Bit advice

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Daddy_Long_Legs

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Up until last year I hunted my horse in a snaffle, at the end of the season he became very strong and I changed him to a 3 ring and put it on the 2 ring. I hate 3 rings and the only reason I used it was because I couldn't afford to buy another bit and the 3 ring was hanging around!

I am tempted by a Pelham but do not know whether to get a plain steel one or a vulcanite/happy mouth. Actually the straight bar happy mouth sounds ideal but I am just now sure and does anyone have any experience of them?!

What about the jointed pelhams?
 
I use a lozenged pelham - Although some will say it doesn't have the action of a pelham due to the jointed mouthpeice, it works well for us.

Do you have any friends with a good bit box - I have a whole collection of bits, and friends usually try something out of there, to get an idea of weather its right or not.
 
Apparently Cheltenham Gags are popular for hunters, so I tried one and it worked really well for me. My ID/TB, who has been hauled in the mouth a fair bit in the past, tends to stick his head down and lean heavily on my hands. With the gag just a few sharp pulls on the gag rein get his head up and off my hands. I always use 2 reins, although I have noticed that a lot of people use the Cheltenham Gags with just one rein, so that I can ride on the snaffle when he's not pulling. A friend has pony length reins on her gag so that she can just rest them on his neck when she's not using them without them looping dangerously low.

My gag is a Neue Shule lozenged one
 
A friend is hopefully going to lend me a cheltenham gag. I would use it with two reins! I also like the idea of the french link pelham. Unfortunately he has rather a big head so most people I know won't have 6inch bits!

I was out at a fun run today and a friend of mine has just bought a new horse and it came with a cheltenham gag, what I noticed was the horse had a very high head action especially when approaching a fence. She only uses one rein on the gag bit and I thought perhaps that the gag wasn't a good bit for that horse due to him already having a high head carriage?
 
HuntingmadinEire said:
A friend is hopefully going to lend me a cheltenham gag. I would use it with two reins! I also like the idea of the french link pelham. Unfortunately he has rather a big head so most people I know won't have 6inch bits!

I was out at a fun run today and a friend of mine has just bought a new horse and it came with a cheltenham gag, what I noticed was the horse had a very high head action especially when approaching a fence. She only uses one rein on the gag bit and I thought perhaps that the gag wasn't a good bit for that horse due to him already having a high head carriage?
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huntingmadineire,
let me know how you get on with the cheltenham gag as i have a 6' cheltenham gag i want to sell only used once as new!! :-) also will be coming back over to eire with car so could bring with me!
 
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