Help ith bits please?

Question

My horse is one still to fast for western pleasure and equ. and he doesn't tuck his hind quarters under him to lift his shoulders to get that pretty western lope....is there any bits that could help me do this???

Answer 1

From what i've been taught, a bit shouldn't be used to do much of this, but than again most people have their own way of training and such. Personally I would work more in the saddle on responsiveness to your weight and cues (teaching him to slow his hips to slow the gait and collect up). If you're looking for (in my opinion that ugly) 4 beat lope, I know a lot of people get it using spur stops, but thats not my forte.

But i guess if you're dead set to use a bit... maybe try some sort of leverage bit or a high port western pelham, but I'm not overly positive.

Answer 2

If you cant get your horse to collect and round his back and have rear-end engagement in a plain copper mouth snaffle bit, its not a bit issue! Thats a training and rider issue. No harsher bit is going to solve those issues.

Answer 3

If you have a plain snaffle bit, that's all you need.  The horse develops collection from the rear forward...the bit has nothing to do with it...you drive him toward it with your seat and legs, thrusting your seat under you and using strong leg pressure while keeping only very light contact on the bit.  The horse needs to balance his head as you do this, so don't interfere with that any more than you have to to keep him from transitioning into the next gait.  Use very light opening and closing of your fingers on one rein at a time to keep him from changing gaits.  Once his hindquarter is coming under him, his back will elevate and his head will begin to come in....if he drops his shoulders you will lift slightly on the reins and drive him harder forward.  It's a balancing act between your hands and your legs and seat.

Once you have achieved collection, you should work on two tracking him which will prepare him to move into a collected lope...also shoulder in/out exercises will help.  Don't try to get a collected lope when you don't have it at the other gaits.  It will never happen.  Actually, you should work on the lateral movements before you do the rest....I know it's beginning to sound impossible...but it's the way to do it right.

Answer 4

no.

I'm sorry, I'm not being mean but all of those are you failing to hit some cue..

no bit will get him to use his back, you have to work him through your legs to the bit to get him to drop..

i swear, not being mean but this is you, not a bit.

Answer 5

actually if your trying to get him to move out from under himself and lower the head you could try to work him in draw reins for a while just to strengthen up his muscles which would help him get that look.