Alternative to Double/Pelham for showing

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Herpesas

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My horse has got rather a large tongue and a small mouth and I'm struggling to find a double rein combination that suits him. I tried in a double bridle and with two, even quite thin, mouthpieces he wasn't comfortable at all - he was fine when I used his regular snaffle with the weymouth but it's got large rings that, with the additional leatherwork, dwarf his head. I tried him in a pelham as an alternative but, again, he doesn't go well in it.

What other options do I have? We will be doing side saddle and large riding horse classes. Will we get marks dropped for not having a double or pelham?

He's usually ridden in a loose ring french link snaffle.
 
Have you tried a Show pelham? Fairly thin, very slightly ported and usually really good for those with a large tongue.

Fylde can normally make any mouth/cheek combo to suit too.
 
We've tried a low port pelham and a french link pelham but he didn't go very well in either.

Are there are super slim weymouth/bridoon combos available? I had a look on t'internet but could find anything.
 
I'd stick to a pelham if he has a small mouth, sprenger have a new comfort pelham or you could try a hartwell or comfort tongue mouthpiece, you stand more chance of getting him comfy with a single mouthpiece I think.
 
Try a lozenge pelham, something like the Neue Schule pelham. You can hire from a bit bank rather than shelling out straight away. Also, what curb chain did you try when you were trying pelhams / doubles? Worth experimenting with leather or elastic ones rather than a chain, which some horses don't like at all.
 
I think neue schule do a mock pelham so looks like a pelham on the outside with a snaffle mouthpeice, or a rugby pelham might work as its lighter, have you tried a thin ported pelham as my Arab has a small mouth big tongue and he goes best in a straight bar with a port but it has to be quite thin and you have it hanging a bit lower than a normal snaffle this works for me as he hates anything jointed.

Have you tried a tom thumb double good for small mouths many arabs are ridden in them for this reason.
 
You could just show him in a snaffle. I'm going to have to show my loan horse in her pelham with roundings because she goes appaulingly in double reins, and I struggle with them because I get very sore, stiff fingers!
 
It's a low port weymouth (looks the same as a tom thumb) that I've tried him in and he was fine in it with his snaffle but the bradoon mouthpieces seem thicker than his snaffle? :confused:

He's always had a chain curb with a lip strap but we did try a rubber sleeve on it with the jointed pelham. Will see if I can borrow leather and elastic ones and see if that makes a difference.

He doesn't like anything touching the roof of his mouth either, so anything with a high port is a no-no.
 
Is this one of the pelhams you've tried?

I uyse this on anything with fleshy tongue and they all seem to go pretty well as it's nice & slim.

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