Advice please

[lochpearl]

I am taking my youngster to a rather big show on Monday but I have a slight problem, we are doing the hunter class and the riding horse class and I have been told that he sould be ridden in a double bridle or a pelham at least for the hunter class. My dilema is that although he is a bit leany as a 5 year old he does have a lovely soft mouth and i don't want to over bit him for a show! I did try him in a pelham the other day with double reins and for the first 5 mins he went beautifully - I wasn't holding the bottom rein and I was extremely light on the top rein, hardly any contact. Then suddently he started shaking his head upwards, grew and then felt like he was going to rear, I dropped the reins and still no change. This was in a rubber pelham. Now do I try and go for the metal pelham which is lighter and thinner and take the curb off and see if he goes better in that or do I stick 2 fingers up and ride him in a snaffle and get marked down? I am only taking him for experience and we have no chance of winning so does it matter?
thanks in advance for your help and donuts for getting this far.

p.s. just to say I do ride with a very light contact and am experienced with riding with a double and a pelham

 

[AmyMay]

You can ride him in a snafle for the hunter class - I believe, because of his age.

 

[lochpearl]

that's what I thought then I was told that he would be marked down, stupid really as I would have thought that it was better for a horse to be ridden correctly and behaved in a snaffle rather than a more harsh bit??!!

 

[AmyMay]

The showing world is a complete misnomer.....

But if he's not happy in what you were trying the other day, and you still want to take him - then it would defo be a snaffle with hunter bridle for me.

Good luck.

 

[lochpearl]

tell me about it, we went to a show the other week and the person that was placed 2nd was bucking all the way round!! Totally lost my faith in the show world but then it is good experience for him.

thanks for your help and btw your horse is gorg!!!

 

[AmyMay]

He's also a little bugger!

But thanks

 

[oofadoofa]

I would also say take him in a snaffle. I took my 5 year old in a hunter class last year and rode in a snaffle and came 4th.

Good luck, let us all know how you get on

 

[lochpearl]

Brilliant thank you, to be honest I don't think we will get anywhere I know that there are a lot of county level horses in the class and me recovering very slowly from a slipped disc, it really is just to get him out and about. Will let you know how disasterous (sp) it is on Tues!!!

 

[AmyMay]

How did the show go Lochpearl??