Bits - down grading from a Pelham

Brimmers

Brimmers

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My boy currently cross countries in a Pelham as he is prone to leaning and getting heavy on his forehand and gets carried away under his own momentum. He is schooled in a french link hanging cheek but it just isn't strong enough when he's doing exciting things.

Any suggestions? A friend suggested a french link dutch gag but I don't really like these bits.

Anyone had any experience with these
http://www.horsebitbank.com/long-shank-round-lozenge-dalehead-2-706.phtml ?

HAS to be a french link or lozenge as he has a massive tongue and won't tolerate single joints or straight bars

Thank you in advance!
 
Kimblewick? They used to be hugely popular and very useful but you don't tend to see them much now
 
Wanted to try a Kimblewick, but havent ever seen one with a french link or a mouthpiece which would give his tongue enough room.

Ah thank you hoof_prints, I have a waterford lying around somewhere Id forgotten about that one...
 
Definitely try the waterford, my horse was in a Pelham for jumping and she tended to lean down and pick up speed. We changed to a loose ring waterford and its great, head up more, no leaning, have brakes without having to pull.

Waterfords are nice bits in the right hands.
 
Would defo suggest the waterford! OH's horse was in a pelham and hated as he was strong, leaned in most other bits, now schooling in a hanging cheek french link snaffle and hacking in the waterford loose ring snaffle :)
 
I would suggest schooling for that paeticular problem- lift your hands, half halts and sit up and ride him up into the bridle should combat what he is doing.

Are you using a French link Pelham? What curb chain? (Metal, leather, elastic?) 2 reins or roundings?
 
xloopylozzax said:
I would suggest schooling for that paeticular problem- lift your hands, half halts and sit up and ride him up into the bridle should combat what he is doing.

Are you using a French link Pelham? What curb chain? (Metal, leather, elastic?) 2 reins or roundings?
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Oh come now. You can school to your heart's content but once those fences come into play many horses lose their good manners. Mine is a diamond to school, but we do laps of honour when XCing.

If you find the curb helps, maybe look at the Myler MB04. It has a low port and lozenge but doesn't collapse like a french link, you can also attach a curb.
 
XC is like hunting no? Do you not school just because there is galloping and fences involved?!

Doing laps of the hunting field would lead to you being sent home IME and could potentially be seen as more exciting due to the fact you have lots of horses around.

Changing a bit isn't a miracle cure. I'm not saying it might not help but it's not the only thing you can do.

Lets face it, if the OP is having issues, we should trot out the classic, get an instructor and someone who knows you both to suggest, not a bunch of strangers on a forum.
I'm adding my input, as it's an open forum that is generally encouraged...
 
XC is not like hunting. I bit up so that I don't do laps, I'd rather that than hauling on a french link. I'd also not take an excitable horse hunting in a french link.
 
Thank you for your input guys!

Loopy I am actually quite proud to admit that its down to the schooling I HAVE been doing with him that we can downgrade from a pelham. He came to me in it and needed it all the time, now we almost everything in a snaffle but he just LOVES cross country especially.


Will search out the waterford as a starting place! :D
 
Oh I never really explained!

I think he's slightly overbitted now - our first time out cross country the other day and he came back a little bit too sharp a couple of times which is unlike him but I know that wearing just a snaffle wont be enough
 
I'm slightly confused. What's all this "downgrading" business about? Any bit is as strong as the hands that use it. I quite like a pelham, my cob went well in one, and certainly preferred it, and was lighter in my hands than a snaffle. Keep him in it if he's happy.
 
bumper said:
I'm slightly confused. What's all this "downgrading" business about? Any bit is as strong as the hands that use it. I quite like a pelham, my cob went well in one, and certainly preferred it, and was lighter in my hands than a snaffle. Keep him in it if he's happy.
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This "downgrding" business is me wanting to ride my horse in as mild as bit as possible. Not unusal I feel.

And your saying that a snaffle is the same strength as a pelham? I have to disagree. Your cob was lighter in your hands because the bit is stronger.

He's not happy, this is the point. He's generally on on the snaffle rein but there ARE times I need something stronger to check him back. However, he is too sensitive too the pelham curb now, a gentle check and he protests. I need a "woah steady there" not a "STOP"
 
All my ponies go better in a hanging cheek waterford than anything else the rider has lovely hands and as said already the bit is only as strong as the hands on the rein
Only problem is it isnt dressage legal so we have to switch to a hanging cheek french link for dressage which means we lose the softness. No amount of schooling so far has helped. This pony cut her mouth in a myler twice the first time the bit broke so I paid a small fortune for a new as thought the break had caused the cuts but she only wore it once and the same happened. She did the cuts herself by throwing her head around something she never does in the waterford
 
Any bit is only as strong as the hands on the other end anyway. I'd far rather use a strong bit and only use it when needed, than use a really mild bit and be hauling away on it constantly. FWIW OP, I've had good results with a Waterford too, so give it a try :)
 
You can also put a thick gel pad on curb chain and then put it on looser as padded so it dulls the effect - cheaper option
 
A waterford snaffle should help, also a kimblewick might be worth a try, you could use an elastic/leather curb with it if needed.
 
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