Having a more severe bit is not always the answer. First, try to get him to back off the bit while standing. Put a little bit of pressure on his mouth and wait for a response. If he drops his head or relaxes his jaw a little, release the pressure and pet him. Continue to practice this exercise until he will quickly release the pressure you put on his mouth. Secondly, put light pressure on his mouth and get him to drop his head and back up. When he releases the pressure and backs away from it while standing, you can try the same exercise at a walk. Each time you speed up, the horse will take a hold of you again. When he starts to pull, stop and back him up until he releases the pressure. It will take a couple of months before he will walk, trot, and lope without pulling on you. If he absolutely will not get as light as you desire, you might try a longer-shanked version of the bit you are using. The next step up in pressure would be a broken mouthpiece bit with a keeper in the middle to restrict the movement. This bit will give you more leverage and will put some pressure on the tongue. You can progressively move toward more severe bits to get a response, but don't substitute a more severe bit for a progressive training program.

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