Fitting and Using a Double Bridle Part 1

Karen Loshbaugh from Art 2 Ride explains how to correctly fit a double bridle and discusses how to use it.

[@MCHorse139]

My horse has had a few traumas in the past. He was poorly ridden in the dressage and then he changed to show jumping and started to bolt and to be very strong in the mouth (and he's strong by himself already!). First few times I rode him, he was in a roller snaffle (loose ring with little copper rollers) and draw reins, without them he'd be very hard to stop. After I started riding in a very strong straight bit, but I rode with a softer hand due to being afraid of hurting him in the mouth. Now I'm back to two bits the loose ring I told you about (and he goes very well, but too strong still) and a leverage bit that is made of flexible rubber (he goes lovely with this one). I'm always trying to find new ways to make him better and to make him respond a bit better to my aids. I asked my trainer about the double bridle, but he said it was a bad idea (when he was young he was ridden in one and it made him even stiffer) so we didn't try it. I'm also scared to try, because he can be somewhat sensitive in the mouth (hence the change to the rubber bit), but at the same time he's too strong for me to hold him while jumping and sometimes in the flat. What do you think? Should I try it, despite not being very experienced with the double bridle? Or should I use a rubber Pelham? Thank you and love your videos!

[@ArttoRide]

I personally would retrain the horse so that it went in a loose ring snaffle, short of that, what you’re doing is probably the best you’re gonna get.

[@s.lawrence9736]

This is great im so sharing this on my Facebook!!!!!!

[@Medeamagic]

Can you show proper rein placement in the hands? Have seen it many ways. Was recently showed to have the snaffle under the pinky and the curb in between pink my and ring. But have been looking online and believe that is in correct.

[@ArttoRide]

Answered By Art2Ride Associate Trainer Elisabeth: Hi, thank you for asking this question. It is an interesting one, keep looking for answers J. Your question is very straightforward but the answer to it is extremely complex as there are many theories about the double bridle depending on which school you follow. In classical dressage, you would hold right snaffle in right hand and the three others reins in the left hand, in competition dressage, you use the curb between ring and pinky and the snaffle under pinky. As you can see the answer to your question is complex because the double bridle is an aid that is reserved to senior riders working with very advanced horses. Keep up the good work … !! Answered By Art2Ride Associate Trainer Thomas: Hi, there are different ways of holding the reins. The one you describe is the most common. The reins cross each other, so that the curb is held higher than the snaffle. You can see it on numerous pictures of Oliverira, Henriquet, Podhajsky, i.a.

[@TheTeapotte]

Hi I was wondering what your opinion would be about using a french link rugby pelham on a horse that has a very small mouth? I was just wondering because the double bridle seems like a lot of metal in my horse's mouth and I would not be using the pelham for dressage tests, just for showing classes and schooling

[@ArttoRide]

hannah grace The pelham bit does not allow you to work in the same way as a double bridle as you cannot use the snaffle and curb independently. It is the kind of bit that people use who just need more control to stop a badly trained horse. I would not recommend it’s use. My question to you would be what are you using it for? If the horse goes well in a snaffle, stick with that. If you have never used a double bridle you should only do so under the guidance of a qualified instructor as you can create big problems for yourself and your horse if you use it in the wrong way. I have seen people make their horses so dead in the mouth by the overuse of the curb that the horse becomes so dead in the mouth that nothing will stop them! If your horse has a small mouth of course you would want to find a double bridle set that is small enough for your horse. Remember the key is the ability to separate the effects of the two bits. You should never have constant pressure on the curb and the curb reins should always have a little slack in them and be used only when you need just a little more control and then loosened again as soon as the horse responds to the aid.

[@TheTeapotte]

My horse is not strong and responds very well to my seat, so making her dead in the mouth would not be a problem as I would never be constantly pulling. The reason I would be using the pelham (with two separate reins of course) is to create the illusion of a double bridle for a hunter showing class without having too much metal for her very small mouth. I would only touch the curb rein to ask for some poll flexion, but she usually goes well in a snaffle. I would like the extra curb action for the show as she will be more tense than when I am riding her at home so it might be more difficult to get her to stretch. I rode her in a double last year and she was fine but it just seemed like so much unnecessary metal!