Can somobody explain pelhams... ?

wondergirl

wondergirl

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My RI has suggested that as a temporary measure, i try a pelham on my mare when hacking out because she becomes super strong in winter and I have trouble slowing her down in the gag I normally ride her in.

Can somebody explain how a pelham works and how it differs from the gag? Also, what difference does a jointed/straight bar one have? :confused:
 
A pelham should be ridden on double reins in order to be most effective - roundings "numb" the effect and make it impossible to deliver refined instructions. If your gag is a dutch gag and is on the bottom ring, it should be being used with roundings or on double reins anyway. However it could be another gag? I'll wait for the added details :)
The snaffle rein acts as a standard snaffle really - on the tongue and the corners of the lips. The curb rein applies poll pressure which is the "slow down" cue.
The difference in mouthpieces is the jointed applies a nutcracker action and is considered more 'severe'.

When your mare gets strong, how is it that she gets away from you? Ie does she snatch the bit, set her neck, put her head down, take hold of the bit etc etc?

Is it a dutch gag you are using at the minute? What ring is it on?
:)
 
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I use a dutch gag (3 ring gag) and I have it on the second ring at the moment.
I can slow her down with it, but if she tanks off, it doesnt 'stop' her. She will stop she SHE is ready, but the gag helps slow her down.
She tends to pull down when she takes off, and ignores me asking her to stop.
 
If she pulls down in a three ring gag she will possibly go overbent and plough ahead anyway, borrow a bit to try.

I have never heard of using roundings on a gag....thats why they have three rings although I do like two reins with the bottom ring one for emergency use.

A gag tends to raise the horses head and a pelham to lower it, both produce poll pressure, the gag produces leverage on the lips and a pelham also works on the curb groove...an accupressure point. Tongue/bar presssure varies with the mouthpiece in both bits

A jointed pelham is a strange beast and doesn't function at all in a conventional way unless the curb chain is incredibly tight, having said that a lot of strong horses go very well in them.
 
I would go for a change of mouthpiece rather than a change of bit. Sounds like she grabs the mouthpiece a bit, I would try a waterford snaffle...you can hire them from a site called thehorsebitbank or something.
However it is primarily a schooling issue, practice transitions and such like with your RI :)
 
Midnight_Ashes said:
I would go for a change of mouthpiece rather than a change of bit. Sounds like she grabs the mouthpiece a bit, I would try a waterford snaffle...you can hire them from a site called thehorsebitbank or something.
However it is primarily a schooling issue, practice transitions and such like with your RI :)
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My RI said that she doesnt normally advise people to change their bit, but it might help in my case.

I hack out in a gag, but school in a hanging cheek. They are both jointed bits. What mouthpiece would you recommend?
 
eml said:
I have never heard of using roundings on a gag....thats why they have three rings although I do like two reins with the bottom ring one for emergency use.
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Roundings (or double reins) should be used if the bottom ring is needed :)

ADD: Look up waterford mouthpieces :)
 
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Roundings on acontinental gag will produce exactly the same result as using the middle ring.

You do not use two reins on a gag for the same purpose as a double or pelham.

With a double or less effectively pelham you use one rein to lower the head (curb action) and the other rein to raise the head (snaffle action).

With gag (continental or english) you ride normally off one rein attached to the snaffle action and only bring the gag rein into play if required. In a lot of cases you would use the gag rein knotted on the horses neck.
 
eml said:
A jointed pelham is a strange beast and doesn't function at all in a conventional way unless the curb chain is incredibly tight, having said that a lot of strong horses go very well in them.
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Agree completely, apart from I don't know any horses that go well in them, but then, I don't know any strong horses ;)

I'd be tempted to try a small port in the mouth piece, I think most horses find this type of mouth piece comfortable and go well in them.
 
Going a bit OT but we have two uses for jointed pelhams. For one incredibly brave, lock on an take you, jumping mare it is the difference between having some and no control....don't know why.... it just works with leather curb.

We also use them at the the other end of the scale for showhorses that really don't like curb action. A jointed show pelham with a loose elastic curb looks the part but does not give a heavy handed ride judge anything to get hold of!!
 
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