Having only ever really ridden horses in snaffle bits I'm a bit unsure about using a pelham.
Paddy goes in a neue schule baucher lozenge happily enough but there is always some evasion, head in my face or shaking. This invariably settles down but he can be strong and fights against a consistant contact. Now for the couple of shows we did last year I put him in pelham with double reins and left the curb rein loose. He did seem to prefer it immensely but I swapped him back to the snaffle as I was worried about creating a false outline and being as I wanted to have a shot at some dressage over the winter so needed him to go nicely in a snaffle.
I decided to try him in his pelham again tonight just for a change, and the difference in him is amazing. Now I am by no means a great rider and I tend to leave his mouth alone but he went into self carriage (correct phrase?) and I felt I had the "cotton thread" contact. He felt so different like his back had risen and he was responding to my seat and voice aids. His ears were pricked and he just seemed so much happier. We have problems cantering as he falls in and and I struggle to correct this and he hollows and rushes and then falls into a supersonic trot which throws me around but tonight we managed a lovely canter on both reins and he felt soft and just lovely.
Is this what I am looking for?? Or is it likely the pelham is making him go into a false outline? I will ask my instructor on my next lesson but now I don't know whether to perservere with the snaffle or stick with the pelham being as I want to show next year anyway.
Words of wisdom please!!!
This was the judge riding him in the pelham at the Midlands Champs
Paddy goes in a neue schule baucher lozenge happily enough but there is always some evasion, head in my face or shaking. This invariably settles down but he can be strong and fights against a consistant contact. Now for the couple of shows we did last year I put him in pelham with double reins and left the curb rein loose. He did seem to prefer it immensely but I swapped him back to the snaffle as I was worried about creating a false outline and being as I wanted to have a shot at some dressage over the winter so needed him to go nicely in a snaffle.
I decided to try him in his pelham again tonight just for a change, and the difference in him is amazing. Now I am by no means a great rider and I tend to leave his mouth alone but he went into self carriage (correct phrase?) and I felt I had the "cotton thread" contact. He felt so different like his back had risen and he was responding to my seat and voice aids. His ears were pricked and he just seemed so much happier. We have problems cantering as he falls in and and I struggle to correct this and he hollows and rushes and then falls into a supersonic trot which throws me around but tonight we managed a lovely canter on both reins and he felt soft and just lovely.
Is this what I am looking for?? Or is it likely the pelham is making him go into a false outline? I will ask my instructor on my next lesson but now I don't know whether to perservere with the snaffle or stick with the pelham being as I want to show next year anyway.
Words of wisdom please!!!
This was the judge riding him in the pelham at the Midlands Champs
