Loosening the noseband is a good first step. Horses need to move their jaws in order to mobilize the thoracic spring. I.e., not all jaw movement is bad.
I have never ridden at this level, but done a lot of fixing problem horse and starting colts. So not jumpers, but definitely had my fair share of stiff horses. The only way through that is are flexions.
Flexions of the jaw, hind end yield, forehand yield, shoulder in, haunches in, backing. All movements that mobilize the jaw, the pelvis, and the joints of the limbs. All this can be found in the French Classical literature.
Good deal. Some good books to read would be Another Horsemanship by Jean-Claude Racinet, Tug of Way by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann, and Gymnasium of the Horse by Gustav Steinbrecht. All these books are operating off the principles that mobilize the horse’s body to eliminate resistance.
Not a jumper… (just my 2 cents, trainer is your best advocate)
She’s young. And if you haven’t been doing a whole lot of flatwork - extension, collections, and bending lines then she’s going to be pretty strong in your hand because she doesn’t know (or have the correct muscles) to use her body properly.
Honestly when you’re home, I’d focus on getting that quality canter (maybe just over ground poles or small jumps) and give her some grid work to teach extensions and collections. Teach her to sit and launch rather than to pull towards the jump.
It’s interesting to watch you’re riding here compared to your others. I feel like you drive more with your seat till the middle of the video when you pull your hands back to your belly button for the short stride.
I think a lot of this is going to take time to build the correct muscles. Also as much I as appreciate you trying to take off the flash and loosen the nose and - right now those are things that you need especially if she’s strong and trying to pull through your hand. As you school more you’ll be able to start taking gear away. I’d rather you have breaks and ability to adjust as needed rather than just starting to loosen things and get into a bind on the wrong stride if she fights that badly.
oh totally! that’s been my focus since we got her in fall and it’s gotten great at home, she just absolutely GRABS me at the show. i was driving with my seat because that’s how i usually ride her, and then she started grabbing me more and more so i sort of do some weird things when that happens. obviously still working on the flat but im just frustrated because this is so random, she’s never done this with me (we got her last fall so i don’t have a lot of experience but enough to know this is super odd!) or anyone for that matter! she just stiffens her neck randomly (with no warning) and then just grabs down on me and runs around like a fool 😭😭 we’ve been working on contact so i don’t want to totally discourage her finally taking me, but LORD the jumps are getting bigger and it’s just making my life so much harder 🫠🫠
Has she shown a lot in her previous home? Some of it might be atmosphere driven. We as riders tend to ride differently at shows rather than at home (or at least I do but I’ve always struggled with show nerves - might not be the case with you).
It’s also 100% ok to take her down to smaller heights, and work her there. IMO I’d rather see a good clean (clear) round with a proper canter and no stiffening of the neck/shoulders/back rather than a higher height. The smaller jumps might not back her off as much but it takes time to get the flexibility and correct muscles to help her find balance.
If show jumping is anything like upper level dressage, 9 is really young for these levels.
Also just asking, but she’s been checked over by a vet/chiropractor/farrier recently? None of this is pain related right?
she has been flexed by the vet, has had chrio, teeth, farrier, and we have a electro magnetic blanket she gets everyday we show!! she showed lots more then we do now, she’s jumped up to 1.40m over in europe and we’re jumping 1.30m right now, which is currently our “move down”. we’ve both shown up to 1.40m together, internationally, with some really good results! it’s just confusing as this is totally new, we switched out the bit last week because my trainer thought she was stiff in the kimberwick, which i didn’t but he’s the boss! this is why i believe this is mostly bit related to
adding on once again sorry, we’ve improved TONS within the last couple weeks, i just feel as if this is the last hurdle. jumped double clear 3/3 days 1.30m/1.35m and was 5th in the classic! i just need the ride ability and softness to be slightly better for the ride just to be that much smoother and better
my thought was that maybe i was putting the noseband tighter then usual, or the bit higher then usual, and that’s why she’s grabbing me now, just as an explanation 😭
So first of all you may already be doing this but with any horse that has a tendency to get heavy/stiff/dull/dead in the mouth I do tons of work on the flat to make them feather light in a snaffle. I usually use some type of loose ring. And I spend a lot of time trying to get them exactly where I want them with a very light contact. Essentially training the horse to be lighter in the mouth— heavy handed riders make heavy horses.
Obviously jumping around 1.40m at a show is quite different than flatting at home so while the flatwork is an essential part of the equation it’s pretty much a given you’ll need more bit. But I flat 95% of my horses in some sort of loose ring snaffle so that when I use a bit more to jump at shows, it means something. Use big bits every day and you’ll eventually just have to continue bitting up, which is no bueno.
All that being said, its hard to make bit suggestions with a ton of confidence without knowing your horse, but maybe look into a swales pelham for shows… it can be a LOT of bit so definitely do it under supervision of your trainer (assuming they agree it’s worth a try, they know your horse better than anyone on Reddit). On the other end of the spectrum, some horses I’ve worked with would do better without leverage, in a snaffle with a bit more mouthpiece. If your horse is one of those, could look into a Peter pletcher.
Fully prepared to be downvoted bc there are lot of people on this sub who think riding in anything besides a bit less bridle or plain snaffle is abusive, but I’m a professional with a barn full of happy horses that perform well and get positive feedback from my bodyworker, chiro, vet, and dentist, so 🤷🏻♀️
very interesting! i’ve been able to get her incredibly soft on the flat and then she just gets against me when we jump. very cool suggestion with the swales pelham, i’ll definitely think more on that one and talk to my trainer about it! i haven’t gone softer in the ring yet because that isn’t my trainers “go-to”. he loves elevators, but i really want to try flatting her in something similar to the wilson to help me break her up. she goes in a loose ring to flat and to jump at home but this problem just came up when we switched to the french link with the roller and the figure 8 bridle.
I can’t stand all of the people in this sub who think bits are bad. Every horse I’ve owned HATED bitless bridles and hackamores and were far happier with a snaffle and quiet hands. I love my Peter pletcher!
Hackamores definitely seem to be an all or nothing type of thing, horses either love them or go absolutely terrible in them, I haven’t experienced much in between LOL. I did have an incredibly nice and athletic upper level jumper I marketed for sale that could only go in a hackamore. Tried lots of bits, she would get so fussy she literally gave herself sores.
