Hanging Cheek snaffle - the wonder bit that people say it is?

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teapot

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A lot of people in general, not just on here, recommend the hanging cheek for various circumstances, whether it be a BD legal bit, or just that added bit of control.

Now, I changed baron's loose ring snaffle over to the hanging cheek when I had him as needed some extra control. And I personally didn't notice the difference. I still had the same issues with stopping safely and calmy. I eventually went for a pelham with 2 reins.

Maybe the hanging cheek had no effect as he was primarily a driving pony, hadn't been broken that well etc. But considering I'd been told to try it after asking advice from a couple of people - it just didn't seem to do anything.

Anyone else found that they've had no change with the hanging cheek. Obviously it varies from pony/problem to pony/problem but lets say for that added bit of control.
 
I dont think it offers "more" control, just a different action. They can be very good because they actually put less pressure on the mouth as they knd of suspend themselves, so not putting pressure on the tongue all the time like a LR will, but substitues that with a bit of poll pressure. Some horses respond very well to that, some dont. Its the same with all bits IMO, it depends on the reaction they provoke in different animals!!
 
I think it all depends on the horse or pony. My daughter's pony is quite strong and tends to put her head down and lean, so we changed from a normal french-link snaffle to a hanging cheek french-link and it worked a treat. But they are all different - there is no such thing as a wonder bit that will suit all horses!
 
Agree with both of you, just didn't word thread well enough. Just seems to be a bit that is recommend more than some others
 
Some people see it as a "easy" bit as offers poll pressure but is dressage legal. IMO, the poll pressure is negligable, it just gives a different action, which is why some stronger horses can react better to it
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I tried a French Link hanging cheek on my mare and found her mouth disappeared in anything more than a walk! It seemed she was able to lean on it quite easily and take a hold of it. She goes best in a copper roller or similar.
 
I tried one for my old horse who was very strong and normally ridden in a 3 ring gag... but couldn't stop him in it as he just took hold and was off.
I tried it on my 'leaner' (she also goes well in a dutch gag) and she was soooo heavy, there was no poll action at all from it. I'd much rather use a loose ring snaffle which they can't take hold of quite as easily.
 
I think it is popular with childrens ponies because its considered to be a bit more useful than a snaffle but not as severe in the wrong hands (ie: a childs maybe) as maybe a pelham/kimblewick/continental.
I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to someone wanting 'proper' breaks but maybe just a bit more of a tweak than an eggbut but obviously the bit you use usually depends on more than just its action but also about how the horse is ridden. My cobbie actually becomes very strong in anything other than a loose ring french link snaffle. In a headcollar she's dobbin, in a pelham she's a tank!!!
 
Ill have to agree. i didnt find it had any benifits with my boy.
unfortunatly, it made him worse as he also seemed to take hold and lean on it.
i suppose its like all bits - each horse has its own preferances!
 
it worked a treat on one of my lads as it sits still in the mouth, he was a nightmare in a loose ring etc and I didnt want to go to a gag or similar so opetd for hanging cheek and a drop noseband and he's tons better....

my highland is a leaner and he didnt like it - it made him heavier in my hands and we went back to a loose ring waterford....
 
It worked really well on my old horse Otto. I think it very much depends on the individual horse though, it works for some but not for others. Give it a go though.
 
I have used it on two of my horses. Used it my boy when he was leaning but it was a disaster, I went cross country training and could not steer, so he kept running out and never put him in it again.
Have the bit on Honey at the moment as wanted a thinner mouthpiece than the snaffle she had and it was the bit in the house that was narrower. She has turned out to go really well in it and is doin some fab work in it.
 
I changed Murph from a straightforward snaffle to a Hanging Cheek and it made no difference, I'd say he was actually worse in it. I have now gone for a loose ring french link and although he is strong in it (we use a pelham for serious stuff) he doesn't lean so much so is easier to school.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Some people see it as a "easy" bit as offers poll pressure but is dressage legal. IMO, the poll pressure is negligable, it just gives a different action, which is why some stronger horses can react better to it
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[/ QUOTE ]

agree...I didn't think it used poll pressure at all and actually if you look at JoElla's picture you can see how the cheek pieces are baggy!
 
I love it! I have a horse who is fussy in the mouth and I find the hanging cheek french link sits really still it does not move that much in the mouth so horse has no excuses. I tried 10 different types of snaffle before getting to this particular combination and it works a treat.
 
I've heard a couple of very experienced people say that if a horse enters a dressage arena in a hanging cheek it shows it as no mouth/ hard mouthand the horse is ridden too much through the reins and not the seat/ legs. Now, I've had my boy in a hanging cheek because I thought he went better in it, but since changing to a kk with a lozenge a couple of years ago we haven't looked back.
 
I disagree with this! I tried one on my boy as recommended by an expert because of his mouth conformation, very short from the corner of his mouth to his lips, and fussy with tongue pressure, so tried one because it lifted the bit in the mouth and lightened pressure on the tngue. I dont see how a bit can dictate how a person rides with their hands!??
 
Used a baucher for schooling on an old mare & that went well in it. We used a gag for hacking & jumping though, as her brakes outside of the school were variable.

Like someone else said, it's completely dependant on the horse. No one bit is a "wonder bit" - it works for others & others it doesn't.

Sophie x x x
 
I think they meant the other way around - that if a horse is in a hanging cheek then it shows the rider relies too much on the hands for an outline and not enough from the seat/ legs. Does that make any sense? I think it was a sweeping generalisation and there are obviously exceptions, as in any circumstances.
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With regards to horses leaning on bauchers (hanging snaffles) then it would depend on what what is actually inside the mouth. The hanging cheek only refers to the outside peice of the the bit. Hanging cheeks are available in single jointed, frenchlinks and waterford mouthpeices that I know of for definate but I think there could be others too.
So a horse would generally much less likely to lean on a french link or waterford due to the extra links.

Not sure if thats any help
 
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