Can you use a waterford snaffle for showing??

[Marigold4]

Off to a show tomorrow on a young inexperienced horse doing a novice showing class. Rules say snaffle bridle only. Tried horse in a waterford a few days ago and it has transformed her! It is not legal for dressage but can I use it for showing?

 

[ester]

no, a waterford is not going to be allowed in a snaffle only class.

 

[Marigold4]

Thank you. I'll change back to the other one then.

 

[piglet2001]

I have shown in a Waterford snaffle at county level. I don’t see a problem and I know plenty of others who do to. It is a ‘snaffle’ and unlike dressage there are no bit checks. At the end of the day if you are riding a 17.2 middleweight hunter in a buzzy atmosphere, breaks and safety are important. The judge wants a nice light ride and not to be tanked around the ring. A lot of novices are now shown in a double bridle.

 

[conniegirl]

Yes you can use a Waterford snaffle in showing.
Showing has no rules on what mouthpiece your snaffle has.

Use what she goes best in.

 

[ester]

For me it was because it says novice, snaffle bridle only. IME that has usually been clarified by including that it means BD listed snaffles only, with wilkies sometimes being the exception (with lots of debate!)

 

[Marigold4]

Okay. Well I think I will stick with the Waterford then. She is very strong, leans on your hands and can tank off. The Waterford is brilliant - I just wiggle my fingers a little and she listens, if she takes hold I can drop her by releasing my contact. Even if we come last cos the judge doesn't like this bit I think we will be better off in this. She's a super horse in the making, but more than a match for my strength and size at the moment and this will be her first show.

 

[AdorableAlice]

My 17.2 novice hunter went out today to do an unaff hunter class in a waterford. Ride judge is a Hoy's judge and was happy, complimenting on how nicely the horse went for his age. The last thing that ride judge who is in his 70's would want is 17.2 and 700kg leaning all over him.

The horse wears a normal snaffle for dressage and is as light as a feather but with a bunch of cantering horses up his backside in an exciting and new atmosphere it is safer to have the waterford on him. It also helped when he saw his first fancy dress class in the collecting ring !

My heavyweight was shown at top level in a wilkie waterford bradoon and this is something you will see routinely on the big horses.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

A snaffle is a snaffle, it doesn't matter what the mouthpiece is! The most important thing is that everyone is safe. What you can't use is a Pelham or double bridle

 

[Marigold4]

My 17.2 novice hunter went out today to do an unaff hunter class in a waterford. Ride judge is a Hoy's judge and was happy, complimenting on how nicely the horse went for his age. The last thing that ride judge who is in his 70's would want is 17.2 and 700kg leaning all over him.

The horse wears a normal snaffle for dressage and is as light as a feather but with a bunch of cantering horses up his backside in an exciting and new atmosphere it is safer to have the waterford on him. It also helped when he saw his first fancy dress class in the collecting ring !

My heavyweight was shown at top level in a wilkie waterford bradoon and this is something you will see routinely on the big horses.

Thank you! That gives me confidence! I will sleep better knowing I can ride her in this. a professional rider who does international SJ classes rode her the other day and said she was very strong and she was surprised I could manage her!

 

[conniegirl]

For me it was because it says novice, snaffle bridle only. IME that has usually been clarified by including that it means BD listed snaffles only, with wilkies sometimes being the exception (with lots of debate!)

I have never seen it clarified that way except for the occasional equitation class.

 

[ester]

my experience is all unaff so that might make a diff.