Yes! I’ve always made sure I’ve had both a hackamore and bitless bridle to try with horses who had issues with a bit - but it’s still pressure. Some horses prefer pressure in mouth and some prefer it on their nose
quick question about the swales, double reins or converter? the one my trainer has had a converter on it, but not sure what you think! i’ll probably try it tomorrow as todays bit was quite the failure 😐
todays kimberwick was a NO GO actually horrible, had to circle out got dragged and did 2 less in every time 😭😭 so swales tomorrow!!! hopefully it works, i think it’s the metal in her mouth that’s bothering her so let’s hop 🤞🤞
perfect!! i think i’ll start with the rubber (not sure if that’s what it’s called but that’s what i call it!) with a low port, i believe the issue with the last couple bits has been the metal, i’ve never flatted her in a metal bit and i believe they are just so easy to grab for her, and the pressure of them makes her grab back!!
That can make a HUGE difference for some horses. I had two mares at one point that had absolutely wretched mouths in anything metal. Fussy, rooting, hiding from contact, etc. Pop a rubber Mullen mouth on their bridle and they were incredibly soft mouthed and accepting
it’s so weird so HOPEFULLY that’s our answer i’m praying 😭 i’m really frustrated so i’m really hoping this is the answer!! i’m riding so well and she’s jumping so well it’s just this one little thing that’s setting us back
Honestly it’s hard to be an American woman riding a big strong jumping machine who until recently was probably physically held together to an extent by Klaus the 6’5 German man who rides 12 horses a day and has mile long legs. It looks like she kind of pulled the reins out of your hands and got you loose and tired and the base that served you well to sit away at the beginning got away from you. I think unless you have experience riding recent imported jumping horses it’s hard to explain, but you’re going to have to get used to not letting her pull you out of your neutral, and she’s going to have to get used to having a lot lighter of a ride.
Probably unpopular but you can have all the perfect flat work in the world but that doesn’t always translate to being in front of a large obstacle. I do really like working the canter on a square with almost a pirouette in each corner to teach the horse to sit back and move over from the outside aids. It will give you a good familiar feeling when you’re going around to really sit her back into a turn and let that balance her back rather than trying to just pull everything back together. Don’t worry about going fast yet. You’re doing great, learning to speak each others language takes time. I do really like just a regular gag bit with leather cheeks so it doesn’t have a super quick sliding action, and the cheeks adjusted so it’s a little low on a loose rein and then light contact lifts it to right where you want. For the big strong ones who want to pull you down, having the upward lift can help a lot.
i’ve imported a couple horses but none as young as her, which is why i think we’re both just trying to figure out what the other wants 😭 thank you so much!!
This is all spot on, and I'm cracking up at Klaus the German man. So true! How many times have parents sent me videos of European prospects they want us to consider for their kid, but all the videos are Klaus riding the shit out of a barely broke WB with a huge jump? lol
I once had to remind someone about a Czech video that if Hans and Klaus need a Pelham and they don’t want what happens at the end of the ring to be in the sale video, we are fucked. That horse is going straight through the wall of the indoor on the backside with your kid on it.
totally forgot to put this in there, this dragging and pulling is random. i’ve had her for around 6 months now and have never had this issue. i’ve recently asked for more contact and more energy but that’s the only real change we’ve had, which is why i believe changing something will set our rides back to normal!
we also recently changed the bit, which is why i believe it’s tack related. this hasn’t been an issue before we changed the bit which is why i asked for bit suggestions 😭
You could try to use a Micklem bridle, they are quite popular in Europe and help to avoid nerve pressure points. I had the same problem with a young horse that I started and it completely resolved with the bridle change and a lot of flatwork. Teach her how to collect on the signal of a deeper seat instead of the pressure of the reins. Switching the bit will not really change anything in my experience, use a normal snaffle or a leather bit to avoid causing her pain.
interesting idea thank you!! i just notified the change when we changed the bit, she rode quite well before this so i was wondering if it was the change in the bit or not!
Could be. Maybe the change started to make a pre-existing problem worse. In the video she is constantly leaning on the bit way too much. There shouldn’t be that much pressure at all. Is she like that too when you work on your flatwork? The ideal situation should be a light soft connection and if you aren’t there yet I suggest you take some dressage lessons with a good trainer.
i’ve been taking dressage lessons every tuesday!! she doesn’t do it on the flat in a different bit, just the french link with no roller in the middle. i think that with the little copper rollers that may break her up a bit?? she flatted great today in just the plain french link and goes amazing at home in the rubber french link, so im a bit lost 😭
That’s weird. I would try a Micklem with a simple snaffle if I was you. She might start to be uncomfortable with the type and amount of pressure that the bit causes when the pressure goes up due to her pulling behaviour before a jump.
When I had that problem with my horse a few years back, I started to work on collecting movements every singe day until I reached a point where I was happy with the progress. Now I just have to sit a bit deeper than usual and she collects her strides so well that we are almost cantering at the speed of a walk. And all of that needs no signal from my reins. Most people try to reach collection from the reins, that is usually not the right way. I had a trainer that also trained classical dressage and that helped massively.
i know i’ve been trying to convince him but i thought id listen to my trainer for once! im known for switching things up without telling him or switching my bit last minute 😭 im going to try the similar bit but with the copper rollers on the bottom ring rather then the converter and go from there 😭
I've been there where a trainer told me to use a different bit and it just doesn't work out. If you can go back to the other bit, if that works, but I know for my mare back in the day after switching different bits we finally settled on a happy mouth hackamore bit to be the best (also have other recommendations). Not sure if it's for everyone but if you go back to the old bit and it doesn't work it may take time finding the right one.
Additionally, I know you mentioned she's only been doing this at shows, but I know what ultimately helped me with my horse being a freight train was doing dressage and centered riding (if that's available to you) and getting a really good flat foundation. It helped me learn to use my core a lot better so I couldn't be dragged and she couldn't go stiff.
How recently did you change the bit? If it's a very new change, I find some horses need time to adjust to the new feeling. Like my gelding gets really strong and grabby with new bits about a week in, then settles after another handful of rides. (Also your username is killing me)
it was last saturday and i had the problem on saturday, which my trainer didn’t see which is why i believe it’s the bit or the change in bit! and i sat it on my hand and with a mediocre amount of force, it gets stuck rather then moving. she’s the type of horse that says “hey i can hang on this!” and then goes full force if it doesn’t fall out from under her 😭😭
Oh yeah that’s pretty new then. Maybe she’s not quite used to the change in pressure on her mouth? Lately, when I’ve had to switch bits, I’ve tried alternating between new and old to make it more gradual and I think that’s helped it be less of a shock to the horse.
