back lady came out for monty

[taz]

well after my previous post i had decided to double check his back is ok after his episodes of bronking

well im happy to know its defo not pain related but then again not so happy to know he's being a lil ****** with me then!
she said he's even losened up a great deal in his neck. asked if i had been doing loads of circling, which i hadn't :rolleyes: but since the change of bit pulling his head lower due to poll preasure we thought must be why....so kind of makes me feel pooh as just shows what that bit really is doing and the forces its having on him.

i understand bit change is not the answer but he was in a snaffle and due to safety from his bolting on roads was advised to use the bit im using now, but feel he's not happy with it. he's been in all variations of snaffle, loose ring, peanut/roller, french link and traditional nut cracker type

im a bit dubius about continuing to use this 3 ring continental as yes its giving me enough control to stop his bolting yet with the poll preasure is rounding him so much i believe its driving him to bronk. as i squeeze its forcing his head down incouraging bucking/bronking combined with him being stroppy.

so...
shall i perservere with this bit or change to something without the poll preasure.
id need a bit that acts like a snaffle (no poll preassure) but is more stronger than a snaffle. any suggestions?

[My Crazy Clan]

I'm not sure how much pressure is in a hackamore but I heard they are pretty good.

[CityLights]

a kimblewick might be a good idea, there is a small amount of poll pressure with them but nothing huge and also have a curb chain to prevent them getting too deep and also gives you a little more control, the slotted kind also are sort of semi adjustable to give slightly more or less leverage

[taz]

doesn't the unjointed mouth piece make it more harsher than the 3 ring continental. Iv never used a kimblewick so what action does the kurb chain play?

[CityLights]

a ported or fixed motuh piece it much kinder than a jointed mouth piece as it elminates the nutcracker action, altough i find sometimes you dont get the same feel as in a jointed or linked bit

A curb chain comes into contact when you pull on the reins, you can shorted or lengthen it to change how much pressure you need to put on before it comes into action, i would suggest starting off looser as some really can back off them, a curb i always understood helped to prevent a horse getting to low or deep in its outline it also makes the bit stronger on the bars of the mouth as basically the horses mouth is then being acted on both above by the mouthpiece and below by the chain so it makes it stronger in the mouth rather than adding poll pressure which is the other way to add breaks

[taz]

thanks smile and wave, ill try the ported one then on him and see if he gets on with that.

[CityLights]

i would also start with a leather curb chain or something softer, to save yourself some pennies though you can just wrap something around the chain to make it softer and then take it off again if you find you need a proper chain