Leaning on the bit?!?!!! help ASAP?! LONG

Well now that me and chance can w.t.c and jump again! A new problem has come up [it always seems to work that way!]

When I trot she will put all her head weight to leaning into the bit! And its really hard to ride like that, I've been trying to lock my arms in place so that she has to get away from that pressure by picking her head up. But it takes for ever and after a while I just have to stop cause im getting to tired from doing it. I've tried squeezing her sides when she does it and she picks her head up for a second then yanks it back down!!!

The only thing that's working which I don't want to keep doing cause its bad, but I've just been yanking back on her mouth so it becomes very uncomfortable and at some points see saw hard enough so all I need to do is just pick up the reins and she will think twice. GAH and I hate doing that but that's the only thing that seems to work!

I don't want her to hate the bit or me riding her because of me doin that, so I need some advice quick! You can go a head and yell at me about the see sawing because I promised myself I would NEVER do that to any of my horses :( hense the reason why Im coming here so I can have a different game plan to deal with it. She doesnt do it at the walk or canter just at the trot.

Im using a french link loose ring korsteel snaffle. Upside: when I do see saw it doesnt jab into her teeth. But I still don't want to have to do that.

Thanks a ton for those that reply!

Sounds like a balance issue.

What are you doing in the saddle? Are you sitting on al 3 points of your seat, are your legs aiding your seat? Is there impulsion? Are your hands carried, with a tall upper body? Are you lifting her up into your aids? Are you riding front to back? Back to front?

If you give a horse something to lean into, they are going to take it.

Do you have video footage of you riding? That would probobly help more with the situation, to see what exactly is going on :)

Ill get a video of me riding possibly wednesday but no promises. Um im not sure what you mean from front to back or back to front. Im sitting on all 3 points of my seat from what I know.


What could I possibly be giving her to lean on. Its almost like she's trying to get more rein, but my reins are kinda loose.

Front to back - meaning are you riding hands first and seat last? Or back to front meaning riding seat into legs and relying on your hands lastly.

So you aren't holding onto her face, or stiff with your hands/elbows/shoulders.

You are on all 3 points, where is your upper body? Over the verticle, ahead or behind? Meaning, are you sitting up tall, leaning forward or leaning too far behind.

I think she is unbalanced - but I would like to see a vid if possible.

I know others here would beable to help you out as well - Just Dressage It, Spyder, Anebel, CJ8Sky, Koomy - they all are very knowledgeable.

Well to ask for a faster or slower gait I use my seat first then reins. But for turning I use my reins first because she's not sure how to turn by my seat quite yet.

I was hopeing to get a few more responses then this.

I usually sit up tall un less if I loose my balence at the posting trot liek if she takes a larger step or trips then ill fall back but I havent done that much lately.

Im definitely not holding on to her face she has slack in the reins also because I don't need them for balence un less she spooks even then I try not to yank on her face.

I am sure you will get some more responses :) no worries.

Without video, it's hard to guess on a cause. Sounds like you're trying hard as heck not to pull back and keep the reins slack but she's still pulling. When you come back from a trot to a walk, does she immediately soften and give the bit again?

Have you ever tried a ported bit? She could not like having the bit resting on her tongue and her pulling is trying to avoid the bit. I know a lot of Vega's pulling and stuff stopped when I got a low port bit.

Im planning on buying a myler bit at some point and I can't wait!

And she will usually soften if I come down to a walk or if I really yank on her or nag her with my legs. Or go to the canter she will soften up as well.