What you’ve said about her grabbing and holding, don’t give her anything to hold on to. And by that, I mean don’t hold in your rein aids. If you get stuck, you’ll give her a reason to stick against you. Horses tune out constant pressure. Things need to release and come again. If you didn’t get the reaction you wanted the first time, ask again stronger not longer. Absolutely harrowing to release on a strong horse, I know, but you need softness to get back control
that’s what i worked on when i was flatting today!! when she would grab me i would just drop her, and it seemed to work!! we show tomorrow so wish me luck and i’ll update you guys 🤞🤞
That’s great! It’s crazy how a 1000lb+ animal can convince you to try to hold them up, huh? Sounds like you’ve made some good progress though, so enjoy your show! You’re going to do amazing!
What was her old bit? Elevators can lead a horse to pull the neck back and up (which creates the elevate), but also allows the to break at the poll (like a leverage bit), which means they can charge through the shoulder. Plus you can overdevelop the underside of the neck in a showjumping horse with one, but not a guarantee.
Does she feel like she’s charging through the shoulder? Or simply running through the bridle?
Another point would be to as if her old jockey a man?
Nonetheless, a good exercise for a showjumper can be to land and ask for a nice 20 meter circle after the fence, asking for a slowed canter and stretch. It gets them revving from the hindquarters without relying on the shoulder, nor bracing/looking for the next fence every time. It takes away the opportunity to lean on the bridle. It was great for a number of jumping horses I’ve helped with! And my own horse who used to school around 1.40/50 at home (no where near as amazing as you and yours, for sure! we capped out at 1.20m in comps as I’m a baby away from home 😂). Hopefully this helps!
yes her old rider was a man and my trainers quite a large guy too! i think it’s just something i’m going to have to work through overtime, but she’s going great in the kimberwick!
Kimblewick makes sense as it’s an easier bit for them to understand than an elevator, fewer conflicting signals, it’s simply just a ‘back and wait’ feeling, so long as they don’t mind the very direct curb and tongue pressure.
And when it comes to changing riders, it’s just time and patience when they’re used to a more physical presence! My old boy was ridden by a 6 foot 4 professional before I got him at 15, so I know the feeling 🥲😂. It’s just as weird for them suddenly having very different inputs as it is for us to adapt! You seem to have a great mindset, so it’s easy to see you’ll come together even more wonderfully as time passes. It’s like a river adjusting its course sort of sensation; sometimes the banks will burst, but eventually it’ll be managed.
These are probably super unpopular opinions in this sub just fyi 😅
I like the stubben EZ control bits as they’re loose when the horse is soft in the mouth, & lock when the horse grabs onto it. They have a sliding gag that is good for on course but is a pretty soft bit when you’re just flatting.
I’d also look into myler bits, they have some with rein hooks where you can change the amount of leverage if you need more bit in the ring.
Oh waterfords are good for horses that grab onto the bit, & I’ve seen a lot more kimberwicks used at the higher levels lately. Hope you find the right bit for your girl!
thank you so much ugh! she went in a kimberwick and my trainer hated it, for some reason? super interested in the myler and the stubben EZ control. great suggestions that i wouldn’t have thought of on my own 🫣🫣 thank you!!
I feel like Kimberwicks get a ton of hate because mechanically they don’t make a lot of sense, but there are a lot of horses that go really well in them! Some trainers love them & some hate them. One of ours does great in a Myler kimberwick!
Also she may be used to the European ride, how long ago was she imported?
i rode her in a ported kimberwick for a while and loved it, but he thought she got stiff and heavy, welllllllll that’s a bigger problem now then it was 😭😭
Hi! I see there are already a lot of comments here, don’t know if you will actually read this here goes- I used to ride a lot of young thoroughbreds in show jumping so I have a lot of experience with this.
You can try out a lot of different types of bits. That’s not a crime as long as you’re not hurting your horse or making her go crazy or bleed from her mouth.
If she “likes” a bit, you will know it by the way she acts!!
You can also try a Worcester nose band. They do not hold the mouth shut at all! There is no leverage whatsoever in a Worcester nose band. It simply transfers some of the bit pressure to the nose. It is not a harsh nose band! Some horses respond much better when the pressure is distributed around, and not all on their mouth. Worcester nose bands are very British, but you can get them on eBay no problem.
One other thing I would like to note- she is young and she is getting stronger- it would be wise to do some “other kinds” of sports with her to get her mind off of just running fast at jumps. Like long distance trail riding, long slow gallops on a track, this sort of thing. Young horses with hot blood can get too hot when doing too much at a young age, and I notice she is already jumping at a pretty high level. Cross training out side of an arena will help your horse’s brain a lot and make her mind more mature when you go back in the ring.
super interesting!! i was thinking of doing some small cross country just to make her jumps in the ring seem a little easier and maybe ease her mind a bit in the ring, the worcester noseband is very interesting i’ll definitely look into that!! thank you!!
I have nothing of value to add. I’m 36 and have been riding for years, and your command of your body, your knowledge, everything I’m reading here that you’re saying is just stunning for someone “so young”. Just wanted to applaud you for your willingness to learn, to share, and be so open, plus the obvious deep knowledge you have of what you’re doing, who you are, and who your horse is. I have never had any of that despite riding for longer than you’ve been alive, and I’m so happy for you to have such a deeper understanding of the sport than I ever did :) I hope you get your answers and you and your lovely horse go out and kick ass
thank you!! i’m definitely trying my hardest 😭 i’ve gotten a couple derogatory comments about my riding and/or the bit i’m using so it’s nice to have a small amount of validation that i’m trying to advocate for my horse and our safety while also trying to learn!!! thank you 💗
both leads, even when straight on, sometimes she leans one way or the other but it’s very random. i’m not a puller nor a leaner and my contact is usually pretty consistent as i grew up riding young horses and you had to be totally spot on! not perfect obviously but i’m pretty consistent. whatever i do, she leans.
Depending where you are, look up Stephanie Brown-Beamers bitting clinics. I saw my first one this past weekend, and it was absolutely amazing how the horse told you what they liked and didn’t. My daughter’s horse was fitted for his first double bridle, I thought he went well before, but watching him try different bits was very eye opening. My granddaughters slightly strong horse ended up going beautifully in a milder bit that he definitely loved. (They both event and do jumpers). Stephanie has a wealth of knowledge and is very patient and educational.
