Pelham or snaffle?!

[Doeylicious]

Ok we need a bit of advice and opinions, as honest as you like we can take it

As some of you may know, Doey has a tendency to jog on hacks. Now recently this has got a lot better as I have either schooled her first, or she has been out with someone walking, and she is always very good in these situations. She has been in her jointed snaffle with a flash the whole time.

Today we rode out with a lovely girl at the yard who is getting a friends horse back in shape, he is a very calm gelding who only needs walk and a little bit of trot, so good for me and Doey. I was feeling jelly-like tho so put her pelham on, now she usually takes the bit no probs but she actually resisted the mouthpiece a bit today. It is one of those single piece rubbery ones, is that called mullen mouth? With a curb chain underneath, then joinings to one rein.

Anyway we got it on and off we went. Now Doey was very good until we got to one point, and the jogging started. And went on and on and on. The girl I was with is so nice and had a joggy Highland herself once so gave me loads of tips and talked to me loads to keep me calm, and by the end of the ride Doey was walking quite nicely (and in an outline lol).

However, this is the worst she has been for a long time with me.

Where I need the advice is, do you think it was the pelham making her more anxious and uncomfortable and thus joggy? I know it provides more brakes and yes she did listen to it, and so it does serve its purpose, but if in doing so it makes her more stressed surely it is really a catch 22 situation? I was always told to ride her out in a pelham on hacks 'cos she needs it' but I have proved she may not, it does give more security tho as, as I said, it does increase her braking.

Or do we think maybe it was just another horse, as she hasn't gone out with another horse in ages.

All opinions very gratefully received, I want to spend this summer ambling around our miles and miles of bridelways, not knackering myself out keeping and upright back a sold seat and wiggling my fingers

 

[shoniedaspony]

May be more to do with you feeling like jelly? And the presence of another horse, which just got exciting?

I wouldnt say that the jogging is a sign of discomfort, more likely excitement, so i wouldnt worry about the bit. Perhaps next time you go out with this girl, try the snaffle and just see how she is. As you say, the girl was talking to you to chill you out, and it may have been that which settled you both down?

Well done for getting her to settle down, thats most of the battle!

 

[dilaika]

I wouldn't make any judgements from just one ride...I would try her a second time, in the same situation which you have been riding her with in the old bit, see if she is reacting the same.

The other things to check would be to make sure that the bit fits her. Also, make sure that you are remember that you are now riding in a different bit - which does have a bit more breaks and more leverage. Make sure that you are adjusting the way that you use the reins accordingly.

 

[Method_Acting]

My horse is completely different in company to on his own - and that's all in the same bit. try her on her own with the pelham and see if she is the same.

 

[Laura+Phantom]

Hmm, it may just be excitement but I wonder if the pelham isn't helping? Have you tried her in a french link snaffle? Just wondering, because due to my ponies low palates/fleshy tongues, I wouldn't be able to use either of your bits. The problem is, the single jointed snaffle can possibly jab them as it doesn't curve to the shape of the mouth, and the rubber/vulcanite mullen mouth pelham is a really thick bit, and with roundings on it's impossible to separate the snaffle action to the stronger curb action, so can cause confusion or putting the brakes on the whole time.

Cassie jogs on the way home and I try to give her a bit of rein and talk to her and use my seat to slow her, it works for most of the time but she'll still have a jog now and then. She hates single jointed snaffles and pelhams, she's in a hanging cheek french link snaffle at the moment and quite likes that, but i'm trying her in a Dr. Cook bitless bridle when it arrives.

Just a thought!

 

[Lot1983]

If her pelham is usually used when brakes are needed for instance galloping or XC, she might associate it with going fast because I'm sure a horse could tell the difference, so she might be anticipating going fast and thus jogging??

With jogging you need to do sit deep, pull your shoulder blades together, half halt with the reins and then release, this used to work with my old share but oddly enough it was the relaxing and releasing the reins a tiny bit that worked to slow him.

 

[blues mum]

A pelham with roundings can have a very strong action , as posted above.
can you try taking the roundings off and having two reins ?
just knot the curb rein and pick it up as needed if two reins too much hassle ?
maybe she was just a bit perplexed by the strong bit and happier in the snaffle ?
If you like the curb action of the pelham but single reins try a kimblewick?

 

[CL66]

I ride my horse in a pelham with 2 reins and when out hacking i have the curb rein loose but i take it up when i anticipate going fast and as a result he gets really excited and will jog etc. As someone else said this could be what's causing Doey to do this. I find when he jogs the best thing is to loosen the reins a bit and relax as much as possible as when i tense up he gets even more excited!

 

[Doeylicious]

Thank you all for your advice, some very good points to take on board there!

I have just been on the phone to her loaner about the matter also.

I feel I must point out that I do alter my method of using the reins when I ride with the pelham, any requirement to slow or stop is just a gentle wiggle with my 'bottom' finger (so the one next to my little finger) there is no pulling or anything, it is different to how I ride with the snaffle.

The bit does fit and the bridle, tho stiff (and in need of a clean, tomorrows job!) does too.

Doey doesn't do any XC or anything like this, and I think the last time she galloped was about ten years ago, lol, so she wont be anticipating any of this. I do agree tho she is a very associative horse, e.g. she knows my yellow tabard means going out and fidgets, so she may be associating it with some sort of faster movement tho. I am not totally sure what she has done in the past and niether is her loaner, so sadly we have no clues here.

Definitely agree my nerves do NOT help, when I calmed she did too, but this is a bit of a viscious (sp) circle as her loaner was jst saying and can only really be improved with practice

Basically we both know how to use the pelham effectively but not harshly, I actually have a looser rein when using the pelham as I don't need that constant shorter rein contact as we do in the snaffle, otherwise there is literally no stopping her! I trotted today with a rein length longer than most people would do normally when schooling, for example, as to bring her back it is much more a finger flexing action as I said above.

I think what we have decided it is muchly down to excitement as she hardly used to hack at all, so it is still all quite new to her despite her age. The only way to deal with this is to get her used to it, which means lots of calm, slow rides with dependable horses to keep the pace. We are going to stick with the pelham for now as she really does need it to pay attention and reassure us we have some means of slowing, and while it may be seen as harsh, better a bit of gentle pressure than a yanking mouth fight which is what we are in danger of having in the snaffle.

My ride today really helped as, as I said before, the girl I rode with gave me very sound advice that I am going to keep repeating to ensure I don't grip with my knees and such again! I just might buy some padded undies for that 'bounced bum' feeling this behaviour tends to induce

Thanks again to all those that posted

 

[Laura+Phantom]

I think what we have decided it is muchly down to excitement as she hardly used to hack at all, so it is still all quite new to her despite her age. The only way to deal with this is to get her used to it, which means lots of calm, slow rides with dependable horses to keep the pace.

Sounds good to me!