Ugh, now I need bit help. Sorry.

[LR1976]

My horse tends to gallop around xc on his forehand and it just takes too much to get him rebalanced before the jumps. I don't want to have to spend 10 strides getting him back. I've been riding in a 3 ring elevator with the reins on the 2nd ring. He tends to curl a little and ignore it. I rode with a clinician a couple weeks ago that suggested a gag. He didn't have one to try so I tried a pelham. He wasn't bad in it but I'm not sure I needed that much bit. I tried a gag on him today. It CERTAINLY got him on his butt! That was nice for a change but I feel like he was backed off by it. I was being very light and encouraging him to really go forward but as soon as I'd put contact on him he was like "ok, ok...stopping" That is not what I want. I don't need brakes. This is a horse who has never cared what goes in his mouth so not the reaction I was expecting. Anyway, something that's going to help get him off his forehand and rebalanced PRONTO...but not back him off??? Ideas?

[Divine Comedy]

I had the same problem about a year ago only I was in a three ring on the third ring. My trainer suggested adding a chain to the ring connected to the cheek pieces. He backed off it initially, but got used to it....especially when we added a rubber chain guard for SJ. So now I go in a three ring for SJ and XC with a chain for both phases, but on SJ I have a rubber guard and for XC I take it off which gives me a little more oomph. Pony is now super adjustable with much less fuss.

[luise]

Try a Beval bit or "wonder bit" acts a little like a gag, but not quite as severe.

[LR1976]

Try a Beval bit or "wonder bit" acts a little like a gag, but not quite as severe.


I wondered about that. This type of thing? http://www.vtosaddlery.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=VTO&Product_Code=CRLRGB&Category_Code=BITS

[yellowbritches]

A wonderbit would be worth a try or try the gag with two reins so you aren't just all on the gag rein. My young horse has decided he REALLY REALLY likes a plastic straight bar mouth piece but riding him over fences in the HS Duo d-ring is NOT going to cut it (considering I am always on the brink of being tanked off with in it :lol:). I rode him in a ring bit happy mouth with two reins yesterday which gave me what I needed (more brakes than just the straight bar snaffle and some "hey! Your nose does not belong between your knees" lift) without having to only ride on the curb rein. I could use the curb rein as little or as much as I wanted (so, warm up was done with a big loop in the curb, picked it up a bit more for the early part of the jumping, and as we started to string jumps together, I picked it up a bit more). This may be a better way of going with your horse so that you can soften the action of the gag rein and be a little more "custom fit" with it (and God knows when I used to event a very big, strong horse in a pelham with two reins, there were times I dropped the snaffle rein all together!!!).

If you aren't used to riding with two reins, take the time to practice in the ring with it before using it on xc. It isn't hard, but does just take a little getting used to.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

My horse tends to gallop around xc on his forehand and it just takes too much to get him rebalanced before the jumps. I don't want to have to spend 10 strides getting him back. I've been riding in a 3 ring elevator with the reins on the 2nd ring. He tends to curl a little and ignore it. I rode with a clinician a couple weeks ago that suggested a gag. He didn't have one to try so I tried a pelham. He wasn't bad in it but I'm not sure I needed that much bit. I tried a gag on him today. It CERTAINLY got him on his butt! That was nice for a change but I feel like he was backed off by it. I was being very light and encouraging him to really go forward but as soon as I'd put contact on him he was like "ok, ok...stopping" That is not what I want. I don't need brakes. This is a horse who has never cared what goes in his mouth so not the reaction I was expecting. Anyway, something that's going to help get him off his forehand and rebalanced PRONTO...but not back him off??? Ideas?


Did you ride with two reins or just the gag rein....If you didn't ride with two reins that is what I would do. Then you only use the gag rein when you need it.

[LR1976]

Ya, I just rode with one. I've been thinking I need to suck it up and try riding with two. I'll get used to it, right?

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Ya, I just rode with one. I've been thinking I need to suck it up and try riding with two. I'll get used to it, right?


If I can do it...you can do it:D

[LR1976]

If I can do it...you can do it:D

:lol: If you say so!

[luise]

I had a similar problem with my last horse. He would get on the forehand, pretty heavy, and it took a lot to rebalance him. The 3 ring curled him up too much. One of my trainers suggested the wonder bit. It was great! Didn't curl him up so much, but gave me control. I refuse to ride with 2 reins--my hands are small, and I don't want to have to deal with all those reins on XC.

[sch1star]

I have a horse that runs through a snaffle on xc but curled on the elevator, gag, and boucher. Nothing else we tried worked either (including, I am not kidding, an entire bag full of Lucinda bits at a clinic). Soft, hard, single jointed, double jointed, happy, unhappy, you name it, it did not work.

