Rubber bit?

Its a bonding thing. When you have them in that position they are very vulnerable. So its a trust gaining exercise as well as a pressure release exercise does that make sense? Plus it feels good to the horse

I found one of me doing it with jarred in saddle. Its not the best pic but its there :)



It makes a big difference in loosening them up and calming them down. Its like their comfort zone

Ohh okay, yes, that makes sense! I do that to Mercedes and she loves it. She used to hate me touching her tail and would lock it so I started rubbing the bottom...worked wonders! But I never thought of doing it while flexing her.

Thanks for that Jazzy I couldn't think how to put it. You are creating a "comfort zone"

I honestly don't think that switching to a rubber bit will have any effect.
I'm slightly concerned with your comment of "we start each ride with 20 minutes of running each direction" ... this probably has the opposite effect of the desired outcome. My thoughts are that your horse goes "yay! She's on, I get to run and not pay attention to her!"
I would try getting on, and getting him to give to your hand at a walk by doing lots of circles whenever he gets rushy.
I agree with Jazzyrider about him dropping his shoulder and not knowing how to bend around a corner properly, so take your time teaching him to supple through his back and be able to bend around his circles.
I'll think on it more and re-post. My brain's MIA right now :(

lol no worries

Whoa, its been awhile, sorry guys. Been ignoring the computer for awhile...

Actually, I tried it on one of his good days, and he was pretty good. He didn't fight me as much, and he did seem overall much calmer.

I know that my ottb pulls like no other and just runs through it .. so I go a lot of check and releasing ... she comes back to me really nicely ... I have found that the stronger the bit doesn't make a difference ... I use a:
https://www.reactorpanel.com/RPstore...p?productid=31

I know that all horses don't work the same but I thought I would share with you on what I use .. also I do a lot of walking, trotting, circling, serpentines, cutting across the diagonal and figure 8's to bend her and get her to relize that when we come to the arena she doesn't have to just run .. then if she is good I will canter with her ... but only if I feel like she has been responsive to what I have worked on ...

Hope that helps! :)

A lot of bending, circling, serpentines, figure eights, even ground obstacles will help to keep the focus on you, and not running. If he is not turning correctly, but is dropping his shoulder in, you would probably do best to teach the correct way of flexing from the ground (like Vida's photos showed), and then transfer it into the saddle (like Jazzy's photos. Once he learns to bend properly, I would start every ride with serpentines, figure eights or circles for a good 10-20 minutes. When you start your ride, and he begins to rush or pull on you, break him into a circle of two like Vida suggested.

Hi we have a similar problem with one of our horse. We have an 8 years old akhal-teke×throughbred mare, she works quietly well, does rounds, circles, flexion, anything you want on bit. She jumps 1.90 and my husband showjumps with her. But after 4 or 5 jumps, she begins t get faster and faster, and pulls your hand with more and more weight, even about a weight of 90 kilograms. That's why I cannot really ride on her, only my husband is strong enough to stop her with full of his strenght. It feels like you are trying to stop a scudding railway.
Usual riding faults are excluded (not enogh safe hands, etc...), my husband does it for 20 years and no other horses showed this problem so much. All of our former pulling horses could be dealt with some usual methods (flexing, making circles, using softer or harder bits, going back to basics. Etc.). And the other hand this mare NEVER refuses doing anything, she does lateral trotting (I don't know if its the right expression), never stoppes before jump, never evades obstacles. When she begins to pull and run she's still directable a bit, but circles does not slow her because of her extremly good balance - she dares to do small circles with an extreme speed.
I would ask you if any of you has some experinece about similar horses, even akhal-tekes. Thanks.