Show Hack question

Ok, so my question is:

Show hack is by far my favourite discipline, and I've been doing it for a while with one of my trainer's horses. This year, my horse is ready to enter the show ring doing show hack, but I really don't want to put a full bridle on him, as he has the softest, most flexible mouth I have ever felt. He really doesn't need the full bridle to have a great headset, and I'm afraid the Weymouth bit would just make him heavier and 'harder.
But, when I've shown in the past I've always used a full bridle and so has my entire competition. Would I be penalized for using a plain snaffle bit? Would my horse look less finished than the others in the judges eyes?

I have seen some horses shown in only a snaffle and it certainly is well within the rules. IMO, the reason you see more double bridles in this class dates back to the beginning or the inception of the class, which was a rail class for Dressage horses to compete in. These were "higher" level horses and consequently competed in a double bridle.

Thru the evolution process, it is now geared more for the English framed horse, which tend to be able to achieved greater balance with two bits. This is particularly true of Half-Arabians. I have been Nat. CH with Hunter types, but they were able to elevate and engage their hindquarters; but I needed a double bridle to achieve this frame with them. If you can get it done in just a snaffle GO FOR IT! The ribbons will come.

I'm posting this from my phone, so I'm sorry if their are typo's or it reads bad! :-)

Has this class evolved in the MR to the point where the dressage type show hack is penalized?

The sport horse showhack classes you will find snaffle bits, pelhams and short shanked curbs. In 2007 there was two of us showing with a snaffle. The lady that won and myself, a top 10 placing used a snaffle. The sport horse class is more of a dressage head set with less knee action. The old style showhack class before it was pupmed up. The regular showhack classes now consists of Country English horses shown in a double bridle (without the patent leather), higher head, rolling stride with knee action. The two classes may look the same in dress and tack but, not in motion. I have riden both to national placings and I find them very different. All 12 gates (hand gallop, extended canter, regular canter, collected canter, ext. trot, reg. trot, collected trot, ext. walk, reg. walk, collected walk, halt and back up.) are called in both classes, but there are definate differences.
https://s640.photobucket.com/albums/uu130/dfarn870/?action=view&current=PieSPShowhack.jpg

Years ago, before the Sport Horse Shows/Divisions were introduced, I showed a first level dressage (working at second) horse in show hack at one of the smaller class A shows. He was obedient with very clear definition in his transitions. He was in a snaffle...and back to back with a hunter pleasure class sooooo.....we went in the hack class in hunt gear in a dressage horse frame. Again....he was obedient with clear transitions. There were 5 horses in the class...ALL of the other 4 bucked/bolted, displayed a wrong lead, or failed to back. They were all in full bridles and dressage whites. We were fifth....the judge's reason was that we were inappropriately attired and tacked for the class. The steward was a lady against whom I had showed in dressage a lot....she asked what had she missed, what did we blow. When I told her what the judge's comment was she about died on the spot. According to the class specks, our snaffle, saddle and my hunt attire were perfectly legit.
Now after telling that story on myself, I guess that I should know better than to ask, but are the sterotypes such that at a show that does not offer show hack, does an obedient, correct dressage type have a prayer. There is nothing is the current specks that gives preference to a CEP mover, is there?

Now, having reread what I have just written....maybe this is more a tale of why people have navigated away from the MR to SH. That while class specs define show hack or hunter or halter in such a way that would technically include the horses that have migrated to SH; that fashion and the resulting narrow interpretation of the specs have excluded any hope of placement.

Now after telling that story on myself, I guess that I should know better than to ask, but are the sterotypes such that at a show that does not offer show hack, does an obedient, correct dressage type have a prayer. There is nothing is the current specks that gives preference to a CEP mover, is there?[/size]

I had to read your reply a few time. I shall be truthful in answering your questions. Several years ago, I had the wonderful oppertunity to work with Wendy Potts, and Gordon Potts, at the Brass Ring in Texas. Wendy always told me that Country English horses make wonderful hunter and showhack horses. I had the chance to see her work and show her amazing string of show horses. (NDL Pericles, Berried Treasure, etc...
At Class A and most Regionals (not Texas or California) you may have a prayer placing in the [u]regular Showhack classes. At Nationals you need an upright Country English Horse that can perform the collected gates. If you took your dressage horse in this class you would not get a look from the judges. The whole frame of your horse will be different than what they are placing. Yes, there is nothing in the current specks giving preference to CEP horses or their movemnet. They say though that high knee carrage will be penalized. I have never seen this happen even if the knee action was high. (close to English Pleasure) I even took the "Judging School" through AHA. I tell you, it was a hot topic in the room. But, nothing has changed or will change. Hence we now have Sport Horse Showhack.
Sport horse is were you will find judges looking at your type and style of horse. More relaxed, lower head, less knee and have a definate distinction in gates.
If you would like to research this further, check out You Tube. Look at the differences in the classes. They do show horses shown at National level. Now having said all of this to you, I hope you can figure out were your horse would excell and shine. I have always been fustrated with how the regular showhack class has gone :" HOLLYWOOD" Bling, Glits and Glamour
https://s640.photobucket.com/albums/uu130/dfarn870/?action=view&current=PieSPShowhack.jpg&newest=1

The qualifying points probably would not cross MR/SH divisions, or would they?

No the point don't cross over. Sport horse is a different event in it's own right. When you check out the points needed you can see what you need. The point are much lower than the regular classes.