horse bits

ladylouise

what are the names strong bits for strong pulling horse?

can Liverpool driver bit be used as riding bit.

convert

There's lots of bits out there that people use for 'strong' horses: kimblewick, pelham, 3 ring snaffle, etc., the latter 2 requiring either double reins or a 'D' piece of leather.

Have you tried using a more severe noseband instead of getting a new bit - drop noseband, flash or grackle (mexican or crossed noseband). They may help instead.

Also, it might be an idea to have the horse's teeth checked before you go about buying new tack, just incase it's his/her teeth that are causing him/her to pull?

doctor evil

You can hire bits out from here before you buy, don't know if they post to Ireland, it just says contact them about it.

http://www.horsebitbank.com/

I second getting the teeth checked. It's worthwhile remembering that pain in one area can manifest itself as resistance/playing in another way.

http://www.bvda.co.uk/
http://www.beva.org.uk/home

Ave Sodalis

I third the teeth check and second the noseband.

Also, I wouldn't use a driving bit for riding but thats me. I'm not sure if you actually can.

Is it mouthed properly? It might be an idea to re-mouth it if not. (He/she may have a hard mouth in which case this will not work) You could try training him aswell to listen more to your voice and the halt command.

If you do need a stronger bit, there are the ones said by convert and also a double bridle is an option.

ladylouise

well my mare is quiet but half broken and very strong so i was thinking gag bit on the last ring and Mexican nose band in combination what do yee think good enough to stop her running off she freshly broken and needs handle but not always possible .but she strong she does not take direction when i tell her stop she keeps walking on.and that's pulling hard on her

her teeth are perfect

Ave Sodalis

Again, do not get a stronger bit unless necessary. A gag with a grackle is a bit harsh for a young horse. Try driving her for a while with a roller and lunging lines. It doesn't sound as though she is mouthed properly. If she keeps walking on, circle her until she gets that she needs to stop. Don't pull hard for very long. Pull then release, pull and release etc. Get a stronger rider, if you need to.

Do not let her do what she wants, even if you have to do something different to what you wanted. This will only spoil her.

Most horses should be able to be ridden in a snaffle if mouthed properly.

convert

ladylouise wrote: »

half broken and very strong so i was thinking gag bit on the last ring and Mexican nose band in combination

For me, that appears to be an exceptionally severe combination for any horse, let alone a young horse.

what do yee think good enough to stop her running off she freshly broken and needs handle but not always possible .but she strong she does not take direction when i tell her stop she keeps walking on.and that's pulling hard on her

It takes quite a while for a young horse to develop and make their mouth, and realise that they have to take direction from the bit. As a result they can appear to be quite strong when really they're just being ignorant.

I remember one horse I broke was exceptionally gentle, but when I rode her she just didn't get that she needed to pull up or slow down when I pulled on the bit.

Teaching her to pull up when you want can take time, but following sup dude's techniques is a good idea. It may also be worthwhile having somebody beside you on the ground when you're asking her to stand. If she doesn't stand immediately they could reinforce your asking her to stand by pressing on her chest with their fist (like if you were asking a horse to take a step back). This should teach her that when you take a pull on the bit she should stand (or slow down, etc.)

ladylouise

yeah it is serve combination aright.but i mostly using her cherry roller bit in nornal nose band we ringing her and waling in line with me walking behind her and i still find it she won,t when i tell stop,she 8 years old and she won,t even wear the bridle when i try to put it on her its like she never seen bridle she was suppose professional broken in .she won,t back back either. but still very quiet but very strong

Ave Sodalis

ladylouise wrote: »

yeah it is serve combination aright.but i mostly using her cherry roller bit in nornal nose band we ringing her and waling in line with me walking behind her and i still find it she won,t when i tell stop,she 8 years old and she won,t even wear the bridle when i try to put it on her its like she never seen bridle she was suppose professional broken in .she won,t back back either. but still very quiet but very strong

Sounds like she's had a bad introduction to the bridle. Don't be rough when putting it on her, or when it is on her and she will realise there is nothing to fear.

Go back to basics and remouth her. It's quite obvious she wasn't broken in professionally if she isn't mouthed. It sounds like you have to go back to the very start or spend the money getting her schooled by a professional. Have her listening to your voice in lunge, it helps a lot.

silverfox88

gag and a grakle does sound like a very harsh combination on a young horse, and then you face yourself with the problem that once a horse becomes used to such a strong bit it is very difficult to go backwards and you leave yourself with very few options should she then disregard the gag. also the poll pressure from a gag can cause problems like backing up etc to try and evade the pressure, and can cause to become dead mouthed. i dislike the idea with a young horse of putting a very strong bit in and then cranking their mouth shut to stop them evading it - nothing against grakles mind, i use one myself, but my mare is in a d-ring snaffle. if she's young long reining could be an idea, or else maybe try lunging her in a roller and a de gogue to teach her to accept the contact?
if a stronger bit is necessary (and i know very well they really can be!!) try a few different ones first - the bit bank (in an earlier post) does deliver to ireland, and you get like 5 days or something to try it? fantastic as bits are annoyingly expensive and you could spend a fair bit trying a few! dont like three rings - while the stopping power is good (have used them cross country for control) they're useless for anything other than stopping, i find they can make strong horses practically impossible to turn. a friend of mine has a particularly strong bullish horse and she's a small girl on a big muscly horse; having tried several options, she eventually settled on a straight bar rubber pelham with a big chunky bar - the horse LOVES it, goes like a dream because the pressure isnt constant - my friend keeps the curb rein fairly slack unless the horse isnt paying attention - then when she does the combination of the chain and the poll pressure brings the horse back to her pretty much instantly. still though wont work for every horse and needs to be used sensitively, but a major difference here on a horse that tended to run off whenever she felt like it before!