Dutch Gags

Mike007 said:
As I posted earlier, the bit rises in the mouth until it uses the teeth as a fulcrum. There is a secondary effect to this which is a lot of "take up" before this comes into play. I do wonder whether some peoples supposed success with the gag has more to do with their inability to maintain a light and even contact in any bit with a more immediate action,eg a snaffle.
Click to expand...

Cripes, maybe you should tell those people who have been round Badminton in one, where they are going wrong, being unable to ride in a snaffle...

Wish you guys woudl make your minds up as well. Either it's a horrendous bit whichis simply cruel or it's a bit which has quite a bit of play & 'slack' before it really bites. I also query whether it actually touches the horses teeth unless it is high in the horses mouth or you position your hands around it's ears. My uneducated (in any form of engineering) view is that surely the bit which will hit the horses teeth is a cheltenham gag. The dutch gag will stop in it's swing as soon as it is horizontal with the reins, it cannot go any higher. Obviously that is undesirable but if the bit isn't hoiked up in the horses mouth then the bulk of the pressure will be on the poll, the other undesirable side effect will be that a single jointed bit will nutcracker into the palate, like a snaffle will.....
 
TBH Id prefer to put a double jointed dutch gag in my horses mouth than a snaffle.
The nutcracker action of a single jointed bit is incredibly severe,
I use a linked full cheek snaffle for everything, One horse used to get a bit strong xc and went extremly well in this:

http://www.englishhabit.com/happy-mouth-2-ring-roller-mouth-pessoa-gag-bits.aspx
On one rein I might add!!

Every bit is only as severe as the hands that use it.
 
Useful if used properly.

I would say that with the benefit of experience I know now to use one with two reins and martingale on the snaffle rein, that part is pretty basic.
 
Last edited:
I used one on my old pony for hunting because he was unbelievably strong. It prevented a lot of pulling using a snaffle which is surely worse? He came with a pelham which I hated so i thought it was a better alternative... (on advice of my RI) Never had any problems with it... we were both happier and could stop :)
 
I think they're fine when used properly.. But I detest it at my riding school that they're paired with martingales and mexican grackles as a fashion accessory, which is becoming more and more popular with the liveries! Otherwise, I know several horses for whom they go very well for. xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top