a bit confused

Rockchick

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Me again (I’m doing a lot of thinking lately :)
One of my horses is ridden in a bubble bit (2 ring) on the bottom ring (it has the centre revolver mouthpiece) a grackle and a martingale.
He can be strong out hacking and can pull a fair bit especially in canter, I’ve tried him in just a normal snaffle (trying the less is more route) the consequences of which were a 40 min fight out hacking, and myself with very sore hands. I’d love to be able to have him in a lesser bit but I’m not sure which one to try.

My other horse goes everywhere and does everything in an Eggbutt snaffle and a flash!

I’m also confused as to the difference (other than appearance) between a Wilkie snaffle and a hanging cheek……
 

Spotsrock

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Hanging cheek exerts poll pressure and encourages head down. Wilkie Pulls down and back so actually lifts head and tucks it in. Totally different actions. Neither ideal though horses for courses i've used both with good results on various horses though always with the intention of working on problems aiming to one day go back to try the snaffle.
 

kerilli

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Hanging cheek snaffle does NOT exert any poll pressure. If it did, it would not be dressage legal. If it has a single-joint it has a head-raising action due to the nutcracker action. If double jointed, less so. The hanging cheeks keep it very still in the mouth, and suspend it slightly off the tongue.
the wilkie is completely different and of course is not dressage legal... but you're comparing apples with pears!
 

Tonks

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I think this is quite interesting and I think this is often one of those bits (hanging cheek) that often promotes a discussion with some arguing it does exert some poll pressure and others stating that it doesn't.

Clayton did some interesting research on the action of bits and found that what we traditionally thought about bits and their actions, once analysed using (i think) radiographs was found not to be true at all.

Simply by the very design of the bit, it appears to me that it would exert some very mild poll pressure (and to me, feels that way when you ride in one.) However, this may not be the case. It is often promoted as encouraging the horse to 'break at the poll' - not sure what that means exactly and sound terribly uncomfortable!!!

Until some accurate research is done to measure it's mechanical action through the use of imagery [to include inside the mouth and measurements of poll pressure], I think we're all simply repeating what we're told about the bits' action.

Does anyone know if such research exists for the Hanging cheek?
 
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