kilroycat
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Posts: 4
(8/30/04 9:10 pm)
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Bitting problem
I have a Fox Trotter, who is out of old Saddlebred foundation stock. I bought him from a dealer. When I talked to the previous owner, she had him sent out to a few trainers. After he was broke, she said he'd throw his head up every time you pulled on the reins. They rode him in a walking horse snaffle. When I got him from the dealer who had him for 3 months, every time you even touch the reins, he'd drop his head like a rock. I can't imagine what they did to him to get that. They too rode him in a walking horse snaffle (with the 9" shanks). I got him home and no matter what bit I put in, just the slightest touch even to turn the head would go down. I put him in a hackamore and still if I asked him to stop or slow down, down the head would come. Talk about fun going down a steep hill. I've worked with him and he now excepts a very wide straight bar bit, with 5 inch shanks. He will not tolerate any kind of a snaffle. His head is staying up a little better, but it seems if I can keep his head up higher kind of like a Saddlebred but not to that extreme, and get him on the bit, he will gait much better. The problem I have is now his head set is more like a QH than a saddlebred, around the level of the saddle horn when collected and on the bit. What type of bit is mild yet would bring up his head and tuck it (collect) more like a Saddlebred, hopefully without the double rein?
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