I’ve seen that a lot of English classes use Snaffle bits or some variation of them, or a Pelham type bit (I’ve also seen that unless you are under a certain age/class you must use two reins with this bit). My horse was never taught to ride in a Snaffle, but goes beautifully in this bit: http://www.outfitterssupply.com/images/WBITR402.jpg
She doesn’t seem to like too much in her mouth (and I’ve found pressure on her nose is uncomfortable for her, like riding in a halter). I think my trainer said something like she also likes the poll pressure as an aid to the bit? Not 100% sure this was a while ago. I’ve never tried her in anything other than the snaffle (because she works so well in the curb, why change it?). However, in the English show ring (normal stuff like the W/T/C classes or jumping) will I be penalized for using that bit in the ring? Or can I use what she’s used to working in?
I’m asking because she was trained Western Pleasure, but she’s really not fit for it. She can do the nice little jogs and canters but she prefers speed (hence why she loves just running through fields and jumping ditches and doing gaming). She’d make a nice looking English horse but I’d hate to be penalized for my bit. I also don’t want to spend another $40 on a bit just to use in the ring.
If you want to use a leverage (curb) bit in an english class, you will need a pelham of some sort. These commonly have two reins, a snaffle rein and a curb rein. It is pretty easy to learn how to use two reins. If you want leverage but only one rein, you could consider a kimberwick bit, they are usually a straight bar with a low port, but you can get one with a jointed mouthpiece too.
If you use a western bit in an english class, you will be pretty much eliminated as soon as you walk into the ring, no matter what level of horse show you are considering entering in. In English classes, you need English tack and attire that is acceptable to the discipline. Just like in western classes, you need western tack and attire.
If you are wanting to participate in jumping divisions, it is useful to get some qualified coaching to polish your performance with higher level skills. Such a coach will also help you select acceptable tack and attire for competition in English divisions.
Thank you that’s what I thought. Will the Kimberwick give sufficient poll pressure on the bridle?
Depends on how much poll pressure the horse likes. I would try a pelham, as it would be the most like your western bit.
Good suggestions for a temporary fix.
However if you are completely changing disciplines I think some reschooling to a snaffle would be useful. I expect that your Western horse has not been taught to go on contact and you do not ride a horse in a double bridle with clear contact on the curb.
You may just think you want to blast around a jumps course at the moment. But if you want to get good you will need to do English flatwork and even basic dressage and you will need a snaffle for that.
Do you mean “English show ring” as show rings in England? That is what I first thought when I read your thread title and OP.
Or do you mean any show ring in an “English” discipline (one that uses “English” tack)?
I have read that in some show classes in England a double bridle is required, but I don’t know if that is still the case or even what you mean! 
A kimberwick bit is a leverage bit, so 1 pound of pressure on the reins is 10 pounds of pressure on the mouth. A kimberwick with a broken “snaffle” mouthpiece is considered by many to be an extremely harsh bit because it has both the leverage properties along with the nutcracker action of the jointed mouthpiece.
There are little adapters that attach to the top and bottom rings on a Pelham bit so you can buckle one rein on. When I learned to ride in about 1958 it was on a big gelding in a Pelham with the two reins. I never quite got the hang of it.
Forgive me if I’m being overly pedantic, but the amount of force does depend on the lengths of the shank and purchase.
Ill be pedantic along with you. It depends on the ratio of shank above the bit to where the cheeckpiece attaches compared to the length below it, including S curves that increase the ratio without lengthening the shank ( long shank can get hung up). For example a 1:1 is mild, a 1:4 applies much more leverage. Without seeing the actual bit and measuring, you can’t estimate force of the leverage.
For OP, no you won’t get kicked out for a pelham with two reins, one for snaffle action, the other to add leverage. It’s actually quite a sensible bit, most judges won’t care much IF you put in a good trip, maybe as a tie breaker but if you are good, most will reward you. If you screw up, you can always say the judge hated the bit as most people do. They’ll claim the judge hated their shirt or something and forget the missed lead and break into the trot in the corner.
