snaffle part. He loves it, very accepting of the bit, correct head carriage, and forward through the bridle. I would love to show him and take him out but not if I don’t have brakes!! He hates Pelhams and usually goes rollcur (sp?) and just dodges the bit. He is usually quiet over anything under 3ft. But if you put it up any, he gets so excited. He has gone in a hackemore and is okay but I would still like a bit.
Sorry I know this is pretty all over the place when it comes to reading it but I would love some advice!!
A kimberwick worked well for jumping on my strong mare.
Some eventers seem to like the Wilkie snaffle or Wonder bit.
You sound like an educated rider who knows what you’re doing, so, assuming your horse is educated and isn’t jumping big because he needs more training at height, I’ll suggest you try the Watson bits by Mikmar. The Watson Two ring is actually the bit I use on my horse for jumpers (For context, we use a comfort snaffle for dressage and a dee with rollers for hunters). He can get jazzed up and needs an occasional strong correction, but when I don’t need it, the bit allows me to ride very softly and carry a very light connection where I don’t have to be in his mouth all the time. It isn’t for everyone, as you need an educated rider who won’t get in their horse’s mouth over jumps, but it might be worth a try for you. https://www.mikmar.com/products-elevator.html
Also, since he likes the hackamore, you might also try one of the hack-a-bits or even do a bit/hackamore combo.
i am interested in answers to this too. my mare is a lot like OP’s gelding… with weaker bits she takes advantage and has no brakes. with stronger bits there’s a lot of head tossing and drama. thanks OP for the post! 
will be watching.
No Problem! I have tried Kimberwicks on him. I really just don’t like them. Even as a kid I felt like like I never had the right “feel” in the reins.
Thanks PoohLP. I will look at it. All my other horses go in comfort snaffles. Even my Upper level dressage mare when we are schooling. I LOVE THEM!!! (not the knock offs that were recalled :P)
I will look at that other mikmar. Everyone assumes because they look very scary that they are a really harsh bit. But they really aren’t, but then again its all about how you use it! I really try not to use the rope noseband rein but when you keep galloping around you need something!
I did look at the hackamore/bit in one combo but have never used it. Has anyone else used them? Give me some feedback? I have used a hackamore and a bit but separate. I don’t really like my hackamore it’s a really long shanked one. When did hackamores get so dang expensive!!!
Thanks everyone for your feedback and input!!!
Also I have never heard of a Wilkie snaffle, What is that?!?!
You don’t mention age of horse or if you’re working with a trainer or availability of facilities, eg, flat in arena & fields & trails & beach (ie place where it’s safe to just let him go as fast/far as he wants), jump in arena, filed, cross country???
This is likely something you can work through just with training and no “bitting up” but much depends on the horse, the rider & the trainer.
Like your boy, FP LOVES to jump - after an initial introduction to jumps (& super excited let me take over response), he went back to flat only until he was way more educated.
Back to jumps the following year (this suited our training ideology) and he was still SUPER excited but way more willing to listen … more flat as he’s a dressage superstar and facility changes etc (just occasional jumps & Xcountry - where again he was super strong) … this summer he’s finally at a place with decent jump footing & trainer options & (trot to) cross country - he’s incredibly rideable to jumps despite very little actual jump “practise” … still VERY excited to jump but now always “listening” for rider input.
Bit has always been the mildest snaffle - the wild (no end in sight) beach gallops were the break through for this horse
(note this is a horse that you ask, start a fight and he will finish it).
I have never fought with my horses. After watching some nasty things happen I learned that fighting gets you nowhere! So I reason and ask politely…
I work with a trainer that is nationally certified.
The horse is 13. Was trained by some of the top Hunter Jumper trainers in the US before I got him. To which they all gave him back and would not work with him. We got him 2 years ago re-educated him with a snaffle on the flat. Just this past year started jumping him again. He used to do some cross country work with his old mom but he used to hate trailering and that was a lot of hassle for her. I have taken him places for cross country and he get really strong there too. Nothing to the point where I am scared just would like the ability to set him up. (I am NOT an eventer! I do not like it! :)) atm I ride in a pasture that is 60x60m. We call him the energizer bunny. He will go and go. The issue is without an educated rider he will go until he ties up. He is fantastic but he had some anxiety. We fixed a lot of that with proper saddle fit and better feed. But because of his past he was way over pushed for his mind. Now he realizes we are only here to benefit him. He loves us now always the first to be at the gate for turn out to see you.
I really only jump him once a month maybe. Usually longer in between jumping.
