Preferred mouthpiece for rugby Pelham?

Jaimo

Jaimo

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Calling all bitting and showing experts:

Horse always been ridden in french-link snaffle, and I want to see how he goes in a rugby pelham for showing this season.

I would use the rugby pelham with a sliphead and a leather curb.

As I don't have a rugby pelham yet, but do have a vulcanite ordinary pelham, I tried him in this for the first time. He was happy in this (with two reins, going v easy on 'curb rein' like you do in a double bridle).

My question is: do you think I should get a rugby pelham with French-link mouthpiece like his snaffle bridle has, or a straight bar? I've read that when you have a jointed mouthpiece on a bit like a Pelham with 'shanks', it can make it severe and interfere with the palate/make the curb chain put pressure on the wrong place?

What do you find your horses suit? He is a 16.1hh ID/TB.

Advice appreciated!
 
Why do you want to use a Rugby if your horse is going well in a Vulcanite Pelham? If you want something a little more discrete try a happy mouth? Rugby Pelhams fool nobody if you are concerned about the 'look' of the thing. It's far more important for your horse to go in a settled manner, & to give the judge a good ride.
Alternatively you could just try a double bridle & see how he settles in that.
 
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If he's happy in a vulcantie pelham, then why not use that?

A jointed bit will mean that the curb chain doesn't work as its meant to.

Personally, I hate rugby pelhams - I think they look messy!
 
Thank you - if a vulcanite pelham isn't too much of a 'sin' in the ring then it saves me getting a new bit for now! I thought he might find it a bit of a mouthful but wasn't too bad. I suppose next most similar thing in metal is a mullenmouth pelham?

Spread the word about being cautious with jointed pelhams - I had no idea how much it changed the action until today.
 
Any pelham with a jointed mouthpiece is a waste of time!

The moment you use the reins the curb chain slackens and you have a 'dutch gag' type bit.

If you are using a curb chain you need a mouthpiece with no joint, then you get the refining action of the poll pressure and the relaxation of the jaw through the tightening of the curbchain.

A rugby looks far better for showing in as it looks so like a double bridle.
 
Can I suggest all those who think a jointed Pelham doesn't work and slackens the curb chain actually look at one on a horse. They certainly don't have a Dutch gag effect - the Dutch gag has a head raising action, the jointed Pelham does not.

If you have the curb fitted correctly, it doesn't slacken as you use the rein, it works as usual. The horse's bottom jaw is solid you see, so it rather limits how close the two sides of the bit can get, and anyway, the pull on the reins is back towards the saddle, not a pull which brings the sides of the bit together.

I XC in one and it baffles me as to how many people tell me it doesn't work as a Pelham. If it worked like a Dutch gag, then I suspect I would have ears up my nose and precisely no control xc much as I do in a Dutch gag, which was the bit the horse was in previously.
 
P1040503.jpg


piccy of the show pelham

my boy is not looking too impressed as I had just sat on him side saddle with my apron for the first time.
 
I've used a Rugby pelham in the past but agree that it did look a little fussy on my pony. Always with a ported mouthpiece by the way.

I use an ordinary pelham for my Irish Draught. He prefers the ported mouthpiece but still goes quite well in a mullen mouth pelham.
 
SpottedCat said:
Can I suggest all those who think a jointed Pelham doesn't work and slackens the curb chain actually look at one on a horse. They certainly don't have a Dutch gag effect - the Dutch gag has a head raising action, the jointed Pelham does not.

If you have the curb fitted correctly, it doesn't slacken as you use the rein, it works as usual. The horse's bottom jaw is solid you see, so it rather limits how close the two sides of the bit can get, and anyway, the pull on the reins is back towards the saddle, not a pull which brings the sides of the bit together.

I XC in one and it baffles me as to how many people tell me it doesn't work as a Pelham. If it worked like a Dutch gag, then I suspect I would have ears up my nose and precisely no control xc much as I do in a Dutch gag, which was the bit the horse was in previously.
Click to expand...

I have seen it in action and studied it carefully - the physics of bits is a pet subject of mine. As soon as the rein is used the bit folds and the rings move backwards, slackening the curb chain. There may be a point when the chain will eventually tighten as it rides up the jawbone - this will depend on how tight the chain was done up. With a jointed pelham it certainly does not stay in the chin groove.

Many people attach the curb chain incorrectly causing a lot of discomfort to the horse in the process. It should be brought through the ring which places it in the chin groove and prevents it pinching the lips between chain and rings and riding up onto the jawbone.
Pelhamchainthroughring.jpg
 
I have taken advice and looked at 'show' pelhams and agree they are neat, come with a low port for tongue room and the loose ring might give a nice feel on the 'bradoon' rein.

Can't see from pictures if they tend to have a loop for a lipstrap to go through though?

Does this type of show pelham need a sliphead, or can it be used with snaffle bridle too?
 
Erin said:
Not a 'sin' in the slightest!



Doesn't look anything like a double bridle!!!!! The 'snaffle' ring sits too far back away from the mouth!

DSC01607.jpg
curbchain.jpg


See the difference?
Click to expand...

Yes - do see the difference which would be far less if the slip head had been fitted at the correct length - also on the correct side too. A double would be far prefered but sometimes we can't have the perfect world.
 
Jaimo said:
I have taken advice and looked at 'show' pelhams and agree they are neat, come with a low port for tongue room and the loose ring might give a nice feel on the 'bradoon' rein.

Can't see from pictures if they tend to have a loop for a lipstrap to go through though?

Does this type of show pelham need a sliphead, or can it be used with snaffle bridle too?
Click to expand...

Hi there

I'm not sure if you can see on my earlier pic, but I used a lip strap - there is a loop. I also used it like a double and had a slip head, although it basically is a loose ring pelham so you wouldn't need one. It just looks more like a double with it.


here is another photo. I used a leather curb chain as it was his first time with it.
P1040608.jpg

Cx
 
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Sorry can't help with the OP's question, but can add that when I was advised to purchase a jointed pelham for my mare, it was because when using the curb rein, the mouthpiece could rotate slightly and would have a slight dr bristol effect as the flat link in the middle would turn and provide me with some more control.
I found it to be much more effective with my mare than a vulcanite pelham. However my mum's cob hated the jointed pelham, yet goes very well in the vulcanite.
 
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