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Bitting advice

Hunting
#1

So I told my h/j trainer that I plan to try foxhunting. That did not go over well. She is the person I go to for advice but I don’t think that avenue is open to me any longer if it concerns hunting. Now all I have is you guys :slight_smile:

My 16.3 big built ISH currently goes in a slow twist for hacking and jumping. The times I have taken him cross country he got a little strong - not necessarily bad, but if there was a horse in front of me and we had to stop quick I don’t know what would have happened. In an effort to control my horse and avoid using the horse in front of us as a bumper at our first hunt, I think I should “bit up”. What bit would you guys use?

#2

Maybe try a vulcanite/rubber pelham with short cheeks? Many horses seem very obliging :wink: with that bit. Strong, without being brutal.

Try it with two reins or one rein and roundings - the tack ‘n’ turnout divas may have a conniption, but whatever works and is safe for you and the horse is plenty good enough.

You can usually find a used one on Ebay to try out, and resell again if it doesn’t work, for dirt cheap.

#3

I would second consideration of a rubber pelham (though I would encourage you to just learn how to ride with double reins instead of using the roundings- not difficult, and just plain better horsemanship IMO:cool:).

Other thoughts- I’ve not used one myself, but a waterford mouthpiece works well for some of my foxhunting friends. I have tried, and liked, an elevator bit, as well.

I’d definitely give the bit a try in a pre-hunt cross country ride, so you can get an idea of whether you’ve got better brakes. Better to have a stronger bit you can use lightly, than not enough bit that you have to haul on all day- misery for both you and the horse.

#4

One thing, if you bit up for hunting don’t use that bit at home. They’ll just get used to it. My older TB goes in a snaffle at home, a slow twist for racing and a pelham with two reins for hunting. I would also second learning how to use the two reins.

#5

Okay, so consensus is saying a pelham with 2 reins. Argh!! There are some days I have trouble hanging on to just one set of reins :slight_smile: However, if that’s what you guys think, I will give it a go.

We actually use the waterford a lot at our barn. However, in our particular hierarchy of bits, it is less severe than a slow twist. However, I don’t think my horse has ever used one so it’s worth a try. When my trainer was showing him he went in one of those Pessoa magic bits with the rollers on it. More for the lift than anything else. When I ride him in that he curls into a ball so I went to the slow twist.

#6

Food for thought: A warmblood I had for a good while just needed a change of bits every couple of months- ‘different’ versus ‘stronger or milder’. Only horse I’ve ever had like that, but if he started lugging on the slow twist and I went to a plain loose ring snaffle, back to lightness. Or vice versa. Go figure. For him- just to make sure I had brakes- rubber pelham competing xc in eventing, and an elevator bit for hunting.

#7

yep trainers are often not big fans of hunting

lesson plans crash when you are having too much fun hunting.
revenue from coaching etc. at the shows…poof, gone.
the whole winter consumed by resting up from hunting or getting ready to go.
exposure to a whole world of equestrian endeavor outside of the trainers control.

understandable concern

#8

Yeah, I got the “no regard for the horse, riding over terrible footing, jumping into God knows what, galloping to a sweat and then standing in the freezing cold while hounds roam around, terrible equitation, it’s going to ruin your horse, galloping on concrete, etc” speech today. Seeing as how she’s always wanting me to “grow a set” and quit being so timid I thought that she might be encouraging. Not so much.

#9

Don’t let it faze you! Go out and have fun, and do as little or as much as you’re comfortable doing.

Another vote for changing the “feel” of the bit rather than a technically harsher mouthpiece. A stronger/harsher bit many times just leads to more tension for your horse. A different feel will give you added control because it’s new and the horse likely won’t have the advantage of being used to it and ignoring it :wink:

#10

[QUOTE=skyy;4376662]
Yeah, I got the “no regard for the horse, riding over terrible footing, jumping into God knows what, galloping to a sweat and then standing in the freezing cold while hounds roam around, terrible equitation, it’s going to ruin your horse, galloping on concrete, etc” speech today. Seeing as how she’s always wanting me to “grow a set” and quit being so timid I thought that she might be encouraging. Not so much.[/QUOTE]

I don’t ever post in this forum, but do read the threads often because I fox hunted in high school on a bunch of polo ponies and miss it sooo much. I took care of the polo ponies, and one of my perks was getting to go hunting in the fall :slight_smile: Anyways, the woman who hooked me up with the job was my riding instructor at the time and she used to be high up in the local hunt club. I rode with her for two years, and that woman taught me how to ride and look pretty doing it! I think there is a TON you can learn from hunting, and it’s a blast.

