Fussy With The Bit/tense

[sandpiper]

The Morgan I have on loan gets very tense when you take up the reins and as soon as you take any contact his neck comes up and back (his under muscle is quite developed).  He also has a habit of jerking his head up and down and flapping his lips, trying to do something with the bit but I'm not sure what!  He has managed to totally turn a mullen mouth bit upside down several times and perhaps this is what he's trying to do; I have changed the bit to a double jointed one and had to adjust it higher in his mouth which does make it harder for him to turn it.

I can get him to relax his head by literally dropping the contact and he will stretch down, but any kind of contact just changes his outline.  He does a beautiful walk to canter but again won't relax and stretch out, he almost canters on the spot!

Any tips for getting him to relax and accept a contact as he is a lovely boy, he's just had years of the wrong training where a very high head carriage and stiff neck were encouraged!

This is a pic of me riding him with a very light contact.  

[Funky MeerKAT]

He is cerntainly a lovely looking horse!! I would firstly get the denist out and have his teeth done, and also his back done would be a good idea.

I would try a number of different bits, starting at the pelham or a mullen mouth and putting it low enough in his mouth so that there are no wrinkles. I would also be inclined to have a go in a bitless, so that he didn't get that tension in the mouth, which spreads to his jaw, neck and back. It could be a useful tool for getting him to stretch forwards and be more relaxed.

[Heather]

Hmmm Gill, send me a video if you can, or DVD- interested to have a look. Lovely horse, didnt know you had another Morgan on loan! I reckon clicker training will be the answer- it has been with Rei, and a flash noseband not tightly done up. I hate the things, always have preferred a drop if I had to use one in a remedial situation, but Rei didnt like it, much preferred the Flash so I listened to him! He is now about to go without the flash strap, as he is so much happier and more settled.

It may also be anxiety if you havent had him long- it can take months before a sensitive horse settles in a new home,Rei being a classic example!

Heather

[debgibsonmt]

Hi Sandpiper,

We second Funky's suggestions of gettin the teeth checked by a "dentist", not a vet and trying him on a bitless.

If you hadn't had him long this may be casued by prior riders being heavy handed.  Our horses came down long and low very quickly with the bitless.  Once you have him going long and low, you might try sliding him back into the bit.

Cheers, Kev/Deb

ps  We notice your horse has his mouth open.  It's amazing how many horses we see running around with their mouth gaping open.  Some of them working at very high levels.

[sandpiper]

Funky Meerkfat the first bit I put him in was a mullen mouth, as that is what he had been ridden in.  It started off quite low in his mouth and straight away he flipped it over, that is why I raised it.  I've had a chiro out to his back, she said most of his problems were in the saddle area (I am not surprised) and he was surprisingly free in his neck and shoulder.  I've not had a dentist out yet.  When I first saw him my initial impression was that his spine was too prominent and there was a lot of muscle wasteage either side of it, which immediately led me to believe he's had a saddle which doens't fit.  Also, the fact that he had not been able to be mounted via the stirrup for four years (reared up and tried to flip over!).

Heather when he is rideable again (he's got a nasty patch of mud fever at present) I will get Dave to video me (aaaarrrgh!!!     ).  I wasn't actively looking for another Morgan as I'd just bought Saturn but a lady had heard of me losing Aspen and had rung some people who recommended me, and she persuaded me to take him (am I a sucker or what??!!).

Kev/Deb I am sure he has had a lot of training that I wouldn't agree with (mainly American saddleseat training and gadgets).  I've only ridden him three times myself and am sure it's nothing I've done!  His mouth was gaping the first time I rode him as I took off the noseband (this was one of the few pics where it is relatively closed!) but here is another pic of my daughter riding him and I was asking her to lengthen her reins - so he CAN reach down!!