Discouraging pony from going overbent

[Guestless]

I've a homebred pony who hasn't done much schooling and she is very willing and forward. Our main issue is that she has a tendency to go a bit overbent. She's currently in a hanging cheek french link which likely isn't helping, so I want to change her bit but I'm not sure what to try her in. Most of my bits a 5" but she's only 4.75" so I need to buy something.

She is a strong pony so rider (not me!) needs a bit of brakes but we could try something milder for schooling, then change it for hacking if necessary.

She does do it quite naturally - she's one of those ponies who drops her head without you doing anything with your hands, as long as she is going straight.....just unfortunately she's dropping too deeply at times and she is still a forward going pony throughout, not one of those who drops behind the contact and goes like a slug so just kicking on isn't really helping as she just goes faster!

[bethanyy]

My pony went through a stage of over bending then ploughing his front end forward into the ground, started having lessons where my instructor has made me lift my hands much higher and sit up straight in the saddle (I tend to lean forward) and this has worked for me, he is lovely and light in my hands and can't over bend because of the altered rein contact.

[GinaGeo]

A neue schule Verbidend might help, they're meant to stop horse's dropping onto their forehands and help lift the shoulder.

When the mare goes overbent, use a quick sharp lift of the hands, it's not accompanied by pressure, but it just changes how the bit acts in the mouth and usually it will cause them to lift their heads again. As Bethanyy says; really keeping sat up should help

[Guestless]

I've got a NS verbidend in a 5" so will maybe give that a go. Rider isn't really doing much with her hands and I don't want to encourage her to do too much either. I think she probably needs to do more with her seat and legs and think "uphill". Some pole and uphill work needed too I think.

[bethanyy]

My instructor makes me do lots of transitions, serpentines, etc.. To keep him thinking, makes me bl**dy dizzy but it stops him from thinking LEAN and more to WHAT NEXT

[Deleted]

10 + 15metere circles, ask for inside flexion, as soon as you get it, give the inside rein. It worked with mine, he was very heavy on the forehand, and just taught him to find his balance and lift into a more comfortable, natural outline where im not holding him up.

[flo1]

Apr 15, 2013 21:52:19 GMT bethanyy said:

My instructor makes me do lots of transitions, serpentines, etc.. To keep him thinking, makes me bl**dy dizzy but it stops him from thinking LEAN and more to WHAT NEXT

Doing these excercises really helped with our novice Sec D who used to put his head on his chest and GO!
It does help to keep them thinking and interested and not knowing what they'll be asked to do next encourages them to listen...gets them really supple too

[BSH]

Try a cherry roller.

[sjm]

try a waterford mouthpiece