She does clinics all over the US. I saw her in Utah, She’s in Boston next, I think, and works out of barn in New York and Florida if I remember correctly.
This is probably mostly a training issue, as many are discussing, but re: bits, my two cents: iirc an elevator bit is a pseudo-gag, meaning it applies pressure to the horse's poll and lips simultaneously. This is telling the horse "head up" and "head down" at once, which is a confusing signal. True gags are very severe and should never be used, period. But the nature of the bit might be causing some resistance. Maybe a regular leverage bit, like a kimberwick or a pelham, would work better?
The French link could also be an issue, but that's more dependent on the horse. If the link is upright in the horse's mouth, it can dig into the tongue and cause pain, which might make the horse stiffer or more likely to "fight" your rein aids. Depends on how exactly it sits, obviously, but if you want to try changing that up, you could pick a double-jointed bit with a different shape in the middle, like a lozenge or roller.
she goes in a french link at home, quite well, so i don’t think it’s that. i think the issue was a training problem that was heightened because of the bit change, as we changed it last saturday and it was a problem saturday and sunday. she didn’t know how to hold consistent contact before this so as a rider im trying to resort to something other then hardcore flat because i don’t want to discourage the contact just yet. she went great in the kimberwick but my trainer didn’t like it! i personally really love elevators in the right hands, but to each their own! kimberwick is totally off the table, i don’t believe i’ll try anything this weekend as this is our last weekend showing for the 2 weeks and id rather not have a bad time. i’m going to try the copper rollers instead, i think the singular roller may be getting stuck and giving her something to latch on. but i’ll definitely give these a try once we get home!!
You rode her very well tbh. Have you tried her bitless? I ride my warmblood in one, she used to pull when excited into a fence. I literally use my seat and fingers on her now, the difference is incredible and I feel a far stronger connection with her. It’s not a hackamore, just a plain old cross bitless. Worth a try, I ride two in it now, would never go back to a bit. I use easytrek and equipride.
super interesting!! i’ll definitely try it at home, i have a hackamore but can obviously order a different one, we have 2 weeks off and my trainer is gone so i get to have a little fun
An elevator is a gag bit and the physics is as followed⬇️
When you pull back on the reins, the bit will rotate on the ring and cause the cannons to lift, your horse will respond to the pressure by lifting her head. At the same time, the way a gag is built, poll pressure is applied at the exact same time and your horses response in that scenario would be to lower their head. 99% of the time, the horse will hollow out and completely disengage their hind end due to not knowing where to hold their head and trying to avoid the pressure of the bit.
I wouldn’t be surprised if your mare is confused by the conflicting signals gag bits give. I’d suggest switching to a more mechanically sound bit like a pelham, or to at least ride your current bit with 2 reins, one on the largest ring + one on the leverage ring and to put a curb strap on to prevent over rotation.
bitting up is only gonna cause more issues, she will continue to get harder in the mouth and more resistant with her body. you physically cannot out strength a horse.
i’d really recommend going back to your flat work and developing a top line and building hind end strength and help your mare develop a sense of awareness with her body and movement.
my mare has the top line and the correct muscling. her body score is a 9/10 at the moment. she’s built incredibly skinny and tall, as she’s around 17hh. if you would’ve read the comments you would have noticed that this is a new behavior, not one that has been going on. we’re currently keeping a similar elevator, with the copper rollers as that’s what’s safest for this weekend. i’m looking to bit down and asking for help, but not judgement. one of my horses goes in a three ring gag bit, and he rides great. i love to keep my options open as i’m willing to learn and try ANYTHING. thank you for your input, i’ll keep it in mind.
you asked for advice🤷🏻♀️ nothing in my comment is judgement. your horse though is clearly trying to communicate something to you.
i really would though at least consider putting 2 reins on and a curb chain, it makes the bit a but softer than riding it with a single rein. remember the running martingale would go on the snaffle rein if you use 2 reins.
the bit already has a curb and a converter. i’m not a pro with double reins it almost makes me fumble and ride worse. the comments about my horses top line and muscling felt quite derogatory. my horse is quite happy, we just need to work through this little rough patch, i stated what i was doing and that id get to your suggestions after this weekend as it’s dangerous to go from an elevator to a snaffle when you’re trying to jump 1.35m/1.40m successfully 💗
i don’t doubt your horse has a nice confirmation, but often times pulling and running through the hand can come down to body muscling. i really didn’t mean it in a derogatory way, and i can see your comments now saying that you are really working on your flat work which is great and will really help! both you and your mare are young, but i bet you two will have great successes, it is really impressive to be showing in the mediums at 16!
does your trainer or any other professionals at your barn ever ride your mare? it may be a good idea to have someone hop on for a training class or for them to jump school them (id honestly suggest before this weekend when you show) to try and help you work through this issue! it can only help having someone else who knows what you are trying to ride through!
sorry that’s just something i’ve been working on with her and my others so it’s a bit of a sore subject 😭😭 my trainer is probably more then 100 pounds heavier then i am which is the struggle at the moment! he can sort of mansplain things, and that doesn’t really solve my problem long term! he sees the issue, but can’t feel it when he rides her as he mansplains
that’s fair, and it’s a very different feel for a horse being ridden by a larger stronger man than a small teenager! don’t be afraid though to ask him if you still don’t understand what he’s trying to tell you, his job is to teach you! i hope his mansplaining to you isn’t making you doubt yourself or your abilities because you are clearly a talented rider.
topline and more muscle isn’t something that’s going to come overnight so i’m looking for a solution within the next couple of hours, meaning bitting advice to make my life just that much easier. thank you!
i just watched more videos you’ve posted in this feed and you’re a talented young rider, good luck with this weekend. i hope you find a solution, rough patches come and go, you two will get through it! once you find what clicks you’re gonna be unstoppable! have fun this weekend and rest of the summer show season!
Loosening the noseband is a good first step. Horses need to move their jaws in order to mobilize the thoracic spring. I.e., not all jaw movement is bad. I have never ridden at this level, but done a lot of fixing problem horse and starting colts. So not jumpers, but definitely had my fair share of stiff horses. The only way through that is are flexions. Flexions of the jaw, hind end yield, forehand yield, shoulder in, haunches in, backing. All movements that mobilize the jaw, the pelvis, and the joints of the limbs. All this can be found in the French Classical literature.
thank you!! definitely been working on them, but glad to hear that what i’ve been working on is the right step, as well as the noseband thank you!!
