Ben Maher

I noticed that bit but it was so complicated I couldn't work out what it was either - maybe wonder round Townfields stand at next show that I goto and see if I can spot it there.
 
Think Robert Whitaker's horse also had one of those bits - looked a bit like the external fixators used when a dog or something has a broken jaw! Looked like at least part of it was a hackamore.

Did anyone see that horse throw that massive strop at the early double of ditches?
 
the one with the 17 year old girl? and she gave it a smack and it went loopy? Ben mahers bit just looked so.... i dunno, intense?! there was an awful lot of it! It looked like the horse was a robot! lol
 
you do wonder that with the strength of the male riders - not that riding with 'strength' is correct - why they have to use such severe-looking/odd-looking bit combinations now
whatever happened to a nice double bridle - very large show hunters at full gallop manage to be controlled in those
 
Yep - I thought it put in a bit of a dirty stop at the ditch (she'd said it didn't like ditches anyway) then reared when she tried to turn it back - she smacked it (brave!) and it nearly went over backwards. Jumped those ditches quite nicely in the end though.
 
the bit was a hackamore with a snaffle - the chifney looking part is just a bar to stop the shanks from seperating because of them being so long - german hackamores have them too
 
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That was Phillipa Dobby, her horse was being a nappy cow!

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Shoot me down...personally thought it was badly ridden...
 
here here severnmiles, I did too. Not the sort of thing to do in front of a huge audience, if it has ditch phobia then surely Hickstead was the last course you'd take it round. She said she was worried about the ditch at the end, what about devils dyke?
 
Bad pony.... was a dirty stop.
Wouldn't take it eventing
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Bad pony.... was a dirty stop.
Wouldn't take it eventing
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I'm not being funny but how many eventers are 'ditchy'? More than you'd think.

I can't abide it when I see (and Jane A did the same thing with CD a few years ago) showjumpers turn their whip around and belt it, it would obviously react by rearing or tanking off - which very nearly caused a nasty accident for horse and rider!

Do you think event horses are programmed to aim at corners and just jump whatever is in front of them? No they are 'ridden' to every fence.

Did Ben Maher react in the same way as PD when both of his rides were eliminated? No...
 
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you do wonder that with the strength of the male riders - not that riding with 'strength' is correct - why they have to use such severe-looking/odd-looking bit combinations now
whatever happened to a nice double bridle - very large show hunters at full gallop manage to be controlled in those

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With the best will in the world, you don't see too many show hunters jumping round a course of fences at 1.60m with banks, ditches and trick fences on difficult distances.

A bit like comparing chalk and cheese i'd say
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re. the bit issue - personally I'd rather see a horse in a very strong complicated bit and being ridden lightly, and a horse in a snaffle being hauled around. Just my opinion.
 
difference with robert whittaker (and most other good riders) - is that a good workman NEVER blames his tools!! hence you only ever need to give them little reminders when something does go afoot!

I know that robert whitaker rides finbar with a hackamore and another bit in his mouth but can't for the life of me remember what it is? wasn't it commented on in H & H about a month or so ago??
 
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Phillipa Dobby's mare was an old bag and in my opnion she rode it well - it was taking the p*ss.
I would have done the same
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Better not come near my pony then...he'd have you on the floor in seconds
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There was an article in H&H recently about RW's bit for Finbarr - I think it's a german hackamore and a snaffle, but I could be wrong
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In regards to the bitting issue, a soft bit can be harsh in the wrong hands. Like spiral I would also prefer a horse in a strong bit ridden sensitivly than a mild bit and hauled around!
 
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Phillipa Dobby's mare was an old bag and in my opnion she rode it well - it was taking the p*ss.
I would have done the same
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Taking the piss? She SAID it has an issue with ditches before she even got in the ring. Id say she should NOT have taken it into a huge class like that which has LOADS of ditches! Lack of preperation on her part I think which was in the end blamed on the horse. I dont think the Whitakers would enter a horse who was worried about ditches now would they????

You wouldn't last on my 2 horses either if you wolloped mine like she did! They'd have you off in seconds!!
 
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