TO pelham or not to pelham (that is the question)

[Agent XXX999]

Sorry for this bitting post....

I have posted before about me horses bits - and I am still having an issue.

Basically, because as a 3 year old the idiot breaking him clumped his jaw shut tight (so he got an abcess in his mouth and scars on his nose where the circulation was stopped) he is a bit funny with being bitted - espeially with jointed bits.

I was advised on this forum to try him in a straight bar rubber snaffle, which he is OK in a[art from he needs a flash (which he isnt keen on) or he goes round with his gob open.

He still goes wonderfully in a pelham - I think because as it is stromger I ride with significantly less contatct (which I have tried in the snaffle and it just does not work)

Basically, I need to know 2 things.

What do I do, in general, as I want to compete intro eventing next year so need to sort the snafle palava out...

ALSO...I have got a clinic with Emile somoneorother next weekend, do I take him in the pelham and have a good lesson, or battle it out in a snafle which is what I did in my last lesson and I felt like I learnt nothing)

Help please !

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[lucylemon]

id say if he goes better in a pelham and likes the pelham go in that

hope this helps

 

[clipertyplop]

pelham if he goes well in it why try to fix somthing that isnt broken.......back in the olden days ***cough****we probably only had the choice of 2 bits one would be an eggbut snaffle the other would be a straight bar pelham and if you were realy posh you had a vulcanite pelham with roundings

 

[0]

[ QUOTE ]
pelham if he goes well in it why try to fix somthing that isnt broken.......

[/ QUOTE ]

because he can't do dressage in the pelham!

I'd go for the snaffle.... if you want to do any dressage then he is going to have to be ridden in one so you may as well get him going nicely in it sooner rather than later.

 

[Tia]

How about trying a hanging cheek snaffle? Or try to get a straight bar baucher made up?

 

[Marnie]

This place is great Fylde Saddlery - they will make bits to order, I had a ported mullen mouth snaffle made up - it cost me £40, but the service was excellent.

 

[Taboo1968]

I agree with Jem1 ..... go in the snaffle and explain the issues you are having..... Its all very well saying if it aint broke dont fix it, but if you want to do dressage and eventing at that level, you need to get this snaffle things sorted.... Have you tried any of the Myler bits? Worked for me with one certain horse!

 

[EBW]

Your issue is not the bit!!!

Your horse is desperately trying to tell you something - either there is a problem in his mouth (I wonder why the original owner felt the need to clamp his mouth shut?), he doesn't fully understand your commands through the rein or your hands are not giving a clear aid / release.

I have retrained hundreds of horses with this sort of problem and it really is quite easy to resolve (believe it or not).

I would recommend that your vet has a good look at his mouth. There may be more than just teeth problems. I had a lecture with a top equine dentist and he was explaining that if a horse suffers from discomfort in the mouth when you apply the rein aid, the horse cannot think clearly about what you are asking him to do. Instead he is thinking about the discomfort. I thought this was a very interesting point. Also, if you have a good look at a horses skull (lower jaw) you will notice that it is much narrower than you would expect therefore if the teeth are sharp the tongue really has no where to go if you have clamped his mouth with a nose band.

If all discomfort is ruled out then you need to look at how you are training him. I can ride a Novice - Elementary level dressage test bridleless simply because the communication comes from your body. Rein aids are there to refine. It may be a good idea to start off on the ground with some excercises. Natural horsemanship will allow you to solve this problem in no time. Then you can enjoy your other lessons and events.

I would use the Pelham if it makes your horse more comfortable.


I'd love to give you some more information. Please email me offline on: truly . naturalhorsemanship @ yahoo . co . uk (without the spaces).

Hope that helps a little.
EBW

 

[mrdarcy]

Heather Moffett (enlightenedequitation.com) is a huge advocate of pelhams. I have my new horse in one at the moment (a Myler one) and will ride him in that only changing to a dressage legal Myler (same mouthpiece but a baucher) when I want to compete.

Don't forget snaffle bits were originally introduced for uneducated grooms to exercise their masters horses who would always otherwise be ridden in a double. Many horses resent the action of a snaffle but immediately understand what the action of a pelham is asking them to do (relax the jaw and give at the poll). The snaffle confuses many horses as it's action is vague and this often leads to resistence or evasions, which in turn leads to people strapping mouths shut with flashes and evil crank nosebands!

If your horse is happy in a pelham then I'd stick with that but be prepared for Emile (Faurie I presume) to comment.

 

[RunToEarth]

But pelhams are not dressage legal are they?

what happens if you want to compete in this discipline? I had a really old sashioned type noseband on Murph, who was dead set against crank and flash nosebands, but he worked well in this, sorry I dontknow its name

He is a hunter so doesnt do dressage, I dont know whether you can use this type of noseband for it.It is low and attatches to the bit. Here is a pic of him in it,if anyone can identify it:

 

[MillionDollar]

Is it a Kineton noseband?

 

[conniegirl]

have you tried a fenchlink snaffle? One of mine has a tempertantrum with single jointed snaffles and chucks his head round like there is no tommorow whilst opening his mouth refusing to work at all, I Put him in a french link and he settled beautifully, but he still prefers his pelham and always works much better in his pelham.

 

[Agent XXX999]

EBW... I do think in this instance it is a bitting problem. I give clear and consice instructions to all of the other horses I ride with snaffles in, so I dont think it is me...or surely I would have a problem riding the others? Well done for riding a dressage test bitless - I too can do this - indeed I ride him in a hackamore occasionally.
Unfortunately you would have a job getting past the dressage judges as for some reason a snaffle is the only thing you can ride in.... also - I have had his mouth checked and he is fine. The old owner clamped his mouth shut because he was an arrogant little morph who only thinks of himself and not the horse.

To everyone else - THANKS! I find it really frustrating that he goes so well in a pelham and I am being forced to upset the balance by trying to find him a suitable snaffle. Tia - do you happen to know if hanging cheek snaffles are dressage legal? I too thought of this as an option but I am not sure if it is going to be legal.

Also - how do you know what myler bits to use?

 

[KatB]

Yes hanging cheeks are dressage legal and offer a small amount of poll pressure and reduce the pressure on the mouth, so are a popular option. As far as Mylers are concerned, Gills bit bank are very helpful and specialise in them!

 

[conniegirl]

yes hanging cheeks are dressage legal.
i would of recommended a magicbit (dont know it by any other name) but they arnt dressage legal however it may be something to try as a stepping stone.

 

[Foxford]

I would keep going with the pelham and then when your problems are sorted go back to the snaffle. Often if you go up in bit strength you can come down again in a couple of weeks/months. I went snaffle - dutch gag - pelham - snaffle with my mare! All sorted now, and a pleasure to ride!!

 

[mrdarcy]

This place is also good for Mylers:

http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/index.php/cPath/153?osCsid=ace98db379cf2204357397c6a1609b0c

They do a hire service so you can try the bit out but if it isn't suitable you can send it back. I got my hanging cheek mullen mouth Myler from them recently. Excellent service

 

[Skhosu]

what abouyt a myler? My boy has being really heavy in my hand in a french link, so I tried a myler and both of us love it! He still resists when jumping, but I believe it is because he is so excited by it and I now have control. Plus it's well designed!