I’m not completely changing, but I switch saddles every now and then and ask for different things. I’ve considered reschooling her before in the snaffle when I first got her but she worked so well in the curb I didn’t see a point in changing. And if I only do occasional English shows (like when I go for other events) I would like to be able to switch to something similar to what she’s already in without being penalized. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it As for the jumping it was really just an example, I was just going to do English flatwork. She injured her front leg recently and I haven’t checked if she was cleared for stuff like jumping yet.
A lot of shows I’ve seen will only allow certain age groups/classes to use the adapters on the Pelham, anyone else needs to use the double rein. As for a Kimberwick being a harsh bit, it’s only as harsh as the hands holding it. I use a lot of seat/leg aids instead of the bit and she responds to hardly picking up the reins.
My two cents is to work the horse English in a snaffle. I also ride my horse both ways, and he absolutely knows the difference between the snaffle and the Western curb. I use a mullen snaffle and a straight curb with a small port as he prefers that to a jointed bit. Also, if you’re new to jumping and intend to start with your guy, use the mildest bit you can, because as a rider you will make mistakes (we’ve all been there) and you don’t want to punish the horse for them by accident. If you hit him in the mouth with a leverage bit, he might not enjoy jumping for very long. For flat work, while the curb probably puts the horse in a nice looking frame, learning to accept correct contact with the snaffle will put him in a correct one.
I really don’t think that you can just swap out a pelham and call it all good. The judge will expect you to use the bit in a certain way, with a fair amount of english-style contact, which is not how a western horse is trained to the curb at all. Taking english-style contact on a horse used to western-style curb handling would be horribly unfair at the least and likely to cause a horrible wreck at the worst.
If you’re just doing jumpers, you’re not judged on how you ride, but hand galloping down to that big oxer requires something really different than what you’re used to with your curb, working on the rail.
Henry also makes an excellent point about the potential for grabbing the horse in the mouth while you’re learning to jump.
Teach the horse how to ride in a snaffle. If the horse is really opposed (what all have you tried? nathe mullen? french link? baucher?) then a pelham might be the answer, but there’s still a lot of learning to take place–it’s not a 1 to 1 bit swap and go on your way.
The western horses I’ve known have all been started in a snaffle before moving to the curb. They know what it is. (Some also get started in a bosal, that’s a little different.)
A Pelham with two reins gives you far greater ability . You can raise the head up with the snaffle rein and set the head with the curb.
Are you planning on showing in English classes in stock-breed (e.g. AQHA) shows, or in “open” shows where a lot of the horses are likely TB’s, WB’s and crosses? What the judges look for (and presumably rules for bitting) are very, very different between the two. If you look at Youtube videos that come up under “HUS AQHA Congress” versus “HUS Devon”, you’ll see what I mean. (For those very new to English, HUS is “Hunter Under Saddle” a standard sort of flat class).
This, she knows how to go in snaffle, just needs a reminder.
Providing the rider has the skill set to use two reins effectively, of course.
It really depends on what you mean by “English”-- I don’t know much about breed shows but typically at open hunter shows kimberwickes aren’t acceptable in the hunter ring, and generally you don’t really see anything but snaffles in the pleasure classes. Pretty much anywhere but the jumper ring (where anything goes as long as you can steer and adjust the horse to the fences) you’re going to be penalized if the horse isn’t accepting of contact to a much greater degree than you would want with a Western curb bit anyway.
The particular bit you are riding your horse in is a Western bit- an Argentine snaffle (which isn’t really a snaffle but a curb bit). I would definitely not use it in English classes and agree you would need a snaffle bit . The one exception for showing English in a curb bit is probably saddleseat as I do ride my TWHs in Myler curb bits for show and trails, but they often school at home in snaffles. Though, for gaiting, the curb bit does seem preferable.
Just as an aside - when my kids showed at the local big mixed horse show - (one with every kind of class in it from shetland chariot pony, to Arabs to show jumping), depending on the judge we would use a different bridle as the pony travelled differently: head up, chin in for the Arab judge if we used the little pelham, and long and low for the Hunter judge if we put in her snaffle. So every day she changed bits from one to the other depending who was judging.
If you’re going to do English flatwork, you need a snaffle. Your horse was probably started in a snaffle. Very few trainers would go straight to a curb, without using a snaffle first.
Ask around your english riding friends and borrow a range of snaffles and over course of a couple of days, ride her in a variety and decide which she appears to like the most.
