Absolutely try the Waterford… he shouldn’t be able to grab hold and/or root, but it is plenty soft at the same time. My TB hugely respects it, all it takes to “whoa” is a half halt, sit up, voice command.
You can get it with any type of cheekpiece as well… I use a loose-ring Waterford at home, a D-ring for hunting… used to use a full-cheek Waterford (when he was green and needed help steering)… other people in our hunt have 3-ring Waterfords.
I think you just have to keep trying different options. For what it’s worth, my TB respects Mullen mouth bits much more than jointed ones. Even a locking snaffle gives me much more control. If I go too severe, I start losing control and frustrating my horse. A Pelham has worked well for us as well, giving me a bit more stopping power in a pinch.
My paint who also likes to rush HATES anything with leverage but accepts harsher mouth pieces that the TB would through a fit over.
Sorry for the long delay in the update! I haven’t tried it out hunting yet, because I haven’t gotten to go in far too long due to the ground conditions being terrible and the holidays…but, I did get a kineton and tried it while schooling- he is a different horse! Usually we have a little fussing when first schooling and have to have a little chat about respecting the bit and him not evading it, but with the kineton there is none of that! He is so responsive and actually a delicate ride with it, it is just amazing. Thank you jawa and foxtrots for the suggestion!
Whether or not that will translate into the hunt field I will have to wait and see. Either way it is certainly a very useful tool for the problem child box! The only downside with it is that I do notice a decrease in lateral movement ability, but I doubt I will notice that as much out hunting.
A question for anyone who has used a kineton. I have been using it with his normal D-ring snaffle which is working well, but would like to know what other options I might have to go to, especially if I want to bit up some the first time I take him hunting in the kineton.
I don’t have enough experience with this noseband to know what my available options are. I feel like because of the leverage it is basically a snaffle of some sort. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance! This might just be the answer (fingers crossed!)!
“Often, bitting UP is not the answer. My TB mare just got enraged at a kimberwick, throwing her head around. Those thin TB jawbones just cannot take a bit and curb without being in pain.”
If it fits correctly, it’s not the bit that causes the pain.
