Heather - A pelham thread?

[Thinkerbell]

Heather, you posted something interesting on FB about the pelham that I don't have time to look at just now ... Could you please post it here as well? It's easier to find it again here, and it would be a good basis for an active thread.

[Claire]

good idea. i half read that at lunchtime.....

[Thinkerbell]

Noticed now that it is in Reno's blog. 

[Heather]

The posts are still coming in on fb too! I post these things there too because we are getting interest from new people, and I keep things tightly under control to avoid the nastiness I have experienced on some fb groups lately. I hope that some of them will join the main forum here, as the mere fact that they are happy to talk about using the pelham and not just dismissing it or jumping on me, shows the willingness to experiment and listen to their horses that we like to cultivate here!!

[winnieandben]

Did a search on youtube for Pelhams, this was the first vid I found    No wonder they have a reputaion as a very strong bit and people dont understand how to use them 

How to bit a strong horse - The Pelham.mp4

[Mossy]

Hmmm. I hate to say it but using the pelham as shown with roundings I agree with her, it is a blunt instrument. High end show jumping fashion atm seems to be pelham, flash, roundings and martingale!
I use a pelham with two reins all the time, but have only ridden with roundings once. Not my horse, and I swapped to give the rider a rest. She was exhausted after a very strong large native had been pulling her arms out all day. I would never ride with roundings again.
Pardon my hobby horse but as well as being taught to sit on a horse riders need to learn about lorinery. If you know how and why a piece of kit works, and you know the end you want to achieve you can suit one to the other and not blindly follow fashion.

[winnieandben]

That was my point  the vid is meant to be educational and has had thousands of hits but it doesnt actually describe the correct use / action of the pelham.  There is a huge amount of information on the net but sadly a lot of it isnt even correct so how are people meant to learn   

[Mossy]

One of the disadvantages of the net, I am afraid. It is quick and instant so it must be true! Just think about the kerfuffle when Bon Jovi was "dead" It even made the Today programme. Folks aren't selective and critical any more, just when imho they need to be even more so. There is a vid doing the rounds of a very small person on a very disobedient pony. Would that have made the TV news a few years ago? Of course not but now we live in a much faster world of quick fixes and instant response. 

[Thinkerbell]

Can I please have a link to a webshop selling non-metal pelhams that are not a) as thick as my arm (ok, slight exaggeration) b) abrasive and c) prohibitively expensive?

[winnieandben]

http://www.ayrequestrianshop.co.uk/cottage-craft-bits-i49.html

This is the one i use, I would like a slightly slimmer one as my horse has a very small mouth but it is OK for her.  I got my elastic curb from the EE shop.
If anyone knows of a slimmer one would love to know 

[Thinkerbell]

Do you know how thick it is? If you could be bothered to check the diameter for me I'd be  My gut feeling when I see the bit is that my arab would feel like I do when my kids insist on giving me four huge bubble gums at the same time. Still, I've had him work ok on a happy mouth (that's now gone AWOL, only the elastic curb chain remains) previously, so if it's no thicker than that it could be good.

[winnieandben]

Hi there,  its 20mm  I would prefer 18mm for her if possible. She really is OK in the thicker one though, I would try one and see 

[Heather]

My Arabs were all ok in  normal hard rubber pelham, ie metal covered in rubber, and these probably are 20mm. I do find that many go perfectly ok in a metal mullen mouth too, which is a lot thinner.

  at that video!!!