Thanks for the input. Normally I am the same way. There is no reason to “bit up” I have had several horses that I have re-educated into a snaffle. But this guy was so over driven with someones seat that he had no idea what a half halt was or seat and leg aids were. On the flat knows his stuff as soon as its over 3 ft forgets everything. We spent a good 6 months at smaller stuff and he is sloppy but quiet. He just loves the bigger stuff. Even out in the pasture he will jump the bigger fences. Usually with some bucking and playing so it’s hard to tell if he is like that by nature.
Thanks again!
[QUOTE=Bonne Vie;7753294]
No Problem! I have tried Kimberwicks on him. I really just don’t like them. Even as a kid I felt like like I never had the right “feel” in the reins.
Thanks PoohLP. I will look at it. All my other horses go in comfort snaffles. Even my Upper level dressage mare when we are schooling. I LOVE THEM!!! (not the knock offs that were recalled :P)
I will look at that other mikmar. Everyone assumes because they look very scary that they are a really harsh bit. But they really aren’t, but then again its all about how you use it! I really try not to use the rope noseband rein but when you keep galloping around you need something!
I did look at the hackamore/bit in one combo but have never used it. Has anyone else used them? Give me some feedback? I have used a hackamore and a bit but separate. I don’t really like my hackamore it’s a really long shanked one. When did hackamores get so dang expensive!!!
Thanks everyone for your feedback and input!!!
Also I have never heard of a Wilkie snaffle, What is that?!?![/QUOTE]
I think hackabits are great on the right horse. The only horse I haven’t really liked it on was my own, lol. For her though (could be a freight train when jumping) the set up I really liked for awhile was a controller (lever) noseband with a twisted snaffle. You don’t see them often but it allowed me to not have to “bit up” while still having enough control.
Lever Noseband? Like a Keniton?.. Just kidding… I know what that is
[QUOTE=Bonne Vie;7753294]
Also I have never heard of a Wilkie snaffle, What is that?!?![/QUOTE]
http://www.bitofbritain.com/Wonder_Bit_p/739.htm
You can also get them with different mouthpieces, like a bean in the middle.
Depending on how you attach the reins and cheekpieces to the bit, it is more or less severe. You can also make it into a gag by attaching rope cheekpieces.
3 ring snaffle with two reins. I ride off the snaffle rein. And when he gets strong, I pick up the bottom rein. works every time.
Look at hackamores, curb chains and bits in western websites/stores. You can try the cheaper models to see what works and then buy a quality one when you figure out what your horse likes.
I used a hackamore and a ‘jaw breaker’ type curb chain on a strong one (mine was more of a pull down type rather than a leave strides out type). I tried every bit imaginable. The plain old hackamore worked great.
Try this (borrow from someone if you can, it’s pricey). But it may be a nice combination of what you’re looking for. I would consider it a “sensitive” tool in that it can be useful in careful, thoughtful hands, but I wouldn’t give it to everybody to “give it a whirl” 
http://www.doversaddlery.com/mullen-mouth-hackamore-bit/p/X1-0174/?ids=ikguawycgrct1a5mbts2elkv
Maybe add sheepskin cover to noseband if you need to “soften” it up. It comes in a variety of mouthpieces - just search it on Dover. The mullen mouth worked for our needs.
Certainly not a bit I would put on every horse - but it helped with a horse that sounded similar to yours.
Good luck!
I did look at the Mullen mouth Hack-a-bit. But I have never ad good experiences with the happy mouth plastic… My horses don’t chew on their bits and the bit got sharp plastic pieces from them just simply moving the bit or licking… I did look at those but I want to try that just with a normal snaffle… Do they make those?
I was going to look at a shorter shanked hackamore. The one I have is super long and it has a metal piece that runs in between the 2 shanks and my horse likes to put that part in his mouth 
Plus hackamores are always nice and a good option just to have around…
Has any one used this bit?
I love me a comfort snaffle… But the gag might be beneficial with the nose piece.
http://www.doversaddlery.com/myler-shrt-combo-low-port-snffl/p/X1-01512/
I like the copper inlay on these bits.
I have a mare we used to call Wild Woman, also highly enthusiastic about jumping (to the point of being uncontrollable). Few things helped, one was doing a lot of dressage (which seems like you’re already doing), found the double-jointed hackamore bit was a good shorter term solution to get get good control initially
http://www.doversaddlery.com/happy-mth-dbl-jntd-hckmore-bit/p/X1-0184/
but always felt kind of bad using it (am more of a loose ring snaffle kind of person…). But then found this Herm Sprenger bit which for some reason works like magic on her. Most of the time (flatting etc) just use the snaffle ring, can use the lower ring when needed (bigger classes, etc). Jolly expensive bit, but for some reason works outstandingly well, and looks somewhat more conventional to me.
https://www.smartpakequine.com/herm-sprenger-kk-ultra-aurigan-show-jumping-bit-7103p
