showing poll

[parsley]

I''m just interested in what you do for in-hand classes - I took my boy in today wearing a pelham with two reins and at the end of the class the judge gave everyone a few tips on showing and one of them was that it was nice to wear an in-hand bridle. The type of bridle we wore wouldn't have made any difference - he still would have trotted up like a donkey on an off day

 

[rema]

Well i cannot vote because i dont have a in hand bridle and i dont show in his normal bridle but do show in his show bridle.

 

[MillionDollar]

Mine wears a proper in-hand bridle, but i would show in-hand in an ordinary bridle. Also it depends what classes you're doing.

 

[parsley]

I think I've got that

Whats the difference between your normal bridle and your showing bridle?

 

[parsley]

Thanks - I hadn't realised. What classes should you/shouldn't you wear an ordinary bridle?

 

[rema]

Hehehe.My showing bridle is a heavyweight stamp bridle..2 1/2 inch noseband and 1 1/4 inch cheeks and browband.My working bridle is a normal off the peg affair.My lad has a quite common head with a slight roman nose so i like to hide as much of it as i can.

ETS the first piccy in my siggy is my working bridle the pic of in hand is my huntweight bridle.

 

[Seahorse]

I have always believed it was only correct to show youngstock in an in-hand bridle and for older horses you use a normal bridle and pelham with 2 reins or a double

So in fact you were right and the judge was wrong!

 

[parsley]

The show bridle does look very nice on

Thinking about it the in-hand bridle my boy came with is really thick, wide leather so I suppose it does the same job

 

[FMM]

Generally, if a horse is old enough to be ridden, then it would wear a "normal" bridle - i.e. double/pelham. Things are slightly different for some of the specialist breeds i.e. welsh and arabs, but for local shows and riding horse/hunter type classes, then it is rare to see horses over 4 years old wearing in hand bridles. Often at local shows the judges are not as experienced as they may think they are!

 

[parsley]

[ QUOTE ]
Often at local shows the judges are not as experienced as they may think they are!

[/ QUOTE ]

I think hes quite experienced (not 100% certain though) and he may have only been referring to some of the entrants as it was an open in hand class with only a few big horses in it

 

[virtual]

Was it a mixed age class? As FMM says, the usual rule is inhand bridle for 3 and under, ridden bridle for 4 and over. If you look through the photos of showing champions (in hunters/riding horses/riding ponies etc) in H&H this is what you'll see.

Some people can be very experienced in one area of equestrianism (or one area of showing) and not quite so experienced in others, but still be a good judge of a horse (which is the main thing). It's a shame that he's fueling the myth that everyone needs to go and buy an inhand bridle for their over 4s when it's not true.

 

[Emily99]

I voted inhand bridle... but i only show youngstock.

Riding bridles are for 3/4yr olds up.

 

[Dovorian]

It depends on the class - I would not show an in hand hunter 3yo in an inhand bridle!