Pelham bridle & reins?

Question

I use a pelham with 2 reins on my horse. For schooling i don't care what reins i use, but for shows are you supposed to have special pelham reins? I once heard that the lower rein should be thinner? Can you just have 2 identical reins, or different widths, or can one be laced and the other plain?

Answer 1

You are correct..the snaffle part of the bit is the top and is where the thicker rein goes.  This rein can also be laced.  The lower or curb part of the bit would get the thinner rein and is usually smooth.

Also, the snaffle rein usually has a buckle on it because that is where you would normally attach or run a running martingale through.  The curb rein is usually stitched closesd.

Now that all of that has been said...people do variations..at least in the saddleseat discipline where young riders with little hands and fingers can get a snaffle rein pretty thin to accomodate the hand size.  Very often both reins can be the same size.  Some equitation riders even have laced curb reins..for better grip and I've seen buckles on both..probably because they are using two snaffle reins.

Also, there is a correct way to hold the reins with the snaffle rein being on top of the curb rein.

I don't want to advise you incorrectly as to what is allowed or considered proper for reins in your discipline..as I mentioned what is done in Saddleseat riding...so perhaps someone with more experience in your discipline will let you know if you can have variations.  But the most proper and traditional set up is what I said in the beginning.

Hope this helps!!

Answer 2

You want to have 2 different reins. This is so you can feel the difference in the reins if you need to pick them up, adjust them, etc.

In schooling I've seen some weird ways people differentiate the reins (one leather, one rubber, etc.) Traditionally for hunters, the snaffle rein is a leather, laced rein and the curb is a thinner, plain rein.

Good luck!

Answer 3

im not even gonna go into why a pelham is unnesecciary but hopefully someone else will explain it........the bottom rein is supposed to be whats called a plain rein and it is really just a straight peice of leather with NO laces or anything and the top rein should either be laced...this is for hunters of course.....now for jumpers the top one is supposed to be a rubber rein and the bottom is supposed to be leaced

Answer 4

The bottom, curb rein is thinner reason being that two thick pairs of reins would get mixed up and you could be using too much curb rein if it was thick.  It is just a way of telling which is which at a moments noticed.  Your top rein could be laced and the other, thin one should be plain.