I’ve never seen anything like it before.
It’s kind of hard to see in the picture, even when I enlarge it, but it looks like a double bridle with two bits, a bradoon and a curb. But I may be only stating the obvious here…
Bit is a Pelham, with a metal piece between the snaffle ring and second ring on the headstall. Only one mouthpiece in the horse mouth. No second bit like a bridoon.
I am not sure of the reasoning for the second ring wit the rein. Plain ring is shorter than the bit’s snaffle ring, so rein pull is a broken line to the hands. I think the broken rein line would be less effective in giving signals to the horse with any pull or pressure.
Perhaps this is meant to “look” like a double bridle for some reason. Yet not actually affect the horse like a double bridle would.
1 Like
I think it is called a Rugby Pelham.
2 Likes
It’s a Rugby pelham, used in British horse show classes where a double bridle would be correct turnout but the horse or rider is “not ready” for a full bridle. The loose ring attaches to the sliphead to give the illusion of separate bits. Also gives a less direct snaffle effect which some horses have seemed to prefer in general.
5 Likes
Thank you. The horse is in Britain.
The 3 cheekpieces said “double bridle” to me but I can see only one mouthpiece.
Nice to learn new things!
This is the second pelham pic I saw yesterday. This is the kind of pelham I grew up knowing about. Good to see one that still uses a lip strap. And I love this type of plain bridle.
This is a new picture of Emma.
There is another Pelham made in Great Britain that mimics the look of a double bridle for the show ring.
It is called the Show Pelham. Mine have a Cambridge port mouthpiece, and on the shank at the mouthpiece juts back a piece of metal with a hole (like an old type Fulmer snaffle.) It also needs a bradoon hanger so that the snaffle ring does not flop around.
I generally don’t like Pelhams but this one was bearable since I could feel the release of the snaffle rein better. I no longer ride in them, I have 3 floating around in my bit box.
I never tried a Rugby Pelham though. To me it looks like the release of the snaffle rein is probably more definite than with the Show Pelham.
1 Like