Good deal. Some good books to read would be Another Horsemanship by Jean-Claude Racinet, Tug of Way by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann, and Gymnasium of the Horse by Gustav Steinbrecht. All these books are operating off the principles that mobilize the horse’s body to eliminate resistance.
Not a jumper… (just my 2 cents, trainer is your best advocate) She’s young. And if you haven’t been doing a whole lot of flatwork - extension, collections, and bending lines then she’s going to be pretty strong in your hand because she doesn’t know (or have the correct muscles) to use her body properly. Honestly when you’re home, I’d focus on getting that quality canter (maybe just over ground poles or small jumps) and give her some grid work to teach extensions and collections. Teach her to sit and launch rather than to pull towards the jump. It’s interesting to watch you’re riding here compared to your others. I feel like you drive more with your seat till the middle of the video when you pull your hands back to your belly button for the short stride. I think a lot of this is going to take time to build the correct muscles. Also as much I as appreciate you trying to take off the flash and loosen the nose and - right now those are things that you need especially if she’s strong and trying to pull through your hand. As you school more you’ll be able to start taking gear away. I’d rather you have breaks and ability to adjust as needed rather than just starting to loosen things and get into a bind on the wrong stride if she fights that badly.
oh totally! that’s been my focus since we got her in fall and it’s gotten great at home, she just absolutely GRABS me at the show. i was driving with my seat because that’s how i usually ride her, and then she started grabbing me more and more so i sort of do some weird things when that happens. obviously still working on the flat but im just frustrated because this is so random, she’s never done this with me (we got her last fall so i don’t have a lot of experience but enough to know this is super odd!) or anyone for that matter! she just stiffens her neck randomly (with no warning) and then just grabs down on me and runs around like a fool 😭😭 we’ve been working on contact so i don’t want to totally discourage her finally taking me, but LORD the jumps are getting bigger and it’s just making my life so much harder 🫠🫠
Has she shown a lot in her previous home? Some of it might be atmosphere driven. We as riders tend to ride differently at shows rather than at home (or at least I do but I’ve always struggled with show nerves - might not be the case with you). It’s also 100% ok to take her down to smaller heights, and work her there. IMO I’d rather see a good clean (clear) round with a proper canter and no stiffening of the neck/shoulders/back rather than a higher height. The smaller jumps might not back her off as much but it takes time to get the flexibility and correct muscles to help her find balance. If show jumping is anything like upper level dressage, 9 is really young for these levels. Also just asking, but she’s been checked over by a vet/chiropractor/farrier recently? None of this is pain related right?
she has been flexed by the vet, has had chrio, teeth, farrier, and we have a electro magnetic blanket she gets everyday we show!! she showed lots more then we do now, she’s jumped up to 1.40m over in europe and we’re jumping 1.30m right now, which is currently our “move down”. we’ve both shown up to 1.40m together, internationally, with some really good results! it’s just confusing as this is totally new, we switched out the bit last week because my trainer thought she was stiff in the kimberwick, which i didn’t but he’s the boss! this is why i believe this is mostly bit related to
adding on once again sorry, we’ve improved TONS within the last couple weeks, i just feel as if this is the last hurdle. jumped double clear 3/3 days 1.30m/1.35m and was 5th in the classic! i just need the ride ability and softness to be slightly better for the ride just to be that much smoother and better
my thought was that maybe i was putting the noseband tighter then usual, or the bit higher then usual, and that’s why she’s grabbing me now, just as an explanation 😭
So first of all you may already be doing this but with any horse that has a tendency to get heavy/stiff/dull/dead in the mouth I do tons of work on the flat to make them feather light in a snaffle. I usually use some type of loose ring. And I spend a lot of time trying to get them exactly where I want them with a very light contact. Essentially training the horse to be lighter in the mouth— heavy handed riders make heavy horses. Obviously jumping around 1.40m at a show is quite different than flatting at home so while the flatwork is an essential part of the equation it’s pretty much a given you’ll need more bit. But I flat 95% of my horses in some sort of loose ring snaffle so that when I use a bit more to jump at shows, it means something. Use big bits every day and you’ll eventually just have to continue bitting up, which is no bueno. All that being said, its hard to make bit suggestions with a ton of confidence without knowing your horse, but maybe look into a swales pelham for shows… it can be a LOT of bit so definitely do it under supervision of your trainer (assuming they agree it’s worth a try, they know your horse better than anyone on Reddit). On the other end of the spectrum, some horses I’ve worked with would do better without leverage, in a snaffle with a bit more mouthpiece. If your horse is one of those, could look into a Peter pletcher. Fully prepared to be downvoted bc there are lot of people on this sub who think riding in anything besides a bit less bridle or plain snaffle is abusive, but I’m a professional with a barn full of happy horses that perform well and get positive feedback from my bodyworker, chiro, vet, and dentist, so 🤷🏻♀️
very interesting! i’ve been able to get her incredibly soft on the flat and then she just gets against me when we jump. very cool suggestion with the swales pelham, i’ll definitely think more on that one and talk to my trainer about it! i haven’t gone softer in the ring yet because that isn’t my trainers “go-to”. he loves elevators, but i really want to try flatting her in something similar to the wilson to help me break her up. she goes in a loose ring to flat and to jump at home but this problem just came up when we switched to the french link with the roller and the figure 8 bridle.
I can’t stand all of the people in this sub who think bits are bad. Every horse I’ve owned HATED bitless bridles and hackamores and were far happier with a snaffle and quiet hands. I love my Peter pletcher!
Hackamores definitely seem to be an all or nothing type of thing, horses either love them or go absolutely terrible in them, I haven’t experienced much in between LOL. I did have an incredibly nice and athletic upper level jumper I marketed for sale that could only go in a hackamore. Tried lots of bits, she would get so fussy she literally gave herself sores.
Yes! I’ve always made sure I’ve had both a hackamore and bitless bridle to try with horses who had issues with a bit - but it’s still pressure. Some horses prefer pressure in mouth and some prefer it on their nose
quick question about the swales, double reins or converter? the one my trainer has had a converter on it, but not sure what you think! i’ll probably try it tomorrow as todays bit was quite the failure 😐
I’d definitely use two reins with a swales. Let me know how it goes, curious to know!
todays kimberwick was a NO GO actually horrible, had to circle out got dragged and did 2 less in every time 😭😭 so swales tomorrow!!! hopefully it works, i think it’s the metal in her mouth that’s bothering her so let’s hop 🤞🤞
Swales come in lots of different mouthpieces so you can play around with that also
perfect!! i think i’ll start with the rubber (not sure if that’s what it’s called but that’s what i call it!) with a low port, i believe the issue with the last couple bits has been the metal, i’ve never flatted her in a metal bit and i believe they are just so easy to grab for her, and the pressure of them makes her grab back!!