I hobbled along for entire seasons, trying everything that I and the entire trainer population of Area I could think of on xc. I halted between fences, trotted, occasionally got run away with, and acquired impressive arm muscles from frequent and vigorous half halts, even in places you want to cruise, not half halt.

Four days before our first Prelim, right after the dial-a-bit Lucinda clinic (in which she told me to stay home because she feared my horse did not have a brain installed), I bought - by process of desperate elimination - a Myler pelham.

I do not pretend to understand why, but with this bit in his mouth, my horse became a different animal. He had 5 gears and a clutch. I could cruise along at 500 and just close my ankle and lift my chest and he would go bouncy canter - after all that, I barely used the thing. People I did not know came up to me at competitor's parties, and told me we looked like a different pair. Completely Twilight Zone. You laugh but there are COTHers who know who I am now just from this post.

Yes, it was difficult managing 4 reins - you don't even want me to begin to tell the story of my horse's unconventional jump. But man. Finally it was FUN out there!

I feel your pain OP. It may be trial and error for you. But keep trialing! Add the Myler to your list of possibles.

[Fireangel]

My mare likes to get on her forehand also and puts her nose to her chest.

I found that because she likes to grab a hold of the bit and lean on it, I put a Waterford Bit in her. I wouldnt say she hates it but it makes her work becuase she cant bite ahold of it.

Good luck and play around with a bunch of choices. BTW riding with two reins isn't that hard once your used ot it!

[Catalina]

I had the same problem with my previous eventer. He was too heavy and strong for a snaffle, but he curled and fell on his forehand with the three ring. The solution: http://www.doversaddlery.com/myler-mullen-barrel-dee-bit-mb-32/p/X1-01196/cn/2099/ I love this bit; it is hinged in the middle, so you can lift on one side or both. My horse went so much better once I put him in that bit (too bad he still hated XC :sigh:).

[LR1976]

I had the same problem with my previous eventer. He was too heavy and strong for a snaffle, but he curled and fell on his forehand with the three ring. The solution: http://www.doversaddlery.com/myler-mullen-barrel-dee-bit-mb-32/p/X1-01196/cn/2099/ I love this bit; it is hinged in the middle, so you can lift on one side or both. My horse went so much better once I put him in that bit (too bad he still hated XC :sigh:).

I think I may have that bit. I'm going to have to go out and look. Looks like what I used on my old TB. Does yours have the hooks? Mine is just a plain D-ring.

[Hilary]

Two reins are really not that difficult to manage. Just takes a bit of practice.

Get a very skinny gag rein, and a rubber snaffle rein so they are easy to tell apart by feel.

Two of my horses really liked the gag with 2 reins. I just used the gag rein for brakes and balance, and used the snaffle for turning and cruising. I know a lot of people use only one rein, but my horse didn't like it, and I found it didn't give a good turning aid.

[Speedy]

Could I ask at what level you are competing? I wonder b/c you say you don't want to spend 10 strides rebalancing, but for some people, particularly at the lower levels, it may take 10 good strides, or even 12-16, to successfully rebalance on xc - and you simply have to plan for that as you approach each fence. It is a learning process and it may be that you and your horse just don't yet have the ability to get it done faster. If that is the case, you may be better off working on your half halt than changing your bit. Just a thought. Anyway, if you really need the bit - and I certainly tried a number of them myself with Spellbound over the years, so I completely understand if that is the case - I personally liked the wonder bit alot for the reasons mentioned above.

[yellowbritches]

In all honesty, I rather see a bit converter on a pelham than riding with a single rein on a gag or ring bit. The converter at least softens the action of the pelham, but riding with one rein on a gag or ring bit means that you are riding ALL on the "big" rein. I know a lot of people do it (and I have done it, too), but it is a lot nicer to be able to have some discretion.

Practice makes perfect with two reins. I usually ride with a thin rubber rein for my snaffle, and a laced rein for my big rein so I can them apart. I am actually going to try a different set up if this is going to be a keeper for Vernon, as even that set up is a big for my grip, which actually makes my bad shoulder hurt. When you have to slip your reins on course, just grab them back up however you can, and wait until the next gallop stretch to sort them out (if you even bother then). And don't do what I did the first time I competed with two reins and drop your whip! I dropped mine in warm up and didn't even realize it until the starter was saying "10, 9, 8...." :o

[GiGi]

I know this will be an unpopular comment but... TRAINING not just another bit. My mare was starting to just pull me around xc. I went to Lellie Ward and that crap got fixed immediately. I would like to share but the things we did were in response to how my mare reacted at that moment in the lesson adn how I reacted to my mare's behavior. That said, I train in an egg butt snaffle. BUT I kick it up a notch (per Jim Wofford, ss horses tend to be a little more distracted at HT's) by going into a Mylar Pelham. As with Sch1Star found, its not particularly harsher but for some reason I have better brakes and she listens to my half halts a little better when her brain is goggled at an HT.

