Sam Marsh pelham?.

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rema

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Good evening to you all!.Does/has any body use this bit for showing?.It says it is good for strong horses that lean.Does it work?.My lad is shown in a Happy mouth pelham but is getting abit stronger and does tend to lean.Is the Sam Marsh a harsh bit?.Thankies!.
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My friend uses one on her cob. Think I'd be inclided to try a rugby pelham with a metal mouth piece 1st, as seems quite a jump to go from a happy mouth to a sam marsh to me.
 
Thats what i wasent sure about!.I wont jump from a happy mouth into a severe bit.He is happy in his bit but does lean.I tried him in a Rugby pelham and he leaned even more!.He is only ever ridden in a loose ring snaffle and a waterford for hunting.So i dont want to stick a mouthfull of metal in his mouth.But looking at the Sam Marsh closer there is a fair bit of metel work there isent there!.
 
There is and the Mouthpiece is quite a broad flat plate, which swivels, so potentially could exert quite a lots of pressure on the bars of the mouth, in addition to the poll and curb action. That said a bit is only a severe as the hand on the end of the reins. I have to say my friend mare (HW Cob) does go beautifully and light in it. She is normally schooled in a hanging cheek french link snaffle, with a Mexican noseband and hacked in a kimblewick.
 
I probably should have added, I show my mare in a Rugby Pelham with a Lozenge mouth piece as she leans on any bit with a straight mouth piece.
 
A double gives you the refinement that a pelham doesn't offer. If your horse goes well in a snaffle you can just ride on the snaffle rein (which raises the head), but the curb rein can give a reminder if they get strong or lean. I always start off with trying a double, when a horse gets on with it there is such precision with it it's fantastic.

The type of cheeks of a pelham (rugby, normal, show etc,) are less important than the mouthpiece, although the sam marsh and swales have cheeks that really do affect the function of the bit. High ports tend to help with leaning horses, so I'd go for one of them if a double doesn't suit. I've got no personal experience with the sam marsh, but it does seem to be the "in" bit at the moment!
 
The Rugby Pelham is a much sharper bit than a double. We've never used a sam marsh, but it appears to be used on the stronger horses with good effect. I rode a horse that leaned a few years ago and he was much better with a twisted bradoon as part of his double bridle.
 
When I ordered a Sam Marsh for a customer, the salesperson at Abbey, asked me if my customer had good hands, as this bit is very good for an experianced rider with gentle hands, but not suitable for a novice or intermediate rider, I had to convince him that my customer is a very experianced dressage rider, who also shows working hunters.
 
A Sam Marsh Pelham is an excellent bit especially in a cob with a fleshy tongue. Remember that a bit is only as strong as the hands that use it.
 
Hi

I used a sam marsh on my very strong cob and she went beautifully in it, I have just recently bought a very strong hw cob and as is the usual small mouth large tongue, but I have always found that because the mouthpiece is flat it site more confortably in the mouth and cobs are clever they have respect for it - and dont forget a bit is only as severe as the riders hands
 
We use one. It looks horrific, but there is little or no poll action, it's all in the curb. So I actually believe in the right hands it's not too severe.

It works really well on my HW hunter.
 
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