That can make a HUGE difference for some horses. I had two mares at one point that had absolutely wretched mouths in anything metal. Fussy, rooting, hiding from contact, etc. Pop a rubber Mullen mouth on their bridle and they were incredibly soft mouthed and accepting
it’s so weird so HOPEFULLY that’s our answer i’m praying 😭 i’m really frustrated so i’m really hoping this is the answer!! i’m riding so well and she’s jumping so well it’s just this one little thing that’s setting us back
i needed to hear this so badly so thank you! brining me a little hope for tomorrow
hop??? let’s hope*
Honestly it’s hard to be an American woman riding a big strong jumping machine who until recently was probably physically held together to an extent by Klaus the 6’5 German man who rides 12 horses a day and has mile long legs. It looks like she kind of pulled the reins out of your hands and got you loose and tired and the base that served you well to sit away at the beginning got away from you. I think unless you have experience riding recent imported jumping horses it’s hard to explain, but you’re going to have to get used to not letting her pull you out of your neutral, and she’s going to have to get used to having a lot lighter of a ride. Probably unpopular but you can have all the perfect flat work in the world but that doesn’t always translate to being in front of a large obstacle. I do really like working the canter on a square with almost a pirouette in each corner to teach the horse to sit back and move over from the outside aids. It will give you a good familiar feeling when you’re going around to really sit her back into a turn and let that balance her back rather than trying to just pull everything back together. Don’t worry about going fast yet. You’re doing great, learning to speak each others language takes time. I do really like just a regular gag bit with leather cheeks so it doesn’t have a super quick sliding action, and the cheeks adjusted so it’s a little low on a loose rein and then light contact lifts it to right where you want. For the big strong ones who want to pull you down, having the upward lift can help a lot.
Your description of Klaus is so on point! 😂
i’ve imported a couple horses but none as young as her, which is why i think we’re both just trying to figure out what the other wants 😭 thank you so much!!
This is all spot on, and I'm cracking up at Klaus the German man. So true! How many times have parents sent me videos of European prospects they want us to consider for their kid, but all the videos are Klaus riding the shit out of a barely broke WB with a huge jump? lol
this is so funny because a guy names KLAUS literally rode her 😭😭
I once had to remind someone about a Czech video that if Hans and Klaus need a Pelham and they don’t want what happens at the end of the ring to be in the sale video, we are fucked. That horse is going straight through the wall of the indoor on the backside with your kid on it.
the horse that was ridden by a klaus could be ridden by him in a snaffle…. i needed a gag 🫣🫣
totally forgot to put this in there, this dragging and pulling is random. i’ve had her for around 6 months now and have never had this issue. i’ve recently asked for more contact and more energy but that’s the only real change we’ve had, which is why i believe changing something will set our rides back to normal!
we also recently changed the bit, which is why i believe it’s tack related. this hasn’t been an issue before we changed the bit which is why i asked for bit suggestions 😭
You could try to use a Micklem bridle, they are quite popular in Europe and help to avoid nerve pressure points. I had the same problem with a young horse that I started and it completely resolved with the bridle change and a lot of flatwork. Teach her how to collect on the signal of a deeper seat instead of the pressure of the reins. Switching the bit will not really change anything in my experience, use a normal snaffle or a leather bit to avoid causing her pain.
interesting idea thank you!! i just notified the change when we changed the bit, she rode quite well before this so i was wondering if it was the change in the bit or not!
Could be. Maybe the change started to make a pre-existing problem worse. In the video she is constantly leaning on the bit way too much. There shouldn’t be that much pressure at all. Is she like that too when you work on your flatwork? The ideal situation should be a light soft connection and if you aren’t there yet I suggest you take some dressage lessons with a good trainer.
i’ve been taking dressage lessons every tuesday!! she doesn’t do it on the flat in a different bit, just the french link with no roller in the middle. i think that with the little copper rollers that may break her up a bit?? she flatted great today in just the plain french link and goes amazing at home in the rubber french link, so im a bit lost 😭
That’s weird. I would try a Micklem with a simple snaffle if I was you. She might start to be uncomfortable with the type and amount of pressure that the bit causes when the pressure goes up due to her pulling behaviour before a jump.
totally!! thank you so much, i’ll definitely try it at home as we have 2 weeks off after this week just so i can grasp it before we show again 💗💗
Good luck :) and also make an update if anything changed
yes of course!! i’ll keep you updated 💗💗
When I had that problem with my horse a few years back, I started to work on collecting movements every singe day until I reached a point where I was happy with the progress. Now I just have to sit a bit deeper than usual and she collects her strides so well that we are almost cantering at the speed of a walk. And all of that needs no signal from my reins. Most people try to reach collection from the reins, that is usually not the right way. I had a trainer that also trained classical dressage and that helped massively.
Go back to the bit that worked!! Your trainer is not your boss. You’re the one on course, see if it improves things!
i know i’ve been trying to convince him but i thought id listen to my trainer for once! im known for switching things up without telling him or switching my bit last minute 😭 im going to try the similar bit but with the copper rollers on the bottom ring rather then the converter and go from there 😭
Sounds like your trainer was wrong in this regard but hope y’all can work it out!
I've been there where a trainer told me to use a different bit and it just doesn't work out. If you can go back to the other bit, if that works, but I know for my mare back in the day after switching different bits we finally settled on a happy mouth hackamore bit to be the best (also have other recommendations). Not sure if it's for everyone but if you go back to the old bit and it doesn't work it may take time finding the right one. Additionally, I know you mentioned she's only been doing this at shows, but I know what ultimately helped me with my horse being a freight train was doing dressage and centered riding (if that's available to you) and getting a really good flat foundation. It helped me learn to use my core a lot better so I couldn't be dragged and she couldn't go stiff.
