Double Bridles

Pigeon

Pigeon

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I want to do some RoR showing with my horse at some point, and they are meant to be ridden in a double bridle (which I imagine he will go quite well in) but I really know nothing about them. :o

I will try and borrow one off somebody and ride with an instructor before attempting anything else, but any info on them much loved. :)

Do people's horses get on okay the first time they wear them, or are they surprised by all the stuff in their mouth? Is it worth long reining in one before riding in it?

The bridoon bit, does that have to be loose ring? I suppose because of the curb bit there is less movement, Pip doesn't like things that rattle :rolleyes:

Any other advice appreciated :D
 
The first time I put a double on my tb - having had him in a show pelham for a few months - he went mental. Ran backwards at the speed of light then reared - I hadn't even picked up my reins at this stage. He has never worn one since.
 
He went in a 3 ring gag before I bought him, so not too worried about the leverage being an issue, just the two mouthpieces.

The only thing with a pelham is I would like to introduce the double for dressage (admittedly a year or two down the line) and it seems a good opportunity to get him used to it.
 
Having had a few off the track tb's that were re-habbed into RC/Dressage horses, I'd try a pelham 1st at home - to get him used to the long shanks - and also the feel of the curb chain & lip-strap. Try to borrow one with a similar mouthpiece and shanks that you would use for the double. (eg: fixed/hinged or sliding cheek & small port etc)

Then I'd intro the double a short while after - if horse is happy and mouthing well in the stable, then work lightly in it at home.

Good luck & hope you have success with trying :)
 
Reg did his stuff in a plain (plastic!) snaffle. Last year it was commented on how refreshing it was to see a horse not put in a double for the sake of it, but instead kept in his snaffle as suitable to how he goes, and the ride judge would have pulled him first...

(this year he was a class A twit, but the fact he was in a snaffle didn't matter again, as he was pulled 8th of 22 despite his awful behavior)
 
Today I tried out a pelham bit for my gypsy cob for the first time, I was told that it would be useful in showing to stop me fiddling with the reigns to get my horse to an outline. Although my horse generally works in an outline, I found the pelham bit extremely useful, as it meant that I didn't need to focus mainly on his outline, I could focus on his bend. The Pelham bit brought his head down into an outline almost effortlessly. I allowed him to get used to the new bit by only using one rein on the bit to start with, then i put the second bit on and after a little bit of adjustment we were ready to go.
 
You can get loosering or eggbutt bradoons. You might also find a fixed cheek rather than a sliding cheek weymouth (with a padded curb guard) would suit.

I've never had anything overreact in a double, though will do a bit of low key hacking in it first to let them get used to it.
 
Generally speaking if your horse is going well in a snaffle then a double shouldn't cause any problems. I always just bung one on and ride tactfully until they tell me they've got it. You can use an eggbutt bradoon, or a Baucher, or indeed any dressage legal mouth piece as a bradoon (with the smaller ring and usually slimmer mouth piece).
 
I put them on in the yard a couple of times before I ride in one, just to get them used to the stuff in their mouth, and give them a piece of apple while they have them in so that they can mouth them and get used to the two bits moving in their mouth. And I just use the Bradoon rein to start off with, then gradually start using the other once they're settled.
 
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