I need a bit with more stopping power..

My 9 year old gelding listens really well with his current bit except that he doesn't like to stop..so I'm looking for a step up from his current..I'd prefer it to be a french link because the single joints irritate him.
This is his current bit..

So I'm looking for something a step up from where we are now but while being as nice as possible. Any help??
I was looking at pelhams..I learned in one so it would be second nature to me but I'm looking for something a little more idiot proof for the boyfriend to ride in so that he can't accidently ruin his mouth...

You have openned Pandora's box, my dear. You will get tons of advice from people telling you that you need to work on your horse's training , rather than turning to a different bit to solve this lack of brakes problem. And, truth is, that's probably the best thing to work on.

As for a bit, you could try a thinner bit, if you want a tiny bit more "bite". Perhaps not a Baucher. Ever heard of or seen a PeeWee bit? It's basically a MUllen mouthed thin bit and it might help.

But mostly , you will want to work on building your horse's sensitivity to the bit in general, and teaching him to come "off" the bit when you ask him to stop. To not only stop, but to rock his body backward and halt with his weight on his back legs, and wait for you to ask him to move on.

Or, you could try something totally different like a hackamore.

But ultimately, it's having the horse respectful of what the bit means and you being as light as you can when you can and as strong as necessary to get him to come off and not get into a stalemate.

^^ Tiny couldn't have said it better!

Great post Tiny! I am 100% for more training less bitting if he is great in his bit keep him in his bit. Teach him to stop with your aids and seat, not by pulling on his reins.

If you don't fix what YOU are doing wrong six months from now you'll be looking for another bit because he won't stop again. I suspect that there are a lot of english ridden horses that have problems like this because it seems like it would be easy for "contact" to become "constant pulling with no release" if you weren't careful.

This is a fine line. Careful not to make generalizations. Obviously it's not what any rider is going for... but I agree, once you get into that pulling cycle it can be very hard to reverse.

OP, a well trained horse (in my personal opinion) is one that will halt 80% off of your seat and body, with perhaps the last 20% being reins to keep it neat, finished, and pretty. I am one of those people who is going to encourage you to do some revisiting on his training, not his tack.

That really makes sense and I'm embarrassed for not thinking that. Any idea on how to do so? I ride with contact I' not constancy in his mouth. However when the boyfriend rides he rides with no contact and a trot becomes a canter. We were actually looking at a hackamore because there only seems to be issues when he rides in a bit. When he's barracks in a halter there aren't any issues.
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He stops for me because your right. My halts are mostly seat and body with hardly any rein. I should have examined further before posting because now I've made fool of myself. -_- I'll have the boyfriend ride bareback in a halter until I can supervise his riding and give him help.
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No reason to feel like a fool. What's this place for, if not to ask questions and get input? There's plenty of stuff I don't know, and plenty of stuff I do... as I'm sure is the case with you.

Yes exactly. This is just my first owned horse and I've never had the ability to make these decisions I've alwaysbeen in lessons or as before I got him exercising other peoples horses..with their tack. I've been riding for 10 years and would like to think I'm competent enough town a horse and further its training. It's just when these issues arise I have nowhere to turn. My horses are boarded at a more private owned stable. There is no trainer on site so you re your own trainer and I'm the only english rider so there's definitely no help there.. it was suggested I ride in a slow twist which I absolutely refuse. KNOW he doesn't need that.. we are learning together.
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