Gosh, look at this bit

[vicm2509]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SWEET-IRON-SNAFFLE...1QQcmdZViewItem

Looks a bit scarey to me, anyone used one before?

 

[MizElz]

Christ, look at the rust on it!

 

[RachelB]

 

[allijudd]

someone has actually bid on it!!!

 

[vicm2509]

[ QUOTE ]
someone has actually bid on it!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

And it wasnt me

I was just doing a search for sweet iron bits and this came up. That wire wrapped around the mouthpiece looks so harsh, bet it pinches like mad.

 

[Bounty]

Sweet iron bits are supposed to be rusty!

 

[galaxy]

and they're describing it as a "snaffle"??? Hmmm....

 

[Tia]

It has a single jointed snaffle mouthpiece - what else would they describe it as?

Sweetiron is designed to rust Miz.

 

[_Libby_]

when my sweet iron bit rusted i chucked it out ?

 

[Tinkerbee]

*makes note to photograph some of the very scary bits in the tackroom back home*

We have some marvelous contraptions

 

[Tia]

Oh dear. It was only just getting perfect for using by that stage.

 

[Britestar]

Copper wire wrap is actually not a severe bit. Its nice and warm for the horse, makes his mouth salivate, and the wire is wrapped close up, so there are no gaps.

 

[Enfys]

Jointed bits like your ebay example are commonly referred to as snaffles here, looks like a version of a butterfly or Argentinian snaffle to me. It seems that 'snaffles' don't have curb slots looking at these bits. I have something similar in a box somewhere, and just as 'rusty' looking.

 

[vicm2509]

[ QUOTE ]
when my sweet iron bit rusted i chucked it out ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? They usually rust after the first use, this is the reason they are good. The rust tastes quite sweet and encourages salivation

The wire on that one does not seem that closely wrapped to me though, hence why I thought it would pinch?

 

[RachelB]

[ QUOTE ]
The rust tastes quite sweet and encourages salivation

[/ QUOTE ]
And you know this how, exactly?!

 

[Tia]

*sniggers*

 

[kerilli]

i have a full-cheek one of these, bought it about 20 years ago, i've always called it a "copper ridged bit". it works miraculously on some horses for xc, while others completely ignore it. it isn't harsh really, the ridges are close together and very smooth. it stops some horses from leaning, but others don't seem to notice the difference from a normal smooth mouthpiece at all.

 

[_Libby_]

lol i threw two of them out! what a muppet!

 

[*hic*]

I'm now intrigued - why did you buy them if you didn't know how they were supposed to work?

 

[chaffinch]

I use them and in a drunken state once we did try them and they do indeed taste sweet after a while!!! I hasten to add I had cleaned it.

 

[vicm2509]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The rust tastes quite sweet and encourages salivation

[/ QUOTE ]
And you know this how, exactly?!

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a little suck on it

Only kidding - my instructor told me.

 

[vicm2509]

[ QUOTE ]
i have a full-cheek one of these, bought it about 20 years ago, i've always called it a "copper ridged bit". it works miraculously on some horses for xc, while others completely ignore it. it isn't harsh really, the ridges are close together and very smooth. it stops some horses from leaning, but others don't seem to notice the difference from a normal smooth mouthpiece at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for that, I knew someone would know

 

[JenHunt]

Its not taht bad... it's only like a tom thumb bit or a dutch gag.

Both the copper wire and sweet iron are good to help the horse salivate and relax his mouth.

probably a really useful bit of kit!