slightly stronger bit than a hanging cheek??

italylyns

italylyns

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I ride my TB in a hanging cheek for schooling and hacking but for jumping he gets quite excited and stronger and i am looking to do a pleasure ride with alot of other horse and i want to make sure i have control!!

What bit would you recommend?
 
How confident would you be with 2 reins? If the answer is you'd be happy to use them, then a gag with one rein on the snaffle and one on a lower ring could work well?
 
Mine is ridden in a dutch gag for endurance pleasure rides. It can be a severe bit in the wrong hands so you have to ride softly and just know you have the brakes if you ever need them if someone canters past etc.
 
I use a globe Pelham as I have RA and need a bit of help for my weak joints. This bit has given me so much confidence and horse seems really comfortable in it. I'm a great believer that a more "severe" bit used sensitively is far kinder than having to pull on a "mild" snaffle.
 
We use a Dutch gag for jumping, usually on the 1st small (middle) ring. Get just enough control without being too harsh, but as another poster said. You need soft hands or the horse will get sick of you jabbing its mouth.
 
I'd just like to ask why so many people instinctively seem to use a dutch gag?

To me, it's a horrible piece of kit designed to do nothing but hurt the horse in the mouth. It's a awful version of the long shanks used by western riders with a hinge!

People used to use mullen mouthed curb bits for hunting or fast work as it's kinder to add pressure to the poll and bars instead of cracking the jawbone in half with a joint or pull a horses teeth out.

I have use a gag and it's an unpleasant, inaccurate, and awful tool compared to anything else I have ever used.

I know it's popular and many swear by it but when I ask, people say "ooh you do have to have strong arms".. what?? Really? So you use body weight to brace against a horses mouth? Seems ineffective to me so if someone can explain in detail what I'm missing, I'd appreciate it.
 
tallyho! said:
I'd just like to ask why so many people instinctively seem to use a dutch gag?

To me, it's a horrible piece of kit designed to do nothing but hurt the horse in the mouth. It's a awful version of the long shanks used by western riders with a hinge!

People used to use mullen mouthed curb bits for hunting or fast work as it's kinder to add pressure to the poll and bars instead of cracking the jawbone in half with a joint or pull a horses teeth out.

I have use a gag and it's an unpleasant, inaccurate, and awful tool compared to anything else I have ever used.

I know it's popular and many swear by it but when I ask, people say "ooh you do have to have strong arms".. what?? Really? So you use body weight to brace against a horses mouth? Seems ineffective to me so if someone can explain in detail what I'm missing, I'd appreciate it.
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While I agree with the above, too, we do actually use use a 3ring gag(also known as a continental gag) with Pelham roundings for our big lad who tanks off x country. He ignores Pelhams, and most conventional bits when doing xc, but this works well for him. For every day stuff, he is a loose ring French link snaffle.
I am old fashioned, and prefer to use simple bits like happy mouth,or something with a French link, but this simply does not suit all horses.
While knowledge has moved on, there are also far too many for who just stick the horse in a stronger and often "fashionable" bit rather than address what MAY also be causing the issues-including good old fashioned schooling!
OP try the 3 ring gag, it can be as mild as your hands, but you can use two reins, or the rounding(not technically correct but works for us) to give you extra control in situations you need it.
 
Baileyhoss
Neue schule universal, one rein, v mild gag/curb action.

Highly recommend this bit. I got one from the bit bank for my pony who really pulls in open spaces - and he was like a different boy when we tried it this week. We cantered through our xc park with no stopping issues and no aching shoulders afterwards for me.

Try a few from the bit bank to see what suits your horse :)
 
Depends what the horse does -
Head up then a curb to give poll pressure, Kimblewick, pelham, double or my favorite - military reversible pelham. I don't like joints in a curb bit - they confuse the action.

Takes hold of the mouthpiece -waterford hanging cheek, Sam Marsh Pelham or a scrawbrig moseband as well as his usual bit.

Head down - Cheltenham type gag.

To be effective for most of these you need to be competent with two reins. Three ring gags are a mismash and although they seem to suit some horses are rarely the best option.
 
We use a cartwheel bit for our cob who tends to lean . It is loose ring with two semi circles inside one for cheekpeices and one for reins. This gives a little bit of poll pressure but is thin in his mouth and loose so he cant lean on it. Used gently it is perfect. We put him in a gag for XC once and he just stuck his head on to the floor and ******ed off leaving my daughter with no control at all. If we need extra ie for the beach then a straight bar pelham.
 
s4sugar said:
Depends what the horse does -
Head up then a curb to give poll pressure, Kimblewick, pelham, double or my favorite - military reversible pelham. I don't like joints in a curb bit - they confuse the action.

Takes hold of the mouthpiece -waterford hanging cheek, Sam Marsh Pelham or a scrawbrig moseband as well as his usual bit.

Head down - Cheltenham type gag.

To be effective for most of these you need to be competent with two reins. Three ring gags are a mismash and although they seem to suit some horses are rarely the best option.
Click to expand...

Brilliant reply and saved me from having to type heaps. :)
 
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