overbitting your horse

[Benson]

Lessons learned

I’ve Hunted a “snaffle at home and for eventing” type of horse who totally blew me off in the Hunt field with a snaffle. The Wonder Bit worked great for him. I would also recommend a running martingale and flash noseband. Not all at once, but as building blocks to your system.

The goal of the day is for each of you to enjoy the Hunt and hounds. It will take a while, perhaps an entire season, to see how you both enjoy the Hunt. Whicker has good advice. It takes many seasons for a nice Hunt horse to evolve and there is no hurry.

[whicker]

Karosel,
I sent you a p.m.
My DH is from Lubbock. He is a Texas Tech grad, too.
Who is hunting there? It would be fun to meet you all, when we come to Lubbock.

Please tell us more about your horses. I ride a Trak mare, who looks much like the one in your profile. She is my first Trak, so I really am interested in knowing more about the qualities of the breed. Please feel free to p.m., too.

[otterhound]

We bought a new mare before the last hunt season who’d whipped-in for several years with another hunt,and knew the ropes inside out. However she’d been ridden in such a way that she’s developed a hugely upside down neck, causing her to carry her head really high. After much trial and error, I downgraded her bit to a mullen mouth eggbutt and added a Market Harborough and the combination has worked wonders. Of course the Market Harborough is adjusted to allow her ample room to jump etc, but stops her from going totally inside out, and she wears a simple cavesson noseband, and dressed like that is a dream to hunt. At home her normal bit is a french link snaffle.

[whicker]

Otterhound,
What is a market harborough? Photo or link for an image to give us an idea, please…

[jawa]

http://www.google.com/search?q=market+harborough+horse+training+aid&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=imvnsfd&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=OcCMTtveMMnW0QG8rKifBQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBsQ_AUoAQ&biw=1454&bih=1015

I googled market harborough horse training aid and asked for images. It seems to be what we refer to as a german martingale.

[otterhound]

Thanks jawa - I’m not very good with putting up links etc! The 2nd horse on the top row has his adjusted what I class as correctly, so it only comes into action when the horse goes unacceptably high with it’s head. Unfortunately some people abuse them and use them to drag the head down, like draw reins.

[rustbreeches]

Everybody seems to be really in to more complicated bits. I hunted a great TB/Conn (an Aladdin!) who would show, school and trail ride in a snaffle, but hunted him in a Waterford. It gave me the bit more braking power I needed, but wasn’t so different that he fussed with it. I know alot of people are trying to address the high head, but it seems like in your opinion it was a response to the curb chain. Good luck!

[Karosel]

I took my mare to the learn to hunt “clinic” today. I rode her in a Myler MB02 bit (a D ring snaffle with hooks for a bit a leverage, witha roller mouthpiece) and in standing martingale.

She was better today. However, I’m not sure if this is “the” bit yet, or worth the $110 it costs to purchase (I rented it from a a tack shop). If we go out again I would like to try an elevator. She wouldn’t stand very long at the checks today, but she was fine walking in circles.