Not accepting the bit

Question
QUESTION: Hi! My Mare is TBx 19 years old, has done a couple point to point races when young. From what I can tell she has never been schooled. The problem I have is trying to get her to relax her neck and drop her head to accept the bit and go on an outline. At the moment lunging or riding she "sets" her head and takes all my weight and pressure on her mouth. She doesn't ever panic but doesn't understand that I'm asking her to drop her head, so we end up with very heavy contact. She's ridden in a sweet iron, eggbutt snaffle with crank noseband and flash. Was ridden in cavasen nose band, flash and dutch gag with two reins, but she pulled just as much so I figured we go back to a basic snaffle to try and save her mouth. Very long winded -Sorry- Can you please suggest anything to get her in an outline and accepting the bit? I use a pessoa to lunge on the lowest setting but she still hasn't worked out if she drops her head there is less pressure!

ANSWER: Hi Emma!

I'd like a little more information before I make any training suggestions.

How long have you owned her and what did she do just prior to you purchasing her?  Why do you feel a head set is necessary and what are your riding goals with her?  What would you consider your skill level to be and can you use draw reins correctly?  Please explain your training routine on the longe and is it free longeing or on a line?

Solange

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the reply. OK to answer your questions...
After racing she was put into foal, the foal died (not sure if from injury or illness) and I don't know if she had foals previously. I bought her from the field about 6/7 years ago. She would not let anyone approach her in field let alone catch or ride.... we have come a long way from this already. After a time gaining her trust we used to hack. Only weekends and couldn't ride in week as no facilities to do so. We have moved counties now and she is stabled 24/7 and they have an all weather arena so I ride in the week as well as she rarely gets turnout. She is happy at the new yard (been there about 1 year now) and settled extremely quickly.
Our goal.... She loves jumping and I would like to take her to a few local shows. Jumping at home she is very strong, cuts corners and "runs off" after the jump.
So, I figured I need to school her to get her listening to the bit so she will listen to me when jumping. The Pessoa was to get her to drop her head and stop pulling against it.
I lunge on a line and would consider myself fairly good with horses, having ridden for about 15 years. I have used draw reins on one other horse but I have never put them on my mare.

Answer
Hi Emma!

The absolute first thing you need to do is have her vetted to make sure she is sound enough to jump and jump consistently.  Only a vet can make this determination.  While your horse may be willing and doing it, it could easily lame her and cut short her riding career...by years, actually.  Her advanced age and past racing make her not the optimum mount for jumping.  Especially arena jumping with it's tight turns and lead changes.

Before I address the frame/headset issue, I have to say this is not an easy thing to accomplish with such an older mount who never had it put on her. She is who she is and while you may want to jump and ride her so vigorously, it sounds to me like you are trying to stuff a square peg into a round hole.  Her soundness/care and your safety should be the 2 main issues here.  Pushing such an unbalanced mount to do something as incredibly difficult as jumping safely is very dangerous.  She could easily stumble or worse fall and injure one or both of you.


I suggest you keep all four hooves on the ground unless you are able to get her off her forehand, completely accepting her bit and thereby balancing herself independently to move forward correctly....at all three gaits...on a loose rein.  If she cannot accomplish that, then she should not be jumping.  Period.

If you cannot picture this happening, then I suggest you move on to a flat only discipline where you both agree and are safe.

So, now I could do a long-winded explanation of how to start (just start!) her on bit acceptance and working in a frame.  But, I feel it would be all for naught.  It would only end up frustrating and angering her and disappointing you.  

You took a high-strung mount and turned her around, giving her a new lease on life.  That was a wonderful thing for both of you :-)  I am sure you both learned allot and came out better creatures on the other side.  Stick with that.  Yes, take small steps to balance her and invite her to learn.  But, you cannot force her, not at her age.  I bet she has years of pleasure/trail riding left in her and that itself could be just wonderful.  She trusts you and your stewardship of her life.  You must deserve it.  Think about finding a younger, stronger, more biddable horse for a jumping prospect and keep this gem around for companionship and love.

Good luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!

Solange