I have recently started my 3 1/2 yr old and I have used a Happy mouth French snaffle, which he goes well in, I am only at the very basic stage and won't try anything fancy for a while.Due to the weather and lack of a menage he has been turned away till spring.I heard about this web site and I have read Heather's book and have found it a great source of information. I consider myself to be a novice rider as i have been out of horses for 10 yrs,even though I have owned my youngster for 2 yrs.I am having lessons to improve and become supple. My hands are quite light but I Have never ridden with 2 reins. Should I stick to the bit he is used to or do I try a pelham when I start him again in the spring.I am into kind methods and so far I havent had one problem so I would like to follow Heather's method of riding, on him. Thanks.
Youngster and pelham.
- Thread starter Helen Grindley
- Start date
HI Helen and Wally,
IN Helen's case, if your youngster is accepting the bit happily and coming into a goood outline for a young horse, I would not change his bit. In Wally's case as an experienced rider, I alwasy found that my Highlands much preferred Pelhams to snaffles, and went so much lighter from early on if the pelham was introduced quiet soon. As Fjord's are not dissimmilar, I would try it and see.I had a stunning young Arabian mare that my yard manager and I bought jointly from Charlie Watts, drummer of the Rolling Stones, who has a world class stud here in Devon.
Ceramica made it clear early on that she didn't like even just a hard rubber snaffle. She was also teething. I didn't want to provoke resistances, so put her in the hard rubber Pelham with just an elastic curb chain. She came straighht donw, and never looked back. Her head carriage steadied, you could ride her on just the weight of the reins. Later, we had to sell her as neiter of us had time to do her justice, but a friend in Wales who has 4 other Arabs and is a Classical rider bought her, and Ceramica is going superbly. She was back in a hard rubber snaffle before we sold her. Once they understand what you wnat, the you could stick anything in thier mouths, but I do find that some native breeds never like a snaffle, and that also goes for some Arabs, who always go more lightly in the Pelham.
Give it a try, Wally!
Heather
IN Helen's case, if your youngster is accepting the bit happily and coming into a goood outline for a young horse, I would not change his bit. In Wally's case as an experienced rider, I alwasy found that my Highlands much preferred Pelhams to snaffles, and went so much lighter from early on if the pelham was introduced quiet soon. As Fjord's are not dissimmilar, I would try it and see.I had a stunning young Arabian mare that my yard manager and I bought jointly from Charlie Watts, drummer of the Rolling Stones, who has a world class stud here in Devon.
Ceramica made it clear early on that she didn't like even just a hard rubber snaffle. She was also teething. I didn't want to provoke resistances, so put her in the hard rubber Pelham with just an elastic curb chain. She came straighht donw, and never looked back. Her head carriage steadied, you could ride her on just the weight of the reins. Later, we had to sell her as neiter of us had time to do her justice, but a friend in Wales who has 4 other Arabs and is a Classical rider bought her, and Ceramica is going superbly. She was back in a hard rubber snaffle before we sold her. Once they understand what you wnat, the you could stick anything in thier mouths, but I do find that some native breeds never like a snaffle, and that also goes for some Arabs, who always go more lightly in the Pelham.
Give it a try, Wally!
Heather
newrider.com