Bit of Britain Cartwheel bit

[Hilary]

Has anyone used this?

http://www.bitofbritain.com/Nunn-Finer-Sensation-Oval-Link-Cartwheel-p/802.htm

Found out today that I need more brakes but the horse is pretty sensitive - he goes in a happy mouth, so I know I have a lot of places to go up - he’s in a tight flash and martingale, and a single joint vs. a double. He really likes the softer bit .

Previous owner said she tried a 2-ring pessoa and it was way too much bit.

Happy Mouth makes a ‘wonder bit’ but it is single joint. I like that this is double, and I can always wrap the metal parts in Sealtex but wondering how the cartwheel part acts - more or less pressure than the regular wonder bit?

If HM made a wonder bit with 2 joints that would be ideal, buy they don’t.

I can stop him with my seat/legs from a gallop if there are no fences involved, so there’s hope but he gets excited and very strong between fences sometimes (not always, lots of times on course he gallops along like a gentleman and listens) - dives, roots, throws his head around and I need a hair more to get his attention without freaking him out.

[SonnysMom]

I don’t know who makes it but I bought a wonderbit that is double jointed. I really like it.
I will go dig around my old emails to figure out where I bought it and hopefully the brand.

[kcmel]

I got a double jointed wonder bit at BoB. I haven’t seen the one the OP linked to–I will be interested to hear any feedback.

[Highflyer]

I was actually just talking about it with my trainer-- she recommended I try it for my horse as an in between the wonder bit (not enough) and the American gag (too much). I haven’t gotten a chance to try it yet though-- maybe next week.

[csaper58]

Perhaps the flash is too tight?

If over tightened it will interfere with the horse’s ability to soften it’s jaw, and will lead to tension and stiffness and resistance.

[riderboy]

FWIW, I’ve settled on a hard rubber mullen mouth Pelham and a converter for single reins. I tried a lot of bits, my guy is also sensitive, but he accepts the mullen mouth readily and the curb chain is something he will listen to without tossing his head or freaking out. My contact with that is steadier and much more consistent. Otherwise he’s a freight train. I ride him in that SJ and XC.

[skipollo]

[QUOTE=Hilary;8672945]
Has anyone used this?

http://www.bitofbritain.com/Nunn-Finer-Sensation-Oval-Link-Cartwheel-p/802.htm

Found out today that I need more brakes but the horse is pretty sensitive - he goes in a happy mouth, so I know I have a lot of places to go up - he’s in a tight flash and martingale, and a single joint vs. a double. He really likes the softer bit .

Previous owner said she tried a 2-ring pessoa and it was way too much bit.

Happy Mouth makes a ‘wonder bit’ but it is single joint. I like that this is double, and I can always wrap the metal parts in Sealtex but wondering how the cartwheel part acts - more or less pressure than the regular wonder bit?

If HM made a wonder bit with 2 joints that would be ideal, buy they don’t.

I can stop him with my seat/legs from a gallop if there are no fences involved, so there’s hope but he gets excited and very strong between fences sometimes (not always, lots of times on course he gallops along like a gentleman and listens) - dives, roots, throws his head around and I need a hair more to get his attention without freaking him out.[/QUOTE]

They do make a double jointed Wonder bit. It’s just not sold in the US. I bought one from the Bit Bank in the UK a month or so ago. Including shipping it was about $50.

http://horsebitbank.com/happy-mouth-roller-beval-bit-549.phtml

[2LaZ2race]

I have this one and I love it!

http://www.doversaddlery.com/m/stübben-golden-gag-horse-bit/p/X1-010474/

[Winding_Down]

[QUOTE=Highflyer;8673044]
I was actually just talking about it with my trainer-- she recommended I try it for my horse as an in between the wonder bit (not enough) and the American gag (too much). I haven’t gotten a chance to try it yet though-- maybe next week.[/QUOTE]

I like it as the in between. Looks like it should be just that. As a bit hoarder, I look forward to hearing how it works, then my itchy eBay fingers will be wiggling…

[Winding_Down]

[QUOTE=2LaZ2race;8673177]
I have this one and I love it!

http://www.doversaddlery.com/m/stübben-golden-gag-horse-bit/p/X1-010474/[/QUOTE]

One of my favs! Love the Stubben Wing bits!

[Hilary]

Ooh, thank you all. I did experiment with nosebands - the flash is not overly tight, and without it he just opens his mouth and I have no contact. He made it clear a figure 8 was not to his liking.

I spent the winter working on communication and brakes - I got him last Sept, so we’re definitely still in the getting to know you stage. When he’s getting out of control on course I can stop/trot and regroup, and when he is listening he is very sensitive to my body half halts, but I need a bit that get his attention, so I can then use my body.

Guess I’d better get shopping.

[FLeventer]

Let me know what you think. Been wanting to try one with my fussy mare.

[Larbear]

What did you end up getting Hilary?

[Hilary]

Nothing yet! So many options, but in the interim, giving the KK loose ring a try - because it’s metal, but soft, perhaps I don’t need leverage at all? And I can try it on my gallop tomorrow.

[flashwhitelock]

this bit is called a Beval (no relation to Beval’s) bit in England and was the original name for this type of design. It might help if you search for people who have used a beval bit and you might get a larger response.

Personally, our horse went better in a bit where it was 2 reins and you weren’t stuck using leverage when you didn’t need it. This bit was a jack of all trades, master of none for us.

[Highflyer]

It’s actually not quite the same, I don’t think-- the bit I’ve seen called a Beval is the one also referred to as a wonder bit, and the sides are a bit different-- the extra side piece on the cartwheel makes it a bit more severe.

[Hilary]

Yes, I’ve used the Beval bit (also called wonder bit, modified gag) and had success with it on other horses.

Highflyer confirmed what I was thinking that the vertical piece in the Cartwheel makes it more severe than the bits without. But it’s fat, double jointed mouthpiece also makes it ‘softer’.

I don’t know why I didn’t think to try my KK -just to see how he reacts to a metal bit. He does not like single jointed metal bits.

If I do end up trying a leverage bit it will be with 2 reins so I can use the leverage to get his attention but not use it to steer or more subtle communications.

[Highflyer]

So, an update: my horse seems to like the cartwheel bit. He goes in a French link baucher for dressage, so I tried one of the double jointed ones (the less angled one) first. It gave me substantially more control than the wonder bit-- which might as well have been a regular snaffle-- without taking away the ability to steer the way the American gag did, even with two reins. But he was significantly fussier in it than in the gag or in the scissor bit, although he jumped rounder. So I ended up with the single joint, which he seems to like much better-- apparently the fat center part of the double jointed one was too fat for his tiny TB mouth. I’m hopeful that this will be, if not the one, a solid stopgap until he learns that galloping down to his fences with his nose at his knees is not a good plan.

[spencergbennett]

Have the same issue with a sensitive but very forward thinking horse. I used to go in a single jointed wonderbit but just switched to a 3-ring rubber french link (he also goes beautifully on the flat in a fat french link copper boucher). He seems to love the fat french link in rubber, with a 3 ring gag on the snaffle ring. The fatness and link and rubber of the mouth piece are easier on his sensitive mouth, and the little bit of leverage really helps me slow him down when he gets rolling. I had help finding the bit and found it very enlightening to be reminded that a fast horse does not necessarily need a stronger mouthpiece. He’s not hard mouthed at all, in fact, he’s quite soft in the mouth. The nicer mouthpiece rewards his soft mouth, but the leverage communicates very clearly to him that I would like him to SLOW DOWN. :eek: Haha.