I have a plan re. bits etc.

[GreyEventer]

Basically today on a hack (3 of us) i made him canter behind everyone, he was actually amazingly well behaved as he was obviously quite razzed up because of limited turnout (before very limited turnout) due to frost etc. etc. he also thought he was going hunting (tail plaited), but obviously it was cancelled. i also made him stop mid-canter, brought him back to a halt and let the others go on and then let him canter on again. he did try a few plunges and tried to go, but i had my hands on his withers so he couldn't. :D
so anyway, talking to the people i was on a hack with:
i was riding on the snaffle ring of my universal bit and i decided that i would put a strap round the back of it (sort of like a curb) with the reins on the snaffle (this is for hunting) ring and see how he goes, if he becomes too strong/silly i can move it down to the stronger ring... although im not sure whether for xmas eve hunt i should just play a bit safe and start with reins on the stronger ring anyways? as xmas eve hunt is not a time i want to have no control!
I have also decided he is not allowed to canter infront on hacks.. we don't always canter infront, but i have decided we wont ever (he is going to love me!)... and i am also going to get people to canter past me while i am cantering... obviously when we are hacking on our own i will make him stop mid canter etc. but he will have times when he can just have a good canter, but i think in groups this exercise will be more effective than on his own, but may aswell do it!
this sort of thing happens anyway on hacks for various reasons, but i want it to be a noticable thing to him.. and in a way i hope he will get all annoyed and start trying to bu**er off so i can (hopefully) just hold him there so he learns that not everything is a race.
so hopefully this should help him out hunting, im not really expecting him to misbehave when im doing this as he never has done before, but its all good practice for him.
i think he will always be a fast wizzy horse who likes to go, but if i can just gain a bit more control over how fast we go and when we go i would be happier :) i love going fast, but there are times when you don't want to be going fast.. but he does!
so yeah... plan A into action :)
hope this sounds the right sort of thing to be doing with him... i may take him out after xmas on a quiet day and just go along at the back, although i am not sure how constructive this would be for him as i think it would just make him more upset and stressed (he doesn't like being left alone).
thoughts/ideas please :)

[Tiaki]

Seeing as you seemed insistent that he didn't need "re-educating" I am very surprised to hear this is exactly what you have decided to do :rolleyes:

xxx

[CDR]

Hope it all works! Good luck

[GreyEventer]

Seeing as you seemed insistent that he didn't need "re-educating" I am very surprised to hear this is exactly what you have decided to do :rolleyes:

xxx

not re-educating, enforcing what he already knows. im not taking him back to basics, im just enforcing and making a point of what i already do with him.
will let you know how he goes next time out :)
the other thing i may try is take him out twice a week so dad on tues, me on sat. so he goes out and gets used to the environment as much as possible, instead of just once a week if i don't have a match etc.

[kayla]

sounds like a plan! good luck :)

[lilholley]

that sounds sensible! would you be able to use two reins on his universal bit (i'm guessing its like a dutch gag?) so you can ride him on the snaffle ring if he's being good, and have the stronger ring for backup?

[GreyEventer]

lilholley, i was wandering if i could, but im not sure.. i might ask the person who i borrowed the bit off... but i don't know, it is like a gag action thing, but i don't know! will find out :)

[lilholley]

Yeah I just googled it and can't see any reason why you shouldnt use two reins on that.. x

[Tiaki]

ANYTHING with more than one ring is designed to be used with two reins. The Universal should be ridden with two reins not one, as should Cheltenham gags, dutch gags, pelhams etc. My pet hate is seeing such bits ridden in one rein :rant:

xxx

[GreyEventer]

ok, well ill try him in it, once the ground unfreezes a bit and see what happens... that might work quite well as then i can ride on the snaffle until he gets troo strong when i can just half halt him.