The joys of a snaffle!

[Gemma16]

Hi everyone,
Well yesterday I felt brave and tried Taffy in his french link fulmer snaffle for the first time in ages. I usually ride him in either a dutch gag or a pelham.

He was PERFECT! I was amazed. He was a little excited as usual but he was so soft and light in my hands in it.

I have found he was going behind the bit in his pelham, so though about a change to something with less poll pressure and it worked like a charm! He was settled in his head and neck and worked well in our schooling session.

He was a little strong when i took him for a canter so might not wear it for fast hacks.:rolleyes:

Has anyone got any ideas of what bit I could use for showing that has less poll pressure? I know I could leave the bottom rein alone on his pelham but he is still unsettled. Would a double be better then i couls soley use the bradoon rein?

Any suggestions would be great thanks!

[Yann]

Welshies are supposed to have quite small mouths so a double might make things a bit congested - I'm not sure there'd be much difference between leaving the curb rein alone on a weymouth as opposed to a pelham either.

Just wondering, do you use a metal curb chain on the pelham? It could be that that's making him drop behind, if so might be worth trying an elastic curb instead?

Having two different bits for hacking and schooling is perfectly normal, lots of people do it.

Can't suggest anything for showing, aren't you supposed to use a pelham or double for certain classes anyway?

[Tor&Warrior]

Warrior was just the same. I tried him in every bit going, he came in a pelham, and he was never quite happy. But because he was so strong I never considered a snaffle. When I eventually did try it it was the best he ever went!!! So light and soft and relaxed. He also went behind the bit in the pelham and found he was very nervous of it. Even when I didn't put the curb on it, thinking it would be that causing it, he was still the same. I tried him in a happy mouth pelham and he was much better in that. Although there not great or showing I showed him in it and had no comments against it by judges and he qualified and came 2nd in a county qualifier wearing it. I also tried him in a double and he was much happier in that. Torx

[Gemma16]

Hi Yann, I might try an elasticated curb. That might be it.

Yes you have to wear a double or pelham for the ridden M&M's. Taff seems to have quite a big mouth compared to most natives I've looked at. I think I migh borrow someones to try on him.

Thanks for the advice

[Gemma16]

Cheers Tor, So I have quite a few options to try. A friend ries her mare in a happy mouth pelham. I'll se if I can try that. He doesn't tend to like straight bars though.

Trial and error i supose.

[Tor&Warrior]

You can get them jointed too! Not sure about french link though?? Warriors was jointed and he has a jointed happy mouth snaffle too.

[Gemma16]

Just a thought, do you think it could have been because the snaffle was a french link?

His pelham is a single joint and he goes behid that, would that be a sign of evading the bit because of the nutcracker action?

Would a frenck link pelham be worth trying?

[Bebe]

I'd definitely give a french link pelham a try if I was in your shoes, or even a mullen mouth might be worth a go.

As of yesterday Bebe is officially back in a snaffle, it's a shires training snaffle, essentially a KK Ultra copy. The mouthpiece is like a french link but the middle link is a lozenge rather than a plate. The lozenge seems to make all the difference as Bebe hated normal french links when I've tried her in them.

I'll probably still get the pelham out if I know I'm going to be doing very fast work as once she's flat out nothing much will slow her, but for everything else she'll be in the snaffle now.