Buying a horse and the bits they are ridden in

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I am currently looking for a new equine friend. Having ridden for many years my horses have always been ridden in snaffles, ranging from Happy Mouth straight bar fulmer to eggbutt.

A horse I am interested in, although quite young, is ridden in a Pelham and has been ridden in a Waterford. Would this put you off? In my mind it conjurs up images of raving looney when he is described as a sweetheart but forward going.

Anyone, can you put my mind at rest, please or enlighten me to the more harsher bits (and I know they are as harsh as the hands that use them but harsher than say a HM straight bar).

He is seven, not young but not particularly old either.

Thank you
 
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Crikey, that would scare me, but on behalf of the horse. What a weird choice of bits for a youngster. It speaks to me of a horse without sufficient education being forced to obey using a harsh bit instead of understanding what is required.

It wouldn't necessarily put me off, but it does imply an awful lot of work to sort it out.
 
Every horse I have bought I have taken back to a loose ring snaffle. I would rather judge the horse for myself than go on what they were ridden in before. If I find them strong then a stronger bit will be used but if not then they will stay in the snaffle.

I would back any baby I have in the future with a sweet iron frenchlink snaffle :)
 
When i was helping a friend look a few years ago at youngsters alot of green 4 year olds were in pelhams i think alot of people use them for a quick fix to get them looking pretty on the bit when in theory they needed to get there balance properly first so they end up leaning alot. She ended up buying an unbacked baby instead so not having to correct somebody elses mess ups.
You could fix it with lots of schooling but it would take time, what would worry me more if theyve rushed that what else had they rushed, i would say dont let it put you off but go into it with your eyes wide open.
 
I bought a horse that went in cheltenham gag, and was quite difficult to ride. He spent so much time fighting and backing off the bit that it actually made it impossible to hold him. he went better in snaffle as their was less arguing so you could actually take a contact and control it. So basically try it and see.
It didn't take an 'awful lot of work' to sort my horse out in that regard.
I think people get trapped in a vicious circle when it comes to bits... Horse is strong, but in a stronger bit... horse fights bit more, so you feel less in control, so try stronger bit/ noseband etc... horse fight more... and so on.
Sometimes going back to something which doesn't start an argument is the way forward. :)
 
We usually change the bit they come with, and then often change them again when we have worked with them for a while. My mare came with a single jointed dutch gag (ridden with only one rein :eek:) ,swapped it for a french link snaffle, then a myler comfort snaffle. She is now usually ridden in a myler highported pelham, she has a hanging cheek mullen mouth snaffle for dressage and I have a cambridge mouthpiece rugby pelham for smart showing :).
 
I think you can but try, if you think the horse is not too strong in the combination they are using then you can always work down from it, if you still find it strong... well, you'd have to consider whether you have the skills to address the schooling that will be needed.

Lots of people use stronger bits as a sort of safety blanket, and plenty of people use them for fashion (especially pelhams I have seen) or just because the horse happens to go better in it, they're not necessarily doing the wrong thing although its not unlikely ;-)
 
Whilst some may need an extra strong bit there are many more that are put in Pelhams because they 'look better' like smart Alloys on a car - not needed but adds 'bling'. We have a new one on the yard like this - 5 yo - doesnt need a strong bit and works well on the leg - fortunately the yo has a good rider working with him for the owner with view to downgrade the bit. Xx
 
It wouldnt worry me I would just try something else, I think so many horses are ridden in bits they are not totally happy with anyway, a friend of mine was having head flipping problems from her cob, he was only in a fulmer french link snaffle, so I lent her my happy mouth straight bar his a different horse, I do think most horses prefer straight bits over jointed or links.
 
zoelouisem said:
When i was helping a friend look a few years ago at youngsters alot of green 4 year olds were in pelhams i think alot of people use them for a quick fix to get them looking pretty on the bit when in theory they needed to get there balance properly first so they end up leaning alot. She ended up buying an unbacked baby instead so not having to correct somebody elses mess ups.
You could fix it with lots of schooling but it would take time, what would worry me more if theyve rushed that what else had they rushed, i would say dont let it put you off but go into it with your eyes wide open.
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Pelhams don't necessarily have to be a 'quick fix'. My mare is in one using double reins as I find in a eggbutt I have to be pretty strong with her to get her listening. In the pelham almost all the time we simply use the snaffle rein but if she does start pulling on me then I can touch the curb rein and she comes back nicely with no argument, no pulling and no rough handling of her mouth, I can be much, much softer in my hands with her. I have also found that it's working really well at helping her to learn to balance herslef (she's pretty green) and as her schooling comes on, she learns to hold herself then the plan is to go back to a normal eggbut. As everything, yes it can just be slapped on as a quick fix but pelhams and similar can be very useful as a training aid.
 
I would advise you try the horse out as many times as you can. Ask if you can hack it in company, somewhere you can canter, ride in open field, ride in school etc and on different days and times. I know if a young horse fitting the description that is just forward and in a Pelham because mainly ridden by a teenager lacking confidence.
It could be that the horse is strong in some situations...only way to find out is by trying it out.

It wouldn't put me off...the pony I know is gorgeous and has worked brilliantly in a snaffle when I have given the rider lessons, but he has the Pelham day to day for general work. Rider is small and better to have breaks than not have them. A bigger stronger rider wouldn't need a stronger bit.

Where are you?
 
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