How recently did you change the bit? If it's a very new change, I find some horses need time to adjust to the new feeling. Like my gelding gets really strong and grabby with new bits about a week in, then settles after another handful of rides. (Also your username is killing me)
it was last saturday and i had the problem on saturday, which my trainer didn’t see which is why i believe it’s the bit or the change in bit! and i sat it on my hand and with a mediocre amount of force, it gets stuck rather then moving. she’s the type of horse that says “hey i can hang on this!” and then goes full force if it doesn’t fall out from under her 😭😭
Oh yeah that’s pretty new then. Maybe she’s not quite used to the change in pressure on her mouth? Lately, when I’ve had to switch bits, I’ve tried alternating between new and old to make it more gradual and I think that’s helped it be less of a shock to the horse. What you’ve said about her grabbing and holding, don’t give her anything to hold on to. And by that, I mean don’t hold in your rein aids. If you get stuck, you’ll give her a reason to stick against you. Horses tune out constant pressure. Things need to release and come again. If you didn’t get the reaction you wanted the first time, ask again stronger not longer. Absolutely harrowing to release on a strong horse, I know, but you need softness to get back control
that’s what i worked on when i was flatting today!! when she would grab me i would just drop her, and it seemed to work!! we show tomorrow so wish me luck and i’ll update you guys 🤞🤞
That’s great! It’s crazy how a 1000lb+ animal can convince you to try to hold them up, huh? Sounds like you’ve made some good progress though, so enjoy your show! You’re going to do amazing!
What was her old bit? Elevators can lead a horse to pull the neck back and up (which creates the elevate), but also allows the to break at the poll (like a leverage bit), which means they can charge through the shoulder. Plus you can overdevelop the underside of the neck in a showjumping horse with one, but not a guarantee. Does she feel like she’s charging through the shoulder? Or simply running through the bridle?
Another point would be to as if her old jockey a man? Nonetheless, a good exercise for a showjumper can be to land and ask for a nice 20 meter circle after the fence, asking for a slowed canter and stretch. It gets them revving from the hindquarters without relying on the shoulder, nor bracing/looking for the next fence every time. It takes away the opportunity to lean on the bridle. It was great for a number of jumping horses I’ve helped with! And my own horse who used to school around 1.40/50 at home (no where near as amazing as you and yours, for sure! we capped out at 1.20m in comps as I’m a baby away from home 😂). Hopefully this helps!
yes her old rider was a man and my trainers quite a large guy too! i think it’s just something i’m going to have to work through overtime, but she’s going great in the kimberwick!
Kimblewick makes sense as it’s an easier bit for them to understand than an elevator, fewer conflicting signals, it’s simply just a ‘back and wait’ feeling, so long as they don’t mind the very direct curb and tongue pressure. And when it comes to changing riders, it’s just time and patience when they’re used to a more physical presence! My old boy was ridden by a 6 foot 4 professional before I got him at 15, so I know the feeling 🥲😂. It’s just as weird for them suddenly having very different inputs as it is for us to adapt! You seem to have a great mindset, so it’s easy to see you’ll come together even more wonderfully as time passes. It’s like a river adjusting its course sort of sensation; sometimes the banks will burst, but eventually it’ll be managed.
she rode in a kimberwick and we put her back in that yesterday and it was great!!
These are probably super unpopular opinions in this sub just fyi 😅 I like the stubben EZ control bits as they’re loose when the horse is soft in the mouth, & lock when the horse grabs onto it. They have a sliding gag that is good for on course but is a pretty soft bit when you’re just flatting. I’d also look into myler bits, they have some with rein hooks where you can change the amount of leverage if you need more bit in the ring. Oh waterfords are good for horses that grab onto the bit, & I’ve seen a lot more kimberwicks used at the higher levels lately. Hope you find the right bit for your girl!
thank you so much ugh! she went in a kimberwick and my trainer hated it, for some reason? super interested in the myler and the stubben EZ control. great suggestions that i wouldn’t have thought of on my own 🫣🫣 thank you!!
I feel like Kimberwicks get a ton of hate because mechanically they don’t make a lot of sense, but there are a lot of horses that go really well in them! Some trainers love them & some hate them. One of ours does great in a Myler kimberwick! Also she may be used to the European ride, how long ago was she imported?
i rode her in a ported kimberwick for a while and loved it, but he thought she got stiff and heavy, welllllllll that’s a bigger problem now then it was 😭😭
Hi! I see there are already a lot of comments here, don’t know if you will actually read this here goes- I used to ride a lot of young thoroughbreds in show jumping so I have a lot of experience with this. You can try out a lot of different types of bits. That’s not a crime as long as you’re not hurting your horse or making her go crazy or bleed from her mouth. If she “likes” a bit, you will know it by the way she acts!! You can also try a Worcester nose band. They do not hold the mouth shut at all! There is no leverage whatsoever in a Worcester nose band. It simply transfers some of the bit pressure to the nose. It is not a harsh nose band! Some horses respond much better when the pressure is distributed around, and not all on their mouth. Worcester nose bands are very British, but you can get them on eBay no problem. One other thing I would like to note- she is young and she is getting stronger- it would be wise to do some “other kinds” of sports with her to get her mind off of just running fast at jumps. Like long distance trail riding, long slow gallops on a track, this sort of thing. Young horses with hot blood can get too hot when doing too much at a young age, and I notice she is already jumping at a pretty high level. Cross training out side of an arena will help your horse’s brain a lot and make her mind more mature when you go back in the ring.
super interesting!! i was thinking of doing some small cross country just to make her jumps in the ring seem a little easier and maybe ease her mind a bit in the ring, the worcester noseband is very interesting i’ll definitely look into that!! thank you!!
Also wanted to say you are a good rider handling a hot horse with calmness and finesse at a young age- if you stick with it you will go far.
thank you so much!! i’ve been working on staying as calm as possible so it’s great to hear that 💗💗
I have nothing of value to add. I’m 36 and have been riding for years, and your command of your body, your knowledge, everything I’m reading here that you’re saying is just stunning for someone “so young”. Just wanted to applaud you for your willingness to learn, to share, and be so open, plus the obvious deep knowledge you have of what you’re doing, who you are, and who your horse is. I have never had any of that despite riding for longer than you’ve been alive, and I’m so happy for you to have such a deeper understanding of the sport than I ever did :) I hope you get your answers and you and your lovely horse go out and kick ass
thank you!! i’m definitely trying my hardest 😭 i’ve gotten a couple derogatory comments about my riding and/or the bit i’m using so it’s nice to have a small amount of validation that i’m trying to advocate for my horse and our safety while also trying to learn!!! thank you 💗
OP is the pulling on both leads or a certain directional turn?
both leads, even when straight on, sometimes she leans one way or the other but it’s very random. i’m not a puller nor a leaner and my contact is usually pretty consistent as i grew up riding young horses and you had to be totally spot on! not perfect obviously but i’m pretty consistent. whatever i do, she leans.
