That’s why it’s important to circle and let the circles get smaller and smaller, asking her to bend around your inside leg. When they get it’s magic but takes time for them to get it if they are used to head in the air upside down canter.
I agree on the lunge line idea with a rider.
Having been through hundreds of dollars worth of bits to find the one for my forward (but not hot) & quirky mare, I can’t recommend a waterford enough. And you can get it in a D ring so it has the “look” for the show ring.
So, overall I agree with the training suggestions given so far. That said, we have a horse like this, She would get quick/pull to try to find her balance, it ended up being a bit of a problem. What we ended up doing was just being firm that “no, you absolutely cannot go that fast.” and with the right bit, she got it. It took a little while (a know it all mare, of course), but she eventually got the idea that she has to hold herself up and canter at a reasonable pace. We ended up with a D with a port, I’ll see if I can find a picture. But I think the pelham/kimberwick idea is a good one, especially for a pony.
This is actually our plan at the moment! Her rider and I agreed to take a step back and let her get super comfortable with the w/t pace and lower head set. Especially until we find a bit and set up she is more comfortable with consistently. I appreciate your feedback. You’re completely right on not rushing. I have no timeframe for this pony, thankfully and I’m trying to enjoy the process with her (from the ground, if I was 30 lbs lighter I would ride her).
Working on making the cue more solid on the lunge. Though her transition into the canter isn’t quick or explosive undersaddle. We have been very careful to make sure that is gentle and quiet. What does happen though is she puts her head up and builds. Rider takes a hold, does half halts, give and takes with both reins and pony opens her mouth and head stays HIGH. The current bit is probably going into the dusty corner of my locker as I really feel like it’s causing more problems (hence the thread). I do think her lunge work has helped her and will 1000% keep that as part of her regimen. I think your suggestion for using the vocal cues will certainly only help undersaddle as they become more solid too. 
This!! Yes!! I really feel like the bit we have been using is a catalyst for some of our issues. Thankfully this thread is helping me to realize this and giving me some great options to try. I’ve done horses for 30 years and just have never crossed this bridge with a 12.2 pony with a small motor. Palate relief is #1 on my list right now and I’m anxious to see how she responds.
Wellllll she barrel raced and is extremely smart. So for now circles at the trot are fine, we have made a lot of progress there, but the canter it seems to make her anxious. You should see the videos of this pony swapping her leads ahead of each barrel turn. Very very smart, so circles, even tiny ones right now she thinks running is coming after it. It will certainly take time for her to unlearn that. Cantering on the lunge is most definitely helping and when she is ready we will incorporate the canter again undersaddle. But you just made me think of a good spiral exercise to incorporate on the lunge and undersaddle. Thank you 
I’m so glad you said this. I was looking at Waterford options last night and really feel like she would appreciate one. I have two I want to try, one is a pelham so we get a little leverage. I’m interested to see what this pony prefers when it comes to tongue relief or palate relief or both. A friend of mine suggested a pee wee bit and it has a concept I’m still trying to process. So I have a small list of bits to consider 
I did a lot of research, but ultimately tried every (or what felt like every) conventional jumper bit out there. I do think for my horse it’s tongue relief because the only other bit she went well in was a plastic Swale bit, which I probably wouldn’t recommend for a small pony 
Definitely doesn’t hurt to try! PeeWee bit sounds intriguing. You’ll have to keep us posted.
I also bet you could find a Waterford on the Tried Equestrian. I’ve bought tons of stuff from them over the years.
I think your lunge work will really pay off. Be sure to do several transitions to help her build balance. IME many barrel and games horses are used to balancing off of a tight tiedown. So you have balance issues on top of anticipation issues. After getting her relaxed at walk and trot, I would use the voice commands to get a canter with little contact and go a very short distance before transitioning down and rewarding. No long canters until she is calm with short ones.
Seems like you have good ideas on bits to try.
Aww sweet thing - yes, small circles help slow down/relax nearly every horse… except one that has been trained to explode out of them.
What about the clover exercise with 4 poles? Trot the circles and walk over the poles. Eventually extend the trot around the circles, and collect it over the poles. If she gets too strong at the trot, you could add a couple of poles so it makes her think about her feet some more instead of blasting away to the next circle like she’s been taught to. It’s very easy to collect/steady on a circle and then send them forward when they’re going straight again, but I think you need to focus on doing the opposite.
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I also like the “unplanned” exercise for horses in need of some strengthening - even better if it’s in a ring with a lot of jump standards/poles laying about. Basically just start trotting around and loop around jumps and standards randomly, change directions, weave around, pop over a pole, ride between two poles - whatever pops into your head in the moment. As long as you’re fair and relaxed about it (no cranking around last second), not being able to anticipate what’s next really helps horses learn to balance themselves so they’re ready for whatever direction you end up going.
You might also work turns on the forehand. Rollbacks and turns on the haunches are usually drilled into barrel racers, but turns on the forehand will probably be something new.
I’ve run out of things to do at work today, so now I’m just spitballing about what I’d do to retrain a barrel horse. Feel free to ignore me completely
Just throwing out other ideas for the horse that’s been wound up and taught to be anxiously forward, like a barrel racer or poorly trained jumper (had a few of these).
What worked was to put them in a side pull (a leverage hackamore made one mare worse) and go what my trainer calls “full cowboy” at the canter. Basically cantering almost on the buckle, butt planted in the saddle, relaxed and almost behind the motion without driving. I found it easiest in a dressage saddle, or with longer stirrups. A massive round pen is great for this but those are RARE. So we would live on a big circle, get a nice relaxed trot, and then ask for canter by voice, and sit chilly. Just long enough to establish a canter, and then come back to trot or walk by seat and voice if possible. Stayed on the circle until they either started to get tired or they gave us a lap or two each way. Eventually they realize it’s okay to just lope around on a long rein, and then we start trying little canters elsewhere and picking up the contact.
I think it worked because the side pull was different from any bit they’d been in, and the “gun forward” cue seemed to be partly just the rider getting into half seat or tipping forward even slightly. Eventually the walk/trot work got them more trusting (lots of poles and little jumps), and the concept of long rein relaxed canters under saddle was installed by staying predictable and consistent on a big circle.
Bitting issues were a big part of this journey for two of mine as well, but sometimes “starting them over” like a colt learning how to canter under saddle for the first time can help even when they’re 90% there at other gaits
The Neue Schule Verbindend is one of the most popular bits at Bit Bank and Neue Schule make sure the ponies are covered clicker counter too! This bit uses no tongue pressure and works more off the lower jaw so its great for a strong pony YET perfectly safe in a young riders hands. The Pelham works on leverage. This means that the bit is giving the rider a mechanical advantage, making their rein aids 2-3 times stronger than what they feel in their hands. The idea is to do more with less. To have a lighter contact, give clear aids, then release.
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