Pelhams

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samleigh

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I've owned my new horse for 3 mnths, the flat work is coming on fab, but the jumping is going down hill..had a lesson yesterday with my trainer, who had to persuade me to stay on him! He was dipping out at the last min, fixed that, so he then moved on to head up in the air and bucking and refusing to stop after the fence, fixed that with a tighter martingale, so he then went back to type and hurdled everything flat out (ex racer) I just had no breaks he's ridden in a french link snaffle. I felt he was taking me jumping not the other way round!
My trainer changed his bit to a rubber pelham and curb, wow control at last and we finished the lesson with a lovely clear round! I just feel the pelham is a bit extreme, I have soft hands and have ridden for 30yrs plus I hope I wouldn't do him any harm but he's just taking the mick at Jumping. Whats other peoples experience of Pelhams.
 
i use one xc and hacking with my exracer fr ast 6 months i have soft hands works great for him very responcive dont pull unless u have to xx hes in a snaffle fir jumping and flat though x
 
i use a straight metal pelham for jumping and hacking and sometimes schooling. he goes well in it, i have breaks and control and i only have to be soft with my hands where as in a snaffle... well i would have no control at all jumping or galloping out on hacks :o there is a place for them. if you only use it for jumping then there really is no problem :) Taz really likes his pelham, probably one of the only bits he has ever settled with. he likes it so i have no problem with using it
 
^^^ What amymay said.:) (I do sometimes get a bit irritated with the Snaffle Mafia ie 'Every horse should go in a loose ring/eggbutt snaffle for every situation/discipline or else you are a crap rider and/or haven't schooled it enough'. Gosh,horses and bitting are often so much more complicated than that! (I have a lovely little,neat Neue Schule Pelham and use it sometimes for show jumping away from home/exciting situations(!) and it's fab.)
 
Thanks guys will see how it goes, he was rather shocked when I tried him in it, but such a relief for me, we'd tried the stopping after the fence to get him listening, the school just isn't long enough! He's trying me out according to my trainer, I just don't like to think my horse would be so mean LOL after all I do for him :D!
 
samleigh said:
I've owned my new horse for 3 mnths, the flat work is coming on fab, but the jumping is going down hill..had a lesson yesterday with my trainer, who had to persuade me to stay on him! He was dipping out at the last min, fixed that, so he then moved on to head up in the air and bucking and refusing to stop after the fence, fixed that with a tighter martingale, so he then went back to type and hurdled everything flat out (ex racer) I just had no breaks he's ridden in a french link snaffle. I felt he was taking me jumping not the other way round!
My trainer changed his bit to a rubber pelham and curb, wow control at last and we finished the lesson with a lovely clear round! I just feel the pelham is a bit extreme, I have soft hands and have ridden for 30yrs plus I hope I wouldn't do him any harm but he's just taking the mick at Jumping. Whats other peoples experience of Pelhams.
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A bit is only as harsh as the hands on the reins so a mild mouth piece being pulled and hauled on is harsher than a stronger mouth piece being gently used. You can consider using double reins and then you only use the curb if you need it and try an elastic or leather curb 'chain' rather than a chain one. I recently switched my mare to a pelham and am amazed at the difference.
 
With horses particularily when jumping I am a big believer in doing what works so if the Pelham is working use it and enjoy .
But now and again I would try the snaffle and see how it goes horses change so do their Bitting needs.
 
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