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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 980
  
Location: Southwest Minnesota | I have a 12 year old Appaloosa gelding who shoulders into the barrels. I am considering a bit with more purchase and maybe a lifter bit. I am attaching a pic of the horse turning a barrel. The girl riding him has to keep her inside leg on him and literally lift and pull him off the barrels. We do a lot of slow work with him but when he gets to a race this is how he runs. He is kind of a hard horse to ride. He is in no way a 1D horse but he is a great horse that you can trust with anyone on him. The young girl riding him is a 4-her that we free leased him to for the summer. He has taken very good care of her, I am just wondering if a different bit would help with his turns. Please keep in mind that she is not steering him away from the barrel because she doesn't know what she's doing, she has to do that or he will run over the barrel. |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | I don't have a suggestion, but that look on her face is priceless! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| Funny picture.... she looks really sad with that turn. I had to switch bits on my 15 year old mare and the best bit that I came across was the Molly Powell Rate and Turn bit. It looks rough but my mare loved it. It helped shape her and you dont need super light hands to run in that bit. Its really forgiving. Is your horse ratey? What are you running him in now? |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| I have had good luck with the Cervi short shank lifter - the horse I used it with was very soft in the mouth and I used the small twisted wire/dog bone mouth piece. Thus, just lifting on my inside rein pulled the shoulder up, adding my inside leg more pushed the ribs over and magic happened :)
Good Luck! |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
 
| What do you do in your slow work, and what bit is currently being used. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1094
Location: Idahome | I have had really good luck with the Pozzi lifter with the dogbone mouthpiece. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 980
Location: Southwest Minnesota | cheryl makofka - 2014-09-23 9:45 AM What do you do in your slow work, and what bit is currently being used.
Our slow work consists of a lot of flexing and bending, moving his shoulders, moving his hips, figure 8's, etc. This gelding also competes in Ranch horse pleasure, Pole Bending, Jumping Figure 8, Key Race, Showmanship, and Trail class. He is a wonderful all around 4-H horse. He is not hard mouthed. When we do work on his turns we do trotting or slow loping with cones set up by the barrels to encourage him to stay off them. But, when we add speed, he closes in on the barrels like a missle and will just take them out. He is not the most agile horse, 15.3 hands and over 1300 pounds with nearly draft horse sized feet. :) Not sure if a different bit will help, but thought is was maybe worth a shot. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| chuckie31 - 2014-09-23 10:54 AM
cheryl makofka - 2014-09-23 9:45 AM What do you do in your slow work, and what bit is currently being used.
Our slow work consists of a lot of flexing and bending, moving his shoulders, moving his hips, figure 8's, etc. This gelding also competes in Ranch horse pleasure, Pole Bending, Jumping Figure 8, Key Race, Showmanship, and Trail class. He is a wonderful all around 4-H horse. He is not hard mouthed. When we do work on his turns we do trotting or slow loping with cones set up by the barrels to encourage him to stay off them. But, when we add speed, he closes in on the barrels like a missle and will just take them out. He is not the most agile horse, 15.3 hands and over 1300 pounds with nearly draft horse sized feet. :) Not sure if a different bit will help, but thought is was maybe worth a shot.
I would do some work on the barrels by running him past the barrel, or when you get to the rate point counter bend him in a 360.
In the picture I don't see a horse diving, I see a horse using his hind end.
I would also look at where the rate point is, and I would have the rate point when my leg gets past the barrel.
I would also give the horse little pocket if he is turning over the barrel
Also I would encourage the rider to not look at the barrel, it all goes back to the saying you look to where you want to go, she is looking at the barrel, the horse is going to go to that barrel
Edited by cheryl makofka 2014-09-23 11:08 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 980
Location: Southwest Minnesota | This is the bit he runs in now.
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | See if someone you know has the million dollar bit. Those older horses get a little stiff and strong as they compete more. You need something that says-"helloooo I'm up here!" Also, make sure you have the current bit set in the mouth correctly-some of them just need the chin strap tightened or it drawn up into the mouth a little farther.......
edited to add: it looks like she's "at the end of her bit" in the pic, so maybe just a little adjustment on what she's currently using might be all you need. Also, the more "breaks" in the mouthpiece the less severe, so you may have luck with the same bit just a 2 piece mouthpiece instead??
Edited by LMS 2014-09-23 11:17 AM
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | The Face! I Love it.
No advice. Just glad I have very few pictures of me running. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 980
Location: Southwest Minnesota | cheryl makofka - 2014-09-23 11:05 AM chuckie31 - 2014-09-23 10:54 AM cheryl makofka - 2014-09-23 9:45 AM What do you do in your slow work, and what bit is currently being used. Our slow work consists of a lot of flexing and bending, moving his shoulders, moving his hips, figure 8's, etc. This gelding also competes in Ranch horse pleasure, Pole Bending, Jumping Figure 8, Key Race, Showmanship, and Trail class. He is a wonderful all around 4-H horse. He is not hard mouthed. When we do work on his turns we do trotting or slow loping with cones set up by the barrels to encourage him to stay off them. But, when we add speed, he closes in on the barrels like a missle and will just take them out. He is not the most agile horse, 15.3 hands and over 1300 pounds with nearly draft horse sized feet. :) Not sure if a different bit will help, but thought is was maybe worth a shot. I would do some work on the barrels by running him past the barrel, or when you get to the rate point counter bend him in a 360. In the picture I don't see a horse diving, I see a horse using his hind end. I would also look at where the rate point is, and I would have the rate point when my leg gets past the barrel. I would also give the horse little pocket if he is turning over the barrel Also I would encourage the rider to not look at the barrel, it all goes back to the saying you look to where you want to go, she is looking at the barrel, the horse is going to go to that barrel
Thanks! We will try that. I appreciate the advice!! |
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Veteran
Posts: 294
| I LOVE your face!!! |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | She needs to leave the outside rein alone, use the inside rein to lift and pick up with and to move him over. Its looks like the curb need's to be tighten up a bit more and this way she will be able to lift and move him over better. Using the outside rein to try to more him over just makes his shoulder drop more. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I would not change bits on him just tighten up the crub a little bit, I see that the shank is pulled pretty far back and that means to much curb. |
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Veteran
Posts: 282
Location: MS | I agree. Tighten the curb and use the inside rein to lift the horse away. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 980
Location: Southwest Minnesota | Thanks for all the help! |
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Need some bit advice please...