Bit for X-Country

Question
Hello! I contacted you with a question about my Percheron/TB this summer, and your response really helped me out a lot! My problem was his tendency to pull and get too strong on the cross-country course and you recommended a short shanked rubber pelham and my horse has loved it and it has really helped so much.

Until recently! My horse's mouth has gotten so soft and he is so responsive to the snaffle in dressage. Our problem again comes in cross-country. His mouth has become so sensitive that the pelham seems to be too much bit. He curls up his neck whenever I touch the reins to slow down or balance him, etc.  We recently went to an eventing clinic and got some awesome help from a very knowledgeable instructor, but disagreed with him on the bitting issue. He recommended switching back to the snaffle for cross-country. But I have been riding him intermittently in the snaffle cross-country, and though it works well 65% of the time, often I feel like I lack the control of the stronger bit and have trouble getting re-balanced before the jump. A pro for the snaffle is that I can keep him from "curling."  

I've tried a broken kimberwicke with a roller in the center, but had awful control and steering. I've also tried a low port kimberwicke and had success the first three rides and then the bit seemed to become too strong for my horse's sensitive mouth.  What would you suggest? I had thoughts of possibly a hackamore in the future if we can tackle the self-carriage and leaning issue.. but am not certain we are quite ready for the hackamore at this point..

Answer
Hello again, Callie,

Glad to hear that you are having fun eventing and that my advice helped.

I am going to have to agree with the other coach.  I believe it is time for snaffle now and for you to double up on your dressage training.  It is the dressage that will make your horse get rebalanced, much more than a strong bit.  I would recommend a full cheek snaffle with keepers.  Stronger than a regular snaffle but not as strong as a pelham.  

And do more dressage to get him on his hind end more.  Try lots and lots of canter/trot transitions; then work on "on the spot trot; on the spot canter and then variations to long trot and long canter".  On the spot means that you half halt at the trot or canter until they are almost breaking down to the next gait down, but then you leg them on through working trot/working canter to lengthened trot/lengthened canter, and then back down again.  This exercise will certainly help with balance and his response to you.

Please let me know how it works out?  I like hearing from you.  Who was the instructor at the clinic?  Out here where I now live we recently had Don Sachey; Jim Wofford, Peter Gray and Ian Stark.  My favorites are Don or Jim.

Good luck
Dorothy