How have you been taught to hold/use the reins of a double/pelham bridle?
I've always held mine (when using one) with the curb rein between the index (the next finger to the little one, is that the index? if not it's the 3rd finger on each hand ignoring the thumb) and little finger, and the snaffle rein under the little finger with the snaffle on the outside so the contact is mainly on the snaffle rein rather than the curb but the curb rein can be brought into play if necessary. Variations on this theme are possible moving up a finger or so ie. curb between middle and index and snaffle between index and little but still with the main contact on the snaffle rein. I've always found the former to be the easiest for me but appreciate that some riders prefer the latter. However the principle is the same. The snaffle rein is the main point of contact with the curb as back up, snaffle rein always on the outside.
The reason I'm asking, the other day I was talking to a liverys Mum, we know each other from school many moons ago and were passing the time of day, while doing this her daughter was getting on her recently bought very expensive show pony (lovely pony) as her Mum was explaining to me the daughter didn't have the confidence to ride said pony in anything but a pelham, Mum turned round to daughter and said remember what *so and so* (her instructor) said about your reins to which the daughter promptly rearranged her reins in the way I presume she had been taught and I was flabbergasted. The reins were twisted at least once and the curb rein was the one most in play, though being twisted neither would have been much use, if that was what she's been taught I really beg to differ.
Instructor mode took over me but prefering to keep the peace I declined to comment but if that's how the daughter is being taught somethings not right or have the principles of the use of a double bridle/pelham changed in the 10 years I've been away from horses?
I've always held mine (when using one) with the curb rein between the index (the next finger to the little one, is that the index? if not it's the 3rd finger on each hand ignoring the thumb) and little finger, and the snaffle rein under the little finger with the snaffle on the outside so the contact is mainly on the snaffle rein rather than the curb but the curb rein can be brought into play if necessary. Variations on this theme are possible moving up a finger or so ie. curb between middle and index and snaffle between index and little but still with the main contact on the snaffle rein. I've always found the former to be the easiest for me but appreciate that some riders prefer the latter. However the principle is the same. The snaffle rein is the main point of contact with the curb as back up, snaffle rein always on the outside.
The reason I'm asking, the other day I was talking to a liverys Mum, we know each other from school many moons ago and were passing the time of day, while doing this her daughter was getting on her recently bought very expensive show pony (lovely pony) as her Mum was explaining to me the daughter didn't have the confidence to ride said pony in anything but a pelham, Mum turned round to daughter and said remember what *so and so* (her instructor) said about your reins to which the daughter promptly rearranged her reins in the way I presume she had been taught and I was flabbergasted. The reins were twisted at least once and the curb rein was the one most in play, though being twisted neither would have been much use, if that was what she's been taught I really beg to differ.
Instructor mode took over me but prefering to keep the peace I declined to comment but if that's how the daughter is being taught somethings not right or have the principles of the use of a double bridle/pelham changed in the 10 years I've been away from horses?
