On my first horseI schooled in an eggbutt snaffle, generally jumped and hacked in a kimblewick, and went XC in a pelham w/curb chain. Played around with a dutch gag sometimes too.
TB I had last year went in a loose ring NS french link for everything.
Current TB is in a straight bar loose ring Happy Mouth for everything though I may try something with a lozenge for jumping just for a little more 'feel'.
3 ring dutch gag (french link) for everything on the second ring, never third, at home i am forced to use a french link snaffle for dressage in ODE though .. never works !!
Mine has an eggbutt french link snaffle for everything (never tried xc so dont know)
If I am nervous/scared I will put dutch gag on just to make me feel safer, but thats rare now.
For hacking,schooling/dressage, showjumping I use a KK ultra jointed with a lozenge loose ring snaffle.
Showing use a pelham
Cross country did start off with a snaffle but the more he did the more uncontrollable he got. Got to the point where I was having to pull far more than I liked and even then took a lot to stop him. So tried a flash didnt work so then put him in a dutch gag which did work. Though he doesnt need the gag all the time really as takes him a few fences to get going and the gag makes him stop a bit, but once we get going he's uncontrollable again.
Depends upon the horse - my old TBs had the same bits all their lives, loose ring snaffles, with the odd foray in a double for showing.
With my old mare, who came to us as a young horse with issues, we tried just about every snaffle going - she hated them all - but loved a slide-mouth Weymouth double bridle - so she's been ridden in that for best part of 20 years. She is sometimes hacked in a hartwell pelham - she still hates snaffles.
The 6 yo was started in a loose ring but soon told us that she preferred eggbutt cheeks - and she's been in that every since. I will probably introduce her to a double at some point. If she needs a different bit for exciting stuff then we shall use one, otherwise she will continue with the same snaffle as long as she's happy with it.
Charlie has a loose ring snaffle for hacking, flatwork and jumping. For galloping he wears a dutch gag. Did try an d ring eggbutt snaffle years ago, but he refused to even have this in his mouth! Have used a hanging cheek snaffle in the past, but settled for just a plain loose ring snaffle now.
everyone seems to be liking there french links lol
i use a hollow mouth single jointed loose ring snaffle for flatwork and a loose ring french link for jumping, hacking, lunging, field (basically everything else)