new tools=new horse? Breakthough!

Hey everyone
I just wanted to share a bit of a breakthrough that Blitz and I had today. I have been rifing him in a Dee ring snaffle-prior to that a whole bunch of different things including a rubber bit, loose rind, fixed hinge, etc. Prior to me getting him he was ridden in a tom thumb and a high port curb... He had VERY little training before I got him and was very green. He has had he teeth done, and rechecked. I have had major issues with control-he has been hard mouthed and fights the bit constantly. I have tried to be VERY light handed and rewarding with release; but he still fought the bit 90% of the time-pulling and trying to get high tongue over top, holding his nose in the air, tugging on the reins, etc... Also want to point out that I had NO control in a halter when bare back (the whole side-pull thing)
I had an old mechanical hackamore given to me last fall-almost threw it in the garbage as it looks like a torture devise (although the noseband is quite wide and very soft). Well, I tried it today and was very impressed. He would tuck his chin in and back up with speed I havent seen, turned on a dime, stopped even quicker. I tried it for 10 minutes in the arena and thought I might as well really test it and went for a trail ride. WOW! I even felt comfortable loping along the trails, I HAVE NEVER felt very comfortable at anything more that a slow trot on the trails as he would ignore all my comands. He was paying attention to me rather than playing with the bit the entire time. Plus he started neckreining and listening to my leg cues on the trail-something he only does about 50% of the time in the arena. So I think I may continue on the hackamore route!
Who else has had similar experiences by switiching up the tools that they used?

Hackamores work well on some horses -- especially those that have had their mouths injured and those that have touchy or think tongues and won't tolerate any pressure on their tongues. This sounds like your horse. These horses are very bad to get their tongues over a bit in an effort to get the bit off of their tongues.

Hackamores are OK to just ride in, but do not work very well for training. They are not accepted to show in (other than timed events) and come with a whole lot of other problems. But, for just trail riding on a horse that is not comfortable in a bit, it may work for you.

I have encountered many horses that would not or could not be ridden or trained in most bits. If they are going to be trained for much other than going from point A to point B, a bit needs to be found that gives them a lot of room for their tongues. Most will work in a bit with a high, wide port and loose cheeks. Greg Dutton makes a lot of western bits that thees horses like.

I am planning on just doing trails, and some fun things like obstile courses, and poker rides. This horse is still in training, but I plan on continue on working with him using the hackamore.