Any interesting suggestions?

[Wimbles]

I currently ride Brian in a neue schule verbindend combined with a micklem bridle. He has been going well in this but is still a bit unsettled in his mouth. He has a large fleshy tongue and we have always been on the lookout for something that he is comfortable with, finding the current combination gets the best results.

Interestingly though this weekend he had his first try in a double bridle and surprised me massively by going really very sweetly in it, with just a bit of leaning. He was very still in his mouth and seemed very happy to listen, seeking a contact nicely instead of going behind the vertical as I thought that he might.

Based on this I was just wondering if anyone could think of something else that I could try that would be dressage legal?

 

[ycbm]

What level are you competing at? A double was legal at elementary last time I looked it up.

I used mine with a verbindend bradoon and a matching NS arched Weymouth.

 

[Wimbles]

Double was just for showing, not something we would really use much, I was just amazed at the difference in the horse.

We're just competing at Prelim in dressage so a long way from being able to go in a double, in fact I'm pretty sure we shall never get that far!

ycbm, on a separate matter, you once gave me some solid, balanced advice regarding schooling livery. I was just wondering if I could possibly pm you regarding a situation that I have found myself in? Sorry to be cheeky!

 

[milliepops]

what bits did you have in the double? that would be a good place to start.

My sec D is more settled and more honest to the contact in her double than she ever was in a snaffle. She has also chosen pretty cheap bits, handy as Millie has expensive taste! I offered her all kinds of shapes and lozenges, she's chosen a french link bradoon and a forward curved stainless curb.
sometimes simple is best

 

[Wimbles]

what bits did you have in the double? that would be a good place to start.

My sec D is more settled and more honest to the contact in her double than she ever was in a snaffle. She has also chosen pretty cheap bits, handy as Millie has expensive taste! I offered her all kinds of shapes and lozenges, she's chosen a french link bradoon and a forward curved stainless curb.
sometimes simple is best

The double was Tiger's and has a simple low shallow ported weymouth and like you a french link bradoon, strange as he always seemed to hate the french link snaffle??

 

[Cortez]

So many people are "amazed" when their horses go well/better in a double or Pelham, why is that? Is it because people are told that snaffles are a "kind" bit? The snaffle is a rather blunt instrument (and can be very unkind indeed in insensitive hands, like every bit of course) and many horses don't go well in them. Of course it's not bits that are "kind", it's what's on the other end of the reins....

The ultimate goal of horse training used to be to ride in the full bridle (actually historically the ultimate ultimate goal is to ride on the curb alone, one handed), is that all gone by the wayside?

Anyway, to address your actual question: try something that doesn't wrap around the tongue, perhaps something like a Myler ported snaffle? I haven't actually tried one myself, but I hear good reports from people who know stuff and have.

P.S. Elementary isn't all that; you can aim for the stars....

 

[Wimbles]

So many people are "amazed" when their horses go well/better in a double or Pelham, why is that? Is it because people are told that snaffles are a "kind" bit? The snaffle is a rather blunt instrument (and can be very unkind indeed in insensitive hands, like every bit of course) and many horses don't go well in them. Of course it's not bits that are "kind", it's what's on the other end of the reins....

The ultimate goal of horse training used to be to ride in the full bridle (actually historically the ultimate ultimate goal is to ride on the curb alone, one handed), is that all gone by the wayside?

Anyway, to address your actual question: try something that doesn't wrap around the tongue, perhaps something like a Myler ported snaffle? I haven't actually tried one myself, but I hear good reports from people who know stuff and have.

P.S. Elementary isn't all that; you can aim for the stars....

Thank you. I think I actually have one of the myler snaffles, could it be known as the comfort snaffle? May give that a try tomorrow.

I guess what surprised me most was how still he seemed in his mouth, even just standing there without anyone on top. I assumed (wrongly) that with having more in his mouth that he would hate it.

As much as I would love to go up the levels, at the moment I would happily take a really nice prelim with this boy and my considerable challenges!

 

[ycbm]

ycbm, on a separate matter, you once gave me some solid, balanced advice regarding schooling livery. I was just wondering if I could possibly pm you regarding a situation that I have found myself in? Sorry to be cheeky!

Of course. I'm going out now, back later.