Bit advice please

Boxers

Boxers

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 April 2003
Messages
4,771
Location
Lincolnshire
Visit site
My daughter (14) has a 14.1 pony who she does SJ on. At home he is ridden in either a waterford snaffle or a french link snaffle.

However, for competitions she uses a cheltenham gag like this:


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/cheltenham-gag_W0Q...A1%7C240%3A1318

but with roundings on the bit ring to the ring on the bottom of the leather cheeks. (this is what he came with from his previous owner.

However, he is still strong in this and leans on her alot. She has trouble steadying him in SJ.

So she had a lesson last week and she lent us a sprenger gag like this


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sprenger-KK-conrad...A1%7C240%3A1318

We went out SJ and daughter found it very good and was able to steady him much better.

However, Sprengers are quite expensive.

Would a 3 ring gag like this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-RING-CONTINENTAL...A1%7C240%3A1318

do the same job?

Incidentally she had a strap on the back of the sprenger going from one side to the other behind his jaw.
 
Your not going to like this, my boy is completely unholdable in a 3 ring gag, brilliant in NS universal bit (very simular to KK bit)
 
I know everything horsey seems to be expensive especially the things that seem to work for you! Believe me though, I'd pay out for the expensive bit if it works.
If you don't want to go down that road straight away possibly try and borrow a waterford gag?
 
There is a tack shop on ebay - my saddlery i think, i bought a 3 ring gag from them that has a copper mouthpiece with a lozenge rather than the flat link. It's been a god send with my mare, i couldn't hold her out in a tom thumb gag but this seems to work really well. The rings are quite large which seems to offer better leverage & brakes!! I don't think it cost more than £23 with postage - IM me if you want me to find them and send you a link xx
 
we have tried all three with our new 14.2 jumping mare for almost the same reason ..she came in a three ring bit on the bottom hole and was never really happy brought a second hand kk bit and strap she seemed a little happier but she was taken hunting and there was no brakes at all so i tried putting her in a cheltenham gag with bit guards and she is great in it ..she is easy to stop and has also been xc traing in it with a load of other ponies and was good the bit is strong but is only ever at full power when she really pulls so she does get a short sharp pull and this brings her back then the pressure is released but i have to say in over 40yrs i have never heard of one being used with roundings and i would have thought it would have stoped most of any action the bit is made for have you tried it just on the rings at the bottom of the straps?
 
[ QUOTE ]
but i have to say in over 40yrs i have never heard of one being used with roundings and i would have thought it would have stoped most of any action the bit is made for have you tried it just on the rings at the bottom of the straps?

[/ QUOTE ]

Like you I had not seen roundings on one before, but this is how the previous owner competed him and it seemed to work and so we continued - although I agree and have been told that it would probably be little more than a snaffle like that.

We tried with the reins only on the bottom ring of the straps and he seemed to chuck his head about alot even with only a light pressure - so we went back to the roundings.

I am going to ring round some tack shops etc for the sprenger bit and see what the 'best price' is
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top