#11

Yep, I had ‘no regard’ for one horse for 20 seasons. After his career in western pleasure. First time I took him hunting, his reaction was, ‘well, it’s about time we did something worth while.’ I could pretty much only catch him if I had hunting clothes on (or bribery in the form of a can of beer or soda).

When I forcibly retired him at age 26 owing to arthritic knees- he was royally pissed off, then depressed, for weeks.

And yes, your trainer is right, the equitation ‘out there’ stinks. One learns to ride to stay on the horse, not to look pretty. And the worst day of hunting is better than the best day of ‘equitating’ at a horse show.:wink:

#12

You might also try a corkscrew with a flash and make sure you have ridden in that combo a few times before you go out and try hunting. There is nothing like putting a new bit in a horse’s mouth and having them go “WTF?” and then deciding they hate it. Add the confusion of being out in the hunt field and that can be a deadly combination!

#13

Well, this kind of contribest to Hijacking the thread. But to those that think Foxhunters have no regard for their horses I see many more old (20+ yrs) foxhunters in the field than I ever see old show horses. We have many horses still going in their mid 20s. If hunting is that hard on horses and foxhunters don’t take care of them then how can this be?

We have a 28 yr old QH on the farm. He hunted at least 15 seasons with various owners and still goes out with the beagles several times a year.

#14

I don’t mind the highjack!

Re-reading everyone’s posts got me thinking. I’ve been riding this horse since I got him (2 years ago) in the slow twist. I think I am a better rider now and I certainly know him better. He has a quirky bolt which used to scare the crap out of me and the slow twist gave me good brakes. His bolting has decreased significantly (hardly ever happens) and it doesn’t scare me any more. I am going to start riding him at home in a different bit (maybe a 3 piece snaffle) and see how he is. If that works, I can save my slow twist for hunting.

#15

I hunt my mare in a 2 ring elevator. She has a tendency to throw her head up. So the lower ring gives me leverage when I need it. But I use 2 reins so most of the time it’s working primarily on snaffle.

Inside its a 3 piece french link

when I am riding her any other time, she goes in just a regular D french link.

Some horses really lean on pelhams, which is why I tend not to use them. Plus you have to assimilate him to the curb chain

#16

Have you considered adding a running martingale instead of going to a stronger bit?

That’s what I do for my horse but he’s more “hot” than “strong” and with more bit he’ll curl up behind the bit.

Many people I know hunt with either a pelham or a Kimerwicke.

And yes, your trainer is probably worried that you’ll have so much fun hunting that you’ll never want to do anything else. How do I know? It happened with me :D.

#17

I started out hunting my very opinionated, ex-steeplechase horse in a simple snaffle gag bit with a running martingale. Switched “down” from that to a french-link 3-piece snaffle, but with a little port in the middle and full cheeks. Hunted him that way about 2 years. Found out by accident last year that he actually hunts about the same no matter which bridle I use – whether it’s back to the gag or just a basic snaffle – I think it was more about him learning the “system” than how much force I could exert over him! He still bucks whenever he thinks things are too boring…

#18

Ah, yes, they do have an opinion about the way things ought to go. The qh I hunted for 20 years- would have a minor temper tantrum if hounds found a grey fox rather than red and we were simply sitting on the hill while they ran around in a circle below us.

As you might imagine, hunting that many years, the horse knew more about what was going on than most of the humans present. He knew the difference between a good find and the hounds’ riot sound- and when I was whipping in, would pull me toward the offending hounds with ears pinned- I’d have to keep a good hold so he didn’t savage them- that was my job!

#19

My guess is said trainer has never hunted. I think it’s humorous when trainers give an opinion about a discipline they nothing about. :lol:

#20

The thing is, she has been hunting before. I don’t know with which hunt but that is the opinion she has formed of that particular hunt.

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