silly question

[Hemirjtm]

hi everyone, i'm new here and i have a bit of a silly question but here goes.....

When i bort my horse, a year ago, i was told by his previous owner that arabs can't 'wear' bits with a link in the beause the roof of their mouths are too low...is this true??

I currently ride my horse in a pelham, but am wanting to change it as he doesnt appreciate the curb chain, and has never done

When I first got him, i rode him in a kimblewick but he kept sticking his head up in the air and wouldn't respond to anything, but since i changed he has become a lot better, but he still doesn't like the curb chain

Can anyone help?? Should I change his bit or continue with a pelham?

Thank-you

 

[CrazyMare]

You could change the curb chain to a leather or elastic curb which softens the action

 

[Hemirjtm]

I didnt realise you could do that,

i may try it, thankyou

 

[not_with_it]

I would exepiment with different bits, you will find 1 that suits him.

 

[Happytohack]

It is true that Arabs can have a low roof to their mouths, in which case they don't like the nutcracker action of an eggbutt snaffle. I had an Arab for many years and rode him in a jointed rubber D snaffle (no nutcracker action) and also rode him in bitless bridle. There are many, many Arabs competing in endurance and many of these are ridden in jointed bits - it is just a case of finding what suits yours. Remember that Arabs are very sensitive, so the lighter hands you have, the better.

 

[Hemirjtm]

Thankyou

yes i have discovered that my horse has a sensitive mouth (he is an arab x french trotter), but im not sure what sort of bits i should try, and i don't know if trying to ride him in a bitless bridle would suit him or not, he is very strong....would a bitless bridle work?

 

[not_with_it]

[ QUOTE ]
exepiment

[/ QUOTE ]

meant experiment

 

[SummerStorm]

Some bitless bridles can be very severe I think although I've never used one myself...

 

[fizzer]

my arab is the same, i use a lozenge pelham with a leather curb

 

[Hemirjtm]

ok, I would like to try one but im not sure how he would react

(a bitless bridle)

 

[Hemirjtm]

[ QUOTE ]
my arab is the same, i use a lozenge pelham with a leather curb

[/ QUOTE ]

what does a lozenge pelham look like please?

 

[KatB]

Hiya, as you say you want to event him, you will need to get him going in a snaffle for the dressage phase! A french link type mouthpiece, or something with two joints will prevent the nutcracker action that horses with a low palate find uncomfortable! If he likes the action of the pelham, but just objects to the curb I would try a hanging cheek snaffle which gives a little poll pressure, with a lozenged mouthpiece.

Something like this!

 

[Hemirjtm]

thankyou, im not sure if the rules are the same in France (they must be!) but yes i do need to get him in a snaffle, and i hope i will have enough controle.... when he wants to be he can be very strong, but doing dressage, he is very well behaved!

thankyou for your help, I think he likes the Pelham, not sure - i havnt asked him! One time i forgot to do the curd chain up properly and halfway round our ride it fell of, I got down to look for it but couldn't find it, SO for the rest of the ide we walked!! but he was very light in my hand, carried his head well, like when we do dressage....on a hack i dont ask for him to go on the bit.

 

[loobylu]

My old chestnut arab went nicely in a nathe french-link snaffle. she was sensitve and seemed to appreciate the bit. If I wanted something a bit more exact for XC then I used a ss french link.

 

[Hemirjtm]

thanks