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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
   
Location: Nowhere Special | The pony I bought in TX (still in love with her) rides wonderfully in a halter. Riding in a bit she works against and fights it. Shes really heavy in a bit and super light in the halter, she is also more anxious with contact on the bit. (example when asked to stand in bridle she stands for 2 seconds and then wants to walk off again. When asked to stand in the halter (even with bit still in her mouth just pressure on the halter) she stands all day long) She is patterned on barrels but she has very little flex and I wanted to work on some flex and bend and lift but the whole bit thing is not helping and in the halter I have a little trouble getting the bend and lift I am asking for.. She has had her teeth done!
Anyone have any suggestions on what to try? |
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 South Texas Hottie
Posts: 12130
Location: IM A DUDE!!!!!!! | try using a sidepull |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | Have her teeth been done recently? There might be a reason she's avoiding bit pressure. You can also put a bit in her mouth with side reins and lunge her. She will be pulling against herself then. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 164
| You need to spend some time breaking her into a bit. That is very typical for an un-bit-broke horse. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | cowboynsouthtx81 - 2014-08-21 4:41 PM try using a sidepull
I was thinking the same thing 
Have you try a short shanked hackamore, like a Jim warner? |
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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
Location: Nowhere Special | Thanks I'll try a side pull if I can find one to fit her, thought about the hack but didn't think it would give me the bend I was looking to achive.. This girl is so broke on your legs and has so much cattle experince I just can't figure out how she rides so much better in a halter then in a bit..I can't imagine whomever had her and used her did all of it in a hack or a halter..but stranger things have happened |
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 Water Weight Barbie
Posts: 6829
Location: Oz, Kansas | I had a mare that would only ride in a hack. My daughter really wanted to show her in western pleasure but she would fight even the lightest of bits. I had her teeth checked by 3 different vets & they didn't see a problem. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| You could also try a chain mouth bit. |
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 Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
Location: Finally horseback again.... | I would bet that she has ramps on her lower # 6 molars. Which are the first molars and the ones that should have bit seats placed.
The reason I say this is..
IF,
She has ramps on the 6s, when you place a bit in her mouth, the bit will pull the soft tissue that lays on the bars of her mouth onto the ramped tooth causing discomfort,
They will also cause a horse to be heavy in your hands, pulls the reins through your hands, root his nose and alot of times tend to carry their head lower due to the ramps blocking the natural posterior and anterior movement of the mandible.
In plain english, natural kinetics of the horses head must allow the mandible ( lower jaw) to slide forward when the horse lowers his head or breaks at the poll. It should slide back when the horse raises his head. If the first molars of the lower archades of teeth are ramped, they cannot slide back. This causes pain and discomfort to your horse when you ask they to collect, pick their head up, ect.
If I had to give you a classic example of what lower 6 ramps and protruding upper #10- 11 molars would be, it is exactly as you described.
get her to a GOOD equine dentist. |
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Horse rides great in halter, bit not so much! any suggestions