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Post by beccacromar16 on Apr 26, 2012 23:48:33 GMT
Okay so the story is my mare Pepper when ridden can be very heavy in my hands no matter how soft I ride her and how light I am with her. When I first got her 7 months ago she was ridden in a loose ring snaffle with a lozenge and she would hang onto the bar like god knows what! She also has a sensitive mouth and hates the nutcracker action of a double jointed bit *sigh*  So I got her a loose ring waterford and she loves it. She's like putty in my hands to ride BUT I took her to her first dressage show on Friday and just after finishing my test it was brought to my attention that waterfords are not dressage legal.  I aim to buy a waterford pelham for the showing ring, does anybody have any experience with the pelham version of our "barbed wire bit" and what do you suggest I use for my dressage tests? A brand new bit or some strict lessons in the school on relaxing her jaw?  I understand that some people have some very strong views on this bit and you either love them or hate them but in my case it has worked ever so well! Any bit can be lethal in the wrong hands I guess Help! ~ beccacromar16 |
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Post by puddledub on Apr 27, 2012 8:48:02 GMT
Have you tought about using your waterford snaffle (which you know she already likes) along with a weymouth to make up a double? That way you could ride on the snaffle rein only/mainly until she got used to the straightbar/curb action of the weymouth.
I am not a huge fan of pelhams and the waterford version just looks all wrong in the mouth IMHO
well done to have solved her mouth problem so far and a shame about your dressage test but you may find that as time goes on and you school her out of her problem that you may be able to go back to a dressage legal bit to compete
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Post by sparkler on Apr 27, 2012 12:13:25 GMT
I assume you have had her teeth, saddle, back checked as many problems from elsewhere can manifest themselves in the mouth.  Does your instructor ride your horse, may be worth her/him hopping on to feel whats going on for dressage at the mo if you want to keep competing try a curved mouth cyprium loose ring snaffle, the joint doesnt go up into the roof of the mouth which a lot of horses hate. Good luck |
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Post by beccacromar16 on Apr 28, 2012 22:37:31 GMT
Thanks for your prompt replies,
puddledub: she has such a gentle and small mouth that I would feel awful riding her in a double and honestly don't think she would cope, I think that would be toys out of the cot for her haha! I am going to continue schooling her in her loose ring snaffle with lozenge and really focus on her relaxing her jaw but easier said than does as she is quite stroppy!
sparkler: yup these are all A-OK! I don't have an instructor yet but am in the process of looking for a one locally but this is easier said than done. Perhaps you know of anybody in the Dundee/Perthshire/Angus area? I have never heard of a curved mouth cyprium loose ring snaffle but it is definitely worth trying out!
Thanks again!
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Post by sparkler on Apr 29, 2012 11:41:09 GMT
If you let me know specifically which area you are in I can probably recommend someone accordingly as I was Angus but now in Perthshire - also RCs are great for getting access to decent instructors. I can lend you a cyprium to try if you want as I have a spare - its a 5.5", no problem if you want to borrow it. |
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Post by beccacromar16 on Apr 29, 2012 14:47:57 GMT
I am in the Bridgefoot/Muirhead area of Dundee.I was speaking to somebody on my yard about going to RC with her as I do not have transport but if she was going as could I. Wow that would be great if I could borrow it and see how she goes as she too is a 5.5" |
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Post by sparkler on Apr 29, 2012 17:47:33 GMT
No problem at all, I was hacking out at Templeton yesterday I come throught Muirhead regularly and work in Dundee so can either meet you somewhere or post it to you. Hamish Cameron teaches at Balmy Down on a Monday night. |
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Post by beccacromar16 on Apr 29, 2012 21:39:01 GMT
I'm just down the road from Templeton! I'm at a small livery yard next door to the Templeton Tack shop? Not sure if you know where I mean but its at the end of the old railway and just down from templeton woods, could have even hacked out to meet you haha! ;D Ooh definitely interested in the lessons at Balmy, only 5 mins from me and could practically hack it, especially with the summer nights coming in |
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Post by sparkler on Apr 30, 2012 10:41:44 GMT
Yes I know where it is, we rode the railway line last Saturday as well.
I will be coming through Muirhead on Wed pm at approx 4.45ish and turning down by the Police Station if thats any use I could meet you there - I will have my trailer on as will be coming back from a lesson. ;D
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ozzy1
Full Member
Posts: 148
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Post by ozzy1 on Apr 30, 2012 11:43:32 GMT
i have never ridden in a waterford pelham but i ride my heavy weight hunter in a loose ring waterford with a sliding cheek weymouth and he is as light a feather. you can get very neat little weymouths that are not to bulky but you no your pony best and if she would hate it or not. my section d hated his double and goes fantastic in a myler pelham. he tended to get heavy on the hands but picks right up in that. as for dressage i think but please correct me if i am wrong, you could try a hanging cheek snaffle i only suggest that as i am sure thats what i used when i did a little dressage with my cob but that was years ago and it could all have changed since then. hope you get it all sorted.
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Post by beccacromar16 on Apr 30, 2012 19:33:31 GMT
Yes I know where it is, we rode the railway line last Saturday as well. I will be coming through Muirhead on Wed pm at approx 4.45ish and turning down by the Police Station if thats any use I could meet you there - I will have my trailer on as will be coming back from a lesson. ;D Sadly I don't get home until 6pm on mon, tues and wed as I go to college in Fife and travel by bus! Perhaps another time could be arranged? Weekends are best for me, even if you were hacking out around about I could jump on my pony and meet you or whilst walking my puppy. Need to get the exercise into them somehow haha! |
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Post by beccacromar16 on Apr 30, 2012 19:39:33 GMT
i have never ridden in a waterford pelham but i ride my heavy weight hunter in a loose ring waterford with a sliding cheek weymouth and he is as light a feather. you can get very neat little weymouths that are not to bulky but you no your pony best and if she would hate it or not. my section d hated his double and goes fantastic in a myler pelham. he tended to get heavy on the hands but picks right up in that. as for dressage i think but please correct me if i am wrong, you could try a hanging cheek snaffle i only suggest that as i am sure thats what i used when i did a little dressage with my cob but that was years ago and it could all have changed since then. hope you get it all sorted. The waterfords really are nice to ride in if you have them in the right horses mouth and have forgiving, light hands. I want to stay away from weymouths and doubles as she has a very sensitive mouth and I feel that this would be far too much for her to take in seeing as I tried her in a eggbut snaffle and she went up! I was speaking to a woman on my yard who is fab in the showing classes and she also suggested the hanging cheek types, apparently they still allow a small amount of poll pressure like the snaffle rein of a pelham? Thanks for your help! |
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Post by sparkler on May 1, 2012 10:00:33 GMT
PM me your address and I will post it to you. |
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Post by beccacromar16 on May 1, 2012 22:06:34 GMT
Will do sparkler!
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Post by sophieandcallum on May 3, 2012 13:33:27 GMT
I wouldn't write off a double, my lad has a sensitive mouth and hated pelhams...I found a snaffle he really loves and then got the same for his bradoon and a ported weymouth. He's the happiest chap in his mouth now, after quite a long time with bitting issues it's amazing to have a happy pony who is light in your hands.
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