Transition from snaffle to double

To save hijacking the myler thread - sorry!

Who has been through the transition schooling wise? It's 6 years since Salad and I did any serious dressage schooling. Before we stopped he was competing at medium level - only getting around 57%'s tbh, but we had just moved up and he did have numpty me on his back

I'd started schooling in a double, but with a very soft mouth, I found he worried about it and curled up behind the contact. I preferred the feel I got from him in a snaffle, and we did stay in one through elem. Now I've ridden others in doubles, but never gone through the change of bit with them.

This all happened about the time we stopped, I'd just be interested in others experience?

Sorry no experience with this but i would always suggest riding with two reins on the snaffle before attampting it on a double. For the riders sake as well as the horse.

I am the same, ridden others peoples in doubles and had training/ exams ect, but gave up when came to pushing my own into one. Just wasn't that important to me to upset her, and as we went through a standing up phase many years ago, just wasn't prepared to go back to that with her.....life and being happy wi yr horse just is more important to me. My advice is, if they are going to be good enough to move on in dressage intro a double early enough. Goes against all my early beliefs re dont push your horse ect, now I think different, if you need to do ele, or think about med, move forward to a double when they are going well and young... just my thoughts many may think different....

I reckon u can have 2 reins on snaffles, rugby phelhams, but, nothing prepares them for a double really.... Interesting though.....

Two reins I find easy, but used to ride Lippy in his double, and the little pelham was always with 2 as well - I'm quite good with my 'knitting'

(okay confession time, started adult horsey life on a SJ dealers yard , got used to knitting as everything was in draw reins - so had years of practice being crash test dummy and all)

He he, best way, learnin to hold reins is easy, give yr sensitive ned a gobful of bits and ask them to move forward on on two tracks is another thing totally...

i totally agree, but its a start. x

Sure is! x