Just to clarify, I know people often ride with just one pair of reins but is it also correct / acceptable to ride with two pairs, so that you can ride directly on the snaffle if you do not need to exert extra force?
I think you can (?). I am sure when I was in pony club (many moons ago) and the dutch gag was a 'new' bit, we weren't allowed to use one rein we had to have roundings or double reins.
Thank you all - I thought it was good practice to use two but a colleague with more knowledge than me suggested otherwise and I could find nothing to state either way in my books.