. . . unasked advice, Draftmare, but before you put a stronger bit on your lovely mare, you might try working with the bit you have and doing a little exercise. In an arena, or in a pasture along a fence, ride Sydney at a walk, just meandering along. LOOSE REIN Cue her to a downward transition. If she’s walking, that would be a whoa. (I use my seat since W is a reiner when not a foxhunter --but voice is fine too, try to avoid a “tug” on the reins) --if she stops --GREAT --do that about 100 times. Then do the same thing at a trot. Go along, ask for a downward transition TO A WALK. If she does it, great. BUT if blows you off, even for just three steps, IMMEDIATELY turn her into the wall (tight turn) using your wall side rein (direct rein). Continue at a trot (no scolding) going the other way. Again, ask for a downward transition from trot to walk. If she does it, great --if not, turn into the wall and continue the other way at a trot. Do it again. Sydney is a clever mare. I’m guessing the third time you ask for a downward transition, she’ll anticipate a turn into the wall and slow down. YEAH! Do it about 100 times more --well actually, I’d do it about 10, then do something else, and repeat the downward transition lesson over the course of a week. What you should achieve is a horse that, when you ask her to go from a trot to a walk, does so. And from a walk to a stop --with NO tugging on the reins, or sponging of the bit. She just does it. If you have good footing, you can then work on it at the canter --it’s like a rollback in Western terms, and a common enough maneuver in reining. It’s lovely to have horse that will slow down when you ask it to.
Anyway, that practice worked really well for W.
I’ll miss seeing you Sunday!
