Interesting article in HH from Carl Hester

[eahotson]

Basically he said we need more supple horses in genuine self carriage and one way in competition he thinks to get this is to follow the young horse comps.In young horse comps they do the give and take of the reins.Carl thinks this should be done in GP as well and suggests on two half circles that all the judges will be able to see.Anyone any opinions?

 

[Orangehorse]

Yes, sounds like a good idea.

I often think that there should be a separate heading called "This Week's Horse and Hound."

 

[YourValentine]

I think its a great idea and I really hope he and Kyra are at the meeting next week and are listened to.

 

[reynold]

Also interesting is this article on some scientific testing of bridle pressure in elite dressage horses.

Double bridles create less pressure than snaffles in elite dressage horses, research finds - Horse & Hound

Double bridles exert less nasal and rein pressure than snaffles, a study involving top competition horses has found. Studies comparing the noseband pressure and rein forces exerted by the two types of bridle were among those presented in a session on biomechanics at the British Equine Veterinary...

www.horseandhound.co.uk

For those that can't read it basically 13 Inter2 and GP dressage horses were scientifically tested for pressure on the bits/reins, noseband and headpiece.

It showed that double bridles created less pressure that snaffle bridles.

So all the 'double cruel, snaffle kind' rhetoric we've been seeing isn't necessarily true. It comes back to the old truism that it's the hands that hold the reins that creates any abuse.

 

[LEC]

Eventing has a lot of stretchy circles/half circles in trot/canter and give and retake. Give and retake tends to disappear past Intermediate level but stretchy circles are at 4/5*.

I think if judges banged horses in the marks everytime they went behind the vertical or dropped the poll it would be a start.

 

[daffy44]

I'm afraid I've never believed the "double is cruel, snaffle is kind" theory, and I wonder if its actually harmful, because if the double is seen as cruel, then allowing the snaffle becomes a welfare rule, rather than a tack rule, and I do wonder if this is one of the reasons the FEI are dragging their feet over it. What I believe is kind is to allow riders the choice to use the bridle that suits their individual horses best, simple as that, one isnt better or worse, its about what the horse prefers. There are horses who settle so much better in a double, with the curb rein hanging in loops, there is something about either the two bits in the mouth, or the curb chain, I dont know, but whatever it is some horses just prefer it, equally there are horses who just hate the double, no matter what bits you use.

To me the cruelty is in forcing a rider to use a bit/bridle that doesnt suit their individual horse, so the choice is what matters, and should be allowed.

 

[daffy44]

Eventing has a lot of stretchy circles/half circles in trot/canter and give and retake. Give and retake tends to disappear past Intermediate level but stretchy circles are at 4/5*.

I think if judges banged horses in the marks everytime they went behind the vertical or dropped the poll it would be a start.

There are still stretchy circles and give and retake at advanced medium, but once you get into the FEI tests, so psg and above it vanishes. I love Carl and Kyra's idea to put these things in the GP, way better than a third trot extension.

 

[catkin]

I'm afraid I've never believed the "double is cruel, snaffle is kind" theory, and I wonder if its actually harmful, because if the double is seen as cruel, then allowing the snaffle becomes a welfare rule, rather than a tack rule, and I do wonder if this is one of the reasons the FEI are dragging their feet over it. What I believe is kind is to allow riders the choice to use the bridle that suits their individual horses best, simple as that, one isnt better or worse, its about what the horse prefers. There are horses who settle so much better in a double, with the curb rein hanging in loops, there is something about either the two bits in the mouth, or the curb chain, I dont know, but whatever it is some horses just prefer it, equally there are horses who just hate the double, no matter what bits you use.

To me the cruelty is in forcing a rider to use a bit/bridle that doesnt suit their individual horse, so the choice is what matters, and should be allowed.

Absolutely agree that each horse is an individual and what works for one doesn't for another.

I had a pony that had some history before I got her as a young mare which manifested itself in not accepting a snaffle bit and whipshyness. A clever young instructor who was working with us suggested trying her in a double - and for the little mare that was the solution. Hardly ever touched the curb, she just felt at home in the double, though in her case I'd guess that the different feel was enough to overcome the bad memories of a snaffle. She was ridden in a double for the rest of her life, and she was a real 'all-rounder'.