Pelham (bridle)
The pelham , like the curb, is a lever bit that is used in the bridle of riding horses. On both sides of the mouthpiece and on the lower trees there are rings in which the reins can be buckled. Up to a certain point the Pelham combines the effect of a classic curb with an underlay, but for the perfect connection the correctly buckled bit is too high for an optimal curb effect and too low in the mouth for an optimal snaffle effect.
The real pelham is an unbroken bar bit and is used without a bridle . When used correctly, two pairs of reins are ridden:
- the pair of reins attached next to the bit looks similar to snaffle reins and
- the pair of reins attached to the lower tree act like curb reins.
For the guidance of the reins by the rider, as with the curb with a bridle, there are various options with different effects, depending on requirements. Buckling with delta straps, i.e. a strap that is attached from the upper to the lower rein ring and into which a pair of reins is then attached, is not recommended, because it only ensures imprecise rein guidance and the rider can no longer adjust whether he is now snaffle or want to exercise curb rein effect. In no case does it work to determine this effect by holding the rein fists up or down.
A common variant is the "false pelham" with a broken mouthpiece, which is often only used with a pair of reins in the lower tree. It increases the leverage and then clamps the load of the horse's jaw more tightly, so it is more of a failed variant of the real pelham. Simply buckling a single pair of reins into the lower rein ring comes close to the effect of a bare curb (pending curb reins without the action of the snaffle reins), which places the highest demands on the rider's skills and level of training.
A Pelham double bridle with an unbroken mouthpiece and two pairs of reins can be recommended for younger horses that need to be used to the double bridle first, or whose bars are too narrow so that there is no space for two mouthpieces (bridle and double bridle bar).
See also
literature
- Saddle, bridle & harness. Cham: Müller Rüschlikon, c 1996.
- Susan McBane, Sally Alexander, Julia Kemmler: The big book of horse equipment. (Orig .: The illustrated guide to horse tack. ) Saddle, bridle & harness. Munich; Vienna; Zurich; BLV 1994 ISBN 3-405-14586-4
- Pierre Mégnin: Histoire du harnachement et de la ferrure du cheval. Aux Bureaux de l'Éleveur 1904, 2e éd.
Web links
- Rebecca Colnar: Hot topic, hot solution - Curb Bits. at horsetrackreview.com