Probably a rather stupid question but im going to ask it anyway.......

[Arniebear]

ive had bit issues with my lad for jumping and have found he goes alot nicer in a pelham with double reins, its a stainless steel straight bar pelham but he tends to shake his head (only when putting the birdle on, not when im riding) so im thinking perhaps go for a rubber pelham, slightly less metal in his mouth might just make him a bit happier (his teeth have been checked all fine!)

i have to give the pelham im currently using back to its owner anyway so need to buy one

here comes the stupid question!!!

whats the difference in a hard rubber pelham and a felixible rubber pelham??????? i know the hard rubber is metal coated in rubber and the flexible is pure rubber, but its there any difference in the strength??? which one would you prefer to use and why???

or do i just buy one exactly like the one im currently borrowing????


i have rolos on offer or you can steal some of the beasts extra strong mints if you prefer

Thanks

 

[MrsMozart]

Try something like the Vulcanite rubber. Solid, so similar to what you have, just not metal.

 

[Arniebear]

Thanks MrsMozart

im currently on my ebay search!!

 

[Littlelegs]

Does he shake his head when you try him with a different bit? Just wondered if its ear plaques or something else causing him to shake when bridling, rather than the bit.

 

[Kiristamm]

Hard rubber has some give in the mouthpiece, vulcanite doesn't give, and soft rubber is flexible (it is rubber over a metal cable). I find the soft rubber great for kids riding my tank of a pony, the give and flexibility in the mouthpiece stops him from getting socked in the teeth, but the poll and curb action gets his attention.

There is a real difference in the action on the mouth of the three bits. If you can, Try the rubber ones first as you might not get the response and action you want.

 

[pip6]

Think happy mouth also do a pelham. Not rubber, but much warmer than metal.

 

[zaminda]

The only problem I have found with rubber and happy mouth bits, is that sometimes they are thicker and therefore horses don't like them. Not always but sometimes. I would def look at ebay, or try to borrow a rubber one first.

 

[Waffles]

You could try and English hackamore - the action is quite similar to a curb rein.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

Think happy mouth also do a pelham. Not rubber, but much warmer than metal.

I use the happy mouth pelham, its a nice bit

 

[Arniebear]

thanks for all the replies guys, im seeing if i can borrow or buy a cheapish rubber one to try

Kiristamm: thanks will deffo be trying before buying to make sure he still rides the same!

littlelegs: he doesnt really shake his head he sort of flicks his nose, if that makes sense, he does it when you do his grackel up, as soon as your on board he stops it, i always thought he just didnt fancy having his trap shut with his grackel because onces its done up and your on hes fine, he also flicks his nose when your off and trying to undo said grackel!
but as he also doing it with this pelham (hes in a cavasson noseband not his grackel with the pelham!) im thinking perhaps its a bit too much metal in his mouth hence why im thinking of a rubber or happy mouth one! i dont need to pull hard to get brakes with the pelham he respects the bit nicely and he generally has a soft mouth, i dont want to harden it up by using a metal bit if he rides the same in a rubber/ happy mouth one.

he doesnt head shake/nose flick in a gag that i used to jump him in, but the brakes werent that good!! hence the change to the pelham

thanks for the help

 

[Kokopelli]

Sounds like he isn't keen on grackle not so much the bit. I had the same with my lad he didn't like that flash so shook his head when doing it up so I took it off and not had a problem.

If you really can't do without make sure you do it up slowly like you would the girth and don't just do it really tight quickly.

I also found the myler pelham excellent if you google 'horse bit shop' a website comes up where you can hire the bits to try them.