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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
  
| I have been doing lots of barrel work with my bendy gelding. He had a bad habit of overbending and swinging his hip out, and I realize I was part of the problem. I started using Charmayne James's method and working on not flexing. We are at the point that he can lope a beautiful clean pattern with his hips under him, and I am riding with two hands, keeping some pressure on the outside rein when he tips too much, I also use mainly my feet. From this point, when I go to speed him up and use one hand, how can I keep him from overbending, and how should my hands be? Pulling the rein towards my hip slightly and his head about touches my boot. Pulling put towards the barrel, is not good for his type of bit, but might work. I can ride two handed at a run, but he is rough and it isn't easy. Any suggestions. My only thought is rating and giving him his head, digging in my inside heel and then outside, to keep him straight, and not bending. Just using my hands as a last resort. Help me!!
Edited by IowaCanChaser 2015-04-16 12:27 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 2013
Location: Piedmont, OK | I had a reining horse that I turned in to a barrel horse that was super bendy. It was suggested to me to try a mullen mouth or a hackamore. I tried the stabilizer bit by Connie Combs and it worked great on my bendy horse. |
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 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
Location: southeast Texas | ^^^ what she said |
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 Veteran
Posts: 138
| I have the same issue with my mare and use the CJ method. It helps a lot. I also dont use a complicated mouthpeice. I run her in a mullen type of mouth with a short shank gag. She likes it a lot.
I would say really try to focus on driving your horse forward. Dont think about slowing down. With impulsion the hip will stay straight and down. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| I have a horse that is SUPER bendy. I was told to try a mullen mouth. Cant wait to see how it works out. |
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  A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | My gelding was super bendy even in a simple oring. So I switched to a Little S and he stiffened up just enough to get the 'snap' back. If that makes sense. I still work him in his usual working bit. But run in the hack. Works for us. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: USA | I have a mare like this - very bendy when trotting or slow loping the pattern. However, when I started asking for some speed she stiffened up on her own and I didn't need the bits that help stiffen them up, I actually needed one for bend. They act a lot different when you're going faster though so maybe try breezing him through and see what he does. I didn't know my mare would get stiffer until I started asking for speed and experimenting with what works. If he is bendy still going 3/4 speed or faster, Martha Josey has a combo bit with a copper wrapped mullen mouthpiece that could stiffen him up. Hacks also stiffen them up. Good luck!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1261
| My older mare is bendy like gumby! Ran her for awhile in a lady bug Hackamore it definitely helped with the over bending and after awhile she learned the correct body position and I switched to a different bit. |
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