Double bridle prob.

Question

Uriah and Hope   I have a saddlebred and i am having trouble finding the right bit combination to fit his needs. He is currently using a pelham bit but i need to start him in to two bits now just one because it is hurting our showing scores but i don't want to hurt him. he wonts to pull his head up and get away from the presser of the curb. plus i am heavy handed too so i need some thing easy on his mouth.

Answer
Dear Hope,
I am afraid that what you really need to do is to work on your hands. I would not put a curb of any kind into the hands of a rider who, by her own admission, is heavy handed. Your horse is not accepting the curb probably because you are applying it too firmly (as you suggest)and your horse is currently evading by elevating and probably, as a by-product of this, hollowing his back and not moving off of his hindquarters.
This evasion frequently evolves into rearing and I have even seen horses go up and over backwards when they hit the curb. Until you develop softer hands- you simply shouldn't be riding in a double. Even a very short-shanked curb that delivers less leverage will be damaging your horse's mouth if you apply it incorrectly.
Try having someone with good hands work with your horse in a double (short-shanked curb and thicker bridoon) on acceptance while you work with a coach in a snaffle on softening your contact.
As a judge, I am always suspect of riders in a double who try to ride off the snaffle rein while their curb has no contact- as it indicates that the horse isn't really "in" the double.
Best wishes- time and patience are really what you need in order for you and your horse to do well i the long run.
Sincerely,
S. Evans