Snaffle Versus Pelham

[karen]

I agree...a lot of the rules just don't make sense.  I mean, if for example seatbone savers were allowed, then how is it an unfair advantage when everyone has the option to use one?  The same with pelhams.  I am sure if they were allowed you would still see some people riding in snaffles, because their horses go as well in a snaffle as a pelham.  But, if they have the option of using a pelham if they want, then it is not an unfair to compete against someone who does use one.

[Kerry's Partner]

I just spent ages replying then the computer said: "time out"!!!!!!!!!

So here is a very very brief resume and if it sounds terse I'm sorry but I don't want to have to repeat for a third time:

Who was the first person to label a Pelham as harsh............and on what evidence???  You see Kerry loves hers and she WOULD object SO severely to anything which hurt her, believe me I KNOW her so well.  Yes she has a hard rubber Pehlam with elastic chain, and yes I was taught how to use this by Heather's assistant ..................... but Kerry was SO unhappy before and now she is not...........hence I asked the question above and I think this is a fundamental question.

It's all about thinking outside of the box and to illustrate this I'm going to tell a "brief" story.

Last week I had a lesson from somone I know fairly well but on a horse I didn't.  I was told that my instructor would love *(sometimes)* to put people in spurs in order that they could experience how twiddling with their ankles as opposed toi using their calves influenced (negatively, in this case) their horse!!!!!!!!!

My instructor knew me well didn't he.............................henceforward I ceased twiddling with my ankles because every time I went (automatically) to do this I had (perhaps very unfairly) visions in my mind of AVK and her horse before a major dressage event..............Oh dear, well that cured my twiddling ankles immediately and I would bet forever actually!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wally]

When we got one of our horses he was awful. Hollow didn't go there, he'd evade the bit at all costs. Walk through the contact with his nose in the air and his toungue hanging out!  I tried him in a rubber mullen mouth Pelham, as it has always worked well in the past for various horses....errrr! he hated it even more than all the other bits I'd tried him in put together!  Now for him it was not a kind bit, for reasons he alone knows, he was not happy in it.  

In the end I put him in a plain sidepull bitless and worked up to an English Hackamore for a little refinement. He was happy in the Hackamore with curb and poll action.

He has been re educated in a bitless for 6 months and we thought it time to put him back into a bit as I want to drive him.  I went back and tried the Pelham again and got the same reception a decided "BOG OFF"!! :lol:  After a few sessions of experiment he is happiest in a French Link eggbut  with cheeks. So there you go, as mentioned before there is no right and wrong way.