TWH that runs through the bit!

Question
Hi!  I recently purchased a 12 year old TWH gelding.  The gentleman we purchased him from was less than forthcoming with information so we're figuring it out as we go.  We've had him three weeks now.  When I watched him being handled at his old place he was nervous, wouldn't stand still pawed and took three men for my husband to mount him.  He was also in a VERY HARSH walking horse bit.I didn't end up trying to ride him until after we got him home.

Let let you know I'm 40 yrs old, have been riding most my life, consider myself a intermediate novice, but have VERY LITTLE  experience with walkers.  I have and am used to riding TB's. (I have a question about one of them too - but I'll write back in).  When we got Chief home I initially worked with him on ground manners and mounting.  He know is a gentleman on the ground and VERY affectionate!  He's doing much better with mounting He'll let me mount by myself after 10-15 minutes of having him clam down.  He is much worse if there is a second person trying to hold him or if there are other horses we are riding with.

His behavior under saddle has not improved.  The first time I rode him I rode him in a hackmore.  He seemed to like that more than the bit he had but he wants to take off and doesn't like staying with other horses...if you try to slow him down he starts snorting and getting agitated.  The best I could do was wait for the others to get kind of close and then zoom he was off again.  I thought it may have been the hack so I tried a different one and the behavior was worse.  So the next time I rode him I used a myler level 3 snaffle and he seemed to do better and seem a little less keyed up(I was also riding by myself).  The Next time I rode with the same snaffle and he was awful snorting wanting to take off a run prancing. I had my husband ride him and he had the same behavior.  I'm not sure what bit to try and how to slow him down.  I don't think it's a saddle issue or a discomfort issue.  I know how to distract TB's to get them to relax and focus but none of those tactics (circles etc.) seemed to help with him help!!!  

Answer
Hello,
Somewhere someone missed a step in this guys training and understanding. Your job now is to go back to the beginning so you can find where the missing piece is. What ground work do you do? If you are comfortable I would put a plastic bag on the end of a stick and with him in a natural rope halter start walking away from him like you are leading him down an aisle way and swing your bag from side to side as you walk. This will eventually make him feel more brave because the plastic bag is always leaving when he walks towards it. Once you have that going well for you stop your feet and see if you can swing your bag-hitting the ground with it- turning the energy you do it with Up and Down until he stands completely still. Our goal here is to get him to quit waiting for the other shoe to fall and look at you a nice lady who has this strange plastic bag "thing". Take you time on the walking away to get him super comfortable before you stand still, if he cant hold still you can go back to walking to make him comfortable. Get this going for you over the next days or week and write me again about how it went for you. Remember no matter what the breed a horse is a horse. They are prey animals and until we show them that we can be a trustworthy leader, especially if no one has in their past, they will be uncomfortable doing what a predator 'Makes" them do. You need to focus on taking the time to show him you want to communicate and make him comfortable on the ground, once we have that going the riding part is pretty simple.
I look forward to hearing from you again,
Caitlin Day Huntress