[LR1976]

Speedy- We're competing at Training now and thinking maybe by fall??? we'll be able to move up to prelim (an easy prelim :D) This has been an ongoing thing and I agree that at the lower levels it's ok. We've been working on it and I try to do some schooling in just a snaffle and make him listen to my seat but it's just not there as it should be. He is never 'bad' or 'not listening' I wouldn't say. He's just a big warmblood type horse and when he gets to barreling...he really barrels. :)

Thanks guys for your suggestions. Glad I've got 6 weeks before my first event to figure something out.

[LR1976]

And could you guys look at this? Do you like the revolver thingy? http://www.vtosaddlery.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=VTO&Product_Code=CRLRGB&Category_Code=BITS

[EventingJ]

I used the bevel/wonder bit on my last horse who would just fall through my right rein like it was nothing at all! I used the single joint, which for whatever reason he liked more then the double "bean" joint - but he also did like the french link too- I think a lot of that depends on mouth/palate shape, imo. I would certainly suggest riding your elevator or gag with two reins (esp at training level! if you can ride training level + you should be educated on the two rein thing JMHO)... but the bevel is a nice intermediate I think - my horse really liked the poll pressure.

[LR1976]

(esp at training level! if you can ride training level + you should be educated on the two rein thing JMHO.


I know, I know. (going to hide in the corner...)

[EventingJ]

aw, I didn't mean it to sound so harsh! I think I was just forced into it at a young age because of my h/j backround - I never thought it was a big deal but I now know lots of poeple have problems with the two reins! Just use two different reins (different thickness or whatever) and you should be able to tell easily!

[RiverBendPol]

My old Int. TB liked to gallop on his face but had EXTREMELY good brakes so a regular gag was out of the question. I found one that was a plain, fat rubber snaffle gag. I galloped in it for about 3 weeks and the whole problem disappeared. Once he figured out he COULD gallop easily with his front end up and that I wasn't fussing at him the whole time, he was a happy camper. You HAVE to be able to let go except when you need brakes. We went around with bagged reins most of the time. It also helps in teaching the horse to "check" before a fence. My guy learned that if I raised my shoulders an inch and said the word 'check' that he'd better sit up and pay attention! :)

This is sort of like what I had http://www.tackroominc.com/bikorsteel-soft-rubber-mouth-snaffle-p-6967.html

[LR1976]

You're fine! :) I laugh because at age 13, I was riding Saddlebreds with a double bridle and now 20 years later I have no idea what to do with two reins!

[Catalina]

I think I may have that bit. I'm going to have to go out and look. Looks like what I used on my old TB. Does yours have the hooks? Mine is just a plain D-ring.

No hooks, just the big ol' D ring :). I love that bit for heavy horses. Another one that works well is a Waterford.

My previous horse was sooooo heavy when I first got him that my arms and shoulders would literally be in pain when I got off him. With lots of work he lightened a bunch, but he had too much poor training in the past that he was never going to be totally light on the forehand (he had been a dressage horse that was pulled and kicked into a box for years and he developed the heavy forehand and curl as an avoidance). The Myler bit worked great to help lighten him.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

You're fine! :) I laugh because at age 13, I was riding Saddlebreds with a double bridle and now 20 years later I have no idea what to do with two reins!


It will come back to you fast. Riding with two reins REALLY isn't a big deal.

For your whip...put a hair rubber band around the handle....then put your index or middle finger through the rubber band. Make sure the rubber band is NOT really tight so you still can change hands with your whip easily. You will never drop your whip again.

I have one who balances up fine for the fences, super breaks and will come back most of the time when you lift your shoulders... but is built down hill and gets too low in her galloping in between the fences. She will pull down like a frieght train...especially if she is tired. She goes in a gag with two reins now (mouth piece is a KK Ultra double jointed snaffle--similar to what her dressage bit is and what she show jumps in....only change is the gag feature)....but I completely anticipate that she will be back in a non-gag snaffle once she gets stronger. For now though, we need the extra help to teach her how to gallop off her forehand....and as her dressage gets stronger, it will help her gallop.

[LarissaL]

If I have to change up bits for jumping (not an upper level rider, by the way), I prefer to move up to something with two reins. Then I have options when out on course. I use the snaffle rein for our typical communication.. brakes, steering. And I can isolate using the second rein for corrections. I reallllly have no use for introducing leverage every time I want to rate speed or turn.

Personal preference, but I'm not a fan of switching up mouthpieces just for cross country. I like being able to "escalate" my aids and I just don't feel like I have the same range of capability when I've already upgraded the severity of the bit. If a horse is more comfortable with a different mouthpiece (port, twist, waterford, cherry roller, etc), that's a different story!

[lizathenag]

It isn't hard. put both sets of reins on the snaffle bit and ride around until you figure it out. that way you aren't inadventently hitting horsie with the curb or gag rein by mistake.