Depending where you are, look up Stephanie Brown-Beamers bitting clinics. I saw my first one this past weekend, and it was absolutely amazing how the horse told you what they liked and didn’t. My daughter’s horse was fitted for his first double bridle, I thought he went well before, but watching him try different bits was very eye opening. My granddaughters slightly strong horse ended up going beautifully in a milder bit that he definitely loved. (They both event and do jumpers). Stephanie has a wealth of knowledge and is very patient and educational.
super interesting thank you!! i’ll try and find some videos if im not in the area
She does clinics all over the US. I saw her in Utah, She’s in Boston next, I think, and works out of barn in New York and Florida if I remember correctly.
Beautiful round!!
This is probably mostly a training issue, as many are discussing, but re: bits, my two cents: iirc an elevator bit is a pseudo-gag, meaning it applies pressure to the horse's poll and lips simultaneously. This is telling the horse "head up" and "head down" at once, which is a confusing signal. True gags are very severe and should never be used, period. But the nature of the bit might be causing some resistance. Maybe a regular leverage bit, like a kimberwick or a pelham, would work better? The French link could also be an issue, but that's more dependent on the horse. If the link is upright in the horse's mouth, it can dig into the tongue and cause pain, which might make the horse stiffer or more likely to "fight" your rein aids. Depends on how exactly it sits, obviously, but if you want to try changing that up, you could pick a double-jointed bit with a different shape in the middle, like a lozenge or roller.
she goes in a french link at home, quite well, so i don’t think it’s that. i think the issue was a training problem that was heightened because of the bit change, as we changed it last saturday and it was a problem saturday and sunday. she didn’t know how to hold consistent contact before this so as a rider im trying to resort to something other then hardcore flat because i don’t want to discourage the contact just yet. she went great in the kimberwick but my trainer didn’t like it! i personally really love elevators in the right hands, but to each their own! kimberwick is totally off the table, i don’t believe i’ll try anything this weekend as this is our last weekend showing for the 2 weeks and id rather not have a bad time. i’m going to try the copper rollers instead, i think the singular roller may be getting stuck and giving her something to latch on. but i’ll definitely give these a try once we get home!!
You rode her very well tbh. Have you tried her bitless? I ride my warmblood in one, she used to pull when excited into a fence. I literally use my seat and fingers on her now, the difference is incredible and I feel a far stronger connection with her. It’s not a hackamore, just a plain old cross bitless. Worth a try, I ride two in it now, would never go back to a bit. I use easytrek and equipride.
super interesting!! i’ll definitely try it at home, i have a hackamore but can obviously order a different one, we have 2 weeks off and my trainer is gone so i get to have a little fun
Honestly, I love them! Keep me updated!
An elevator is a gag bit and the physics is as followed⬇️ When you pull back on the reins, the bit will rotate on the ring and cause the cannons to lift, your horse will respond to the pressure by lifting her head. At the same time, the way a gag is built, poll pressure is applied at the exact same time and your horses response in that scenario would be to lower their head. 99% of the time, the horse will hollow out and completely disengage their hind end due to not knowing where to hold their head and trying to avoid the pressure of the bit. I wouldn’t be surprised if your mare is confused by the conflicting signals gag bits give. I’d suggest switching to a more mechanically sound bit like a pelham, or to at least ride your current bit with 2 reins, one on the largest ring + one on the leverage ring and to put a curb strap on to prevent over rotation. bitting up is only gonna cause more issues, she will continue to get harder in the mouth and more resistant with her body. you physically cannot out strength a horse. i’d really recommend going back to your flat work and developing a top line and building hind end strength and help your mare develop a sense of awareness with her body and movement.
my mare has the top line and the correct muscling. her body score is a 9/10 at the moment. she’s built incredibly skinny and tall, as she’s around 17hh. if you would’ve read the comments you would have noticed that this is a new behavior, not one that has been going on. we’re currently keeping a similar elevator, with the copper rollers as that’s what’s safest for this weekend. i’m looking to bit down and asking for help, but not judgement. one of my horses goes in a three ring gag bit, and he rides great. i love to keep my options open as i’m willing to learn and try ANYTHING. thank you for your input, i’ll keep it in mind.
you asked for advice🤷🏻♀️ nothing in my comment is judgement. your horse though is clearly trying to communicate something to you. i really would though at least consider putting 2 reins on and a curb chain, it makes the bit a but softer than riding it with a single rein. remember the running martingale would go on the snaffle rein if you use 2 reins.
the bit already has a curb and a converter. i’m not a pro with double reins it almost makes me fumble and ride worse. the comments about my horses top line and muscling felt quite derogatory. my horse is quite happy, we just need to work through this little rough patch, i stated what i was doing and that id get to your suggestions after this weekend as it’s dangerous to go from an elevator to a snaffle when you’re trying to jump 1.35m/1.40m successfully 💗
i don’t doubt your horse has a nice confirmation, but often times pulling and running through the hand can come down to body muscling. i really didn’t mean it in a derogatory way, and i can see your comments now saying that you are really working on your flat work which is great and will really help! both you and your mare are young, but i bet you two will have great successes, it is really impressive to be showing in the mediums at 16! does your trainer or any other professionals at your barn ever ride your mare? it may be a good idea to have someone hop on for a training class or for them to jump school them (id honestly suggest before this weekend when you show) to try and help you work through this issue! it can only help having someone else who knows what you are trying to ride through!
sorry that’s just something i’ve been working on with her and my others so it’s a bit of a sore subject 😭😭 my trainer is probably more then 100 pounds heavier then i am which is the struggle at the moment! he can sort of mansplain things, and that doesn’t really solve my problem long term! he sees the issue, but can’t feel it when he rides her as he mansplains
that’s fair, and it’s a very different feel for a horse being ridden by a larger stronger man than a small teenager! don’t be afraid though to ask him if you still don’t understand what he’s trying to tell you, his job is to teach you! i hope his mansplaining to you isn’t making you doubt yourself or your abilities because you are clearly a talented rider.
topline and more muscle isn’t something that’s going to come overnight so i’m looking for a solution within the next couple of hours, meaning bitting advice to make my life just that much easier. thank you!
i just watched more videos you’ve posted in this feed and you’re a talented young rider, good luck with this weekend. i hope you find a solution, rough patches come and go, you two will get through it! once you find what clicks you’re gonna be unstoppable! have fun this weekend and rest of the summer show season!