Slowing down...

[Julienne Rha <Julienne.Rha.B@bayer.com>]

Hi everyone - here's another Tavi problem I'd like to get advice about..

Yesterday Bob and I trailered to Redwood Park in Oakland and met up with two of
our friends out there to trail ride.  We switched positions along the trail a
few times and for most of the 3 hour ride, Bob had to constantly check on Tavi
to slow down.. if he gave him any loose rein at all, Tavi would start trotting
to catch up to the group and crowd the horse in front of him (which most of the
time was Harley, who doesn't care).  To give you a bit of history - Bob is a
beginner/intermediate rider who has been taking lessons every week on Tavi, a 9
year old calm, broke (but a little rusty) gelding.  They've been working a lot
of giving to the bit (a copper D-ring snaffle), bending and suppling (which he
is doing great at), and establishing control at the trot (he hasn't worked up
to the canter yet)  He stops just fine in the arena, in fact he'll stop with
your seat and a firm 'ho' with no rein pressure at all.  The previous weekend
we had done the Trail Trials out in Redwood Park and Tavi hardly gave Bob any
problems.. he kept a nice distance from Harley, but he would rush down the
hills if Bob didn't check him.  The lady who we bought Tavi was using a tom
thumb with 6" shanks and I really want to try avoiding going to something
harsher in his mouth (his mouth was sore after this weekend's ride,
understandably).  His ways of evading the bit on the trail are:  getting behind
the bit, shaking his head, tossing his head up.  I've been entertaining the
idea of trying a plain mullen mouth or even a side pull to see if working
different pressure points on his face would be more effective and at the same
time decrease the amount of pain.

(Oh, and he only peed one time while we were out there.. which was amazing)

Any suggestions on exercises or possibly a change in equipment?  I'd imagine
this isn't the first time a horse has had this problem..  and it's very
frustrating for Bob (who hates to be pulling on Tavi's mouth - he does use his
seat as well) and frustrating for me (I'm constantly worried that Bob and Tavi
aren't  having a good time).

Julienne