DefinitelyDressage.com

So, the time has come for me to look to step up to a double, apparently. I have a pretty minimal clue about what I'm doing.

Horse is in a 14mm, 5 3/4" loose ring three piece snaffle. It's been a bit of a trip finding the "right" bit for him. He's rather fussy in his mouth and is more comfortable in a thinner bit, and none of your fancy verbindend or Myler stuff, thankyouverymuch...

I assume I want the bridoon to be as similar to this as possible but with loose rings, and that we should start with a short-shanked weymouth? of roughly the same thickness and some tongue space to it? I understand 1/4" narrower?

Any great thoughts or recommendations?

I'm looking at this bit set as a possibility:

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Lu4AAOxyU ... -l1600.jpg

Any thoughts?

do you have friends with doubles/ its handy if you can borrow a few instead of having to buy. However, yes, i would start with thin low weight, mid shank weymouth. ( short shanks can sometimes get crowded in the chin area) yes, some tongue space, and yes, a little narrower than the snaffle. you might need a slightly wider bridoon than your normal snaffle. say and eight wider than your plain snaffle, and then the weymouth a quarter smaller, ( to ensure that your weymouth is not too narrow)

A service like Dressage Extensions bit testing center could save you some money if you end up trying different bits and don't have many available in your local circle of friends.

I always use a sliding cheek weymouth allows for the horse to softly chew, and it has the holes for a leather lip strap which stabilizes the curb chain to keep it flat. I have used it on every horse since I found it. The shanks are relatively the same on all the bits, but shorter allows for less specificity (clumsier); there are no longer ones for about 30 years already (which allowed for more nuance for less touch) since the fei modified the rules. For me, I cannot stand the forward leaning ports (they act onto the palette even before the rider picks up the reins, let alone if the bit is not fitted properly (no greater than 45 degrees), let alone when the torque is sustained. (And I try to always start with3:1 rein hold).

OK, that's all helpful and makes sense. There isn't another double bridle in the barn so borrowing bits is a little involved. And yes, I could try the bit bank. I'll have to look into that.

Galopp--I hadn't noticed the lack of lip strap loops, thank you! you never see a lip strap nowadays, do you? I always used to use one on a Pelham, back in ye olde days.

I would say that that is a pretty thin curb bit. I think they are typically 16+ mm. Typically I think people pick a slimmer bradoon than their snaffle (so if he had a 16mm snaffle you could do a 14 or 12) and the curb is thicker. Now if your horse doesn't have room in it's mouth than that is different. I believe I have a 14 or 12mm bradoon paired with a 16mm curb and that combo has worked well for my guy who has a relatively shallow pallet.

I do think you picked a nice wide port that will be relatively gentle (if that is what you want).

Some resources that could help you. The first article is VERY good and thorough.

http://gprider.com/articles/politz-double-bridle.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IZlOwrG1Z4

Hope this stuff helps!!!