I also owe a kid a hot chocolate. Walker thought hot chocolate was for ponies. Either that or he was spiteful. Since he always went on a rampage at the end of the lunge line while this same kid was lunging her horse, I doubt that we are destined to be fast friends.
I didn't make it to the barn on Monday because I had to work late, but I'm pretty happy with my ride tonight. Walker has really been making a conscientious/begrudging effort to go on the bit lately - like for 10 seconds instead of 5, and more often than just twice a ride. I'm tickled.
But this has led me to believe I need a new bit. It's one thing to chew and lick at the bit. It's a whole other thing to chomp the hell out of it for the whole 10 seconds you're on it. I'm afraid he's going to break his teeth.
He might just need a flash or something to encourage him to close his mouth, but I am not a fan of those. I have a hunch that the single jointed mouthpiece on his d-ring just has too much of a nutcracker effect for his liking - even though sometimes I'm putting him on the bit on a loose rein (I don't know if that matters).
I bought this big book of bits which I'm hoping will have some ideas. I'm currently leaning to something like a french link, but I haven't read it in any detail yet. I feel like if he's going to start cooperating with my whole "get on the bit" focus, I should probably try and make it a relatively pleasant experience for him.
I highly recommend trying a french link! When I first started my mare, she had a regular, eggbutt jointed snaffle and HATED contact. Switched her to a french link, bam, instant softness. Good luck finding what works for your guy!
ReplyDeleteYeah. I think that might be the best bet for us, especially where he's coming from a Western background where there's no contact. I'm happy with how he's doing on the snaffle, but now that he's "used to" contact, I think he'll be 10x better in something gentler.
DeleteMy only recommendation is trying other metals like copper alloy or sweet iron. Carlos loved those.
ReplyDeleteThose were actually two kinds I was looking into. I thought that I might try a French link and see how he takes to the bit itself, and then go out and buy one with lots of copper. My bit right now has little lines of copper in it, which he seems to like, so I wouldn't mind going full copper.
DeleteGood suggestion to try copper. I like French Link bits a lot.
ReplyDeleteI have never really ridden a horse in a French link before, but the more I read about it, the more I think it might be the one to try
DeleteThis is where a friend with a bit collection comes in handy! Miles will literally ride in anything... pelham? SURE. Hunter gag? Why not. D-Ring Snaffle? Of course.
ReplyDeleteI hear you! My barn owner is a bit of a tack whore. He has hundreds of bridles each with a different bit on them, but unfortunately, he rides Western exclusively so it's a bunch of different Western bits. I think I may have tracked down a friend with a French link though. Walker is just used to the heavy Western bits so getting him down to a snaffle was more about teaching him to respect it, and now that he respects it, he needs to like it.
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