Snaffle with a lozenge vs french link?

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FinkleyAlex

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Potentially a noob question - my 4yo has come back from being broken in. He's going really nicely (I rode him a few times while he was there) - nice soft contact etc. His breaker has been riding him in a loose ring snaffle with a lozenge, which I'd like to buy and continue using it. The only problem is that I can only find french link snaffles (often with oval lozenges) or 'training bits' which are quite thick. Does anyone know if a 'french link' with an oval lozenge would be the same as a snaffle with a lozenge? I always thought the lozenge for a french link is meant to be a figure of 8 shape. She hasn't been using bit rings for him, and I'm not keen on them - are loose rings ok to use these days without them (seems quite common!) or should I try and find an eggbutt version?
 
There are loads of thinner mouthpiece ones on ebay if you just put in the search "snaffle lozenge". I've used a loose-ring type on my rising-6 youngster for the past couple of years and he goes well in it. He has a thinner version too because he has a small mouth and a big fat tongue.
 
Phone up Neu Schule, and Heather will talk you though your needs, I think a nice mouth is made with a nice bit, so I don't like french links, to me it punishes the horse, ditto jointed snaffles., as with everthing nice hands make nice riders, make nice horses.
Loose ring snaffles are fine as long as he does not learn to evade, but that can be said about any bit. You might expect to chnge bits at some time in the future, but not now. Thck bits are fine for normal mouths, other mouths may need something different.
 
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Coblover63 said:
There are loads of thinner mouthpiece ones on ebay if you just put in the search "snaffle lozenge". I've used a loose-ring type on my rising-6 youngster for the past couple of years and he goes well in it. He has a thinner version too because he has a small mouth and a big fat tongue.
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Oops probably should have specified that I'd ideally quite like to go out and buy it today so I can ride! I live next to a huge Robinsons but all they have are the french links and training bits, I've no idea where the other tack shops are around here.
 
Bonkers2 said:
Phone up Neu Schule and Heather will talk you though your needs, I think a nice mouth is made with a nice bit, so I don't like french links, to me it punishes the horse, ditto jointed snaffles., as with everthing nice hands make nice riders, make nice horses.
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Thank you - not sure I can afford a NS bit just yet but maybe I could get one through the bit bank. Can I ask what it is about lonzenged snaffles you don't like? I always thought they were kinder than ones with one joint (with the exception of dr bristols/angled/severe types)
 
I have an eldonian/Jeffries D ring lozenge snaffle, I really like it for my youngster as the D ring gives a little extra direction for him, the mouthpiece is not too thick and the joints are smooth and not bulky.
They also do a loose ring version if you prefer.
 
Another one who recommends Neue Schule. They do a range of mouthpieces of different thicknesses of which some of the thinner mouthpieces suit the WB types, like the dutch types that can have particularly fleshy thick tongues.

Heather at Neue Schule was great as was Alex Jessett my EDT who advised me to buy a NS bit.
 
Jo1987 said:
I have an eldonian/Jeffries D ring lozenge snaffle, I really like it for my youngster as the D ring gives a little extra direction for him, the mouthpiece is not too thick and the joints are smooth and not bulky.
They also do a loose ring version if you prefer.
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I also have an Eldonian snaffle with a lozenge but its just a loose ring not D, its a really nice bit my horse goes well in it.
 
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