Which do you prefer?
Full Cheek Egg Butt. I’ve had horses who got pinched by loose ring snaffles.
I actually have a horse that many would say is hard mouthed but really he is quite sensitive. Because I haven’t always been the best with my contact (although it has gotten a ton better working with a dressage trainer), a loose ring French link has been the best bit for him. I now flat and jump him in it. If you are worried about pinching just get some rubber bit guards. However, the bit you choose does depend on your horse. I would play around to see what your horse seems to go best in.
Full cheek. Gives a little extra leverage and some turning help that a loose ring will be no use for. Plus I’d say a full cheek is more “fashionable” in terms of bits, but honestly that’s just me being vain.
I prefer bits that don’t pinch, but a well made loose ring should be OK as long as it fits. You can also buy loose rings that are in sleeves that are pinchless.
It depends what I need the bit to do. If the horse has a problem turning, the full cheek. If it is a green horse with an uneducated soft mouth, the loose ring snaffle 1/2" wider than the horse’s mouth.
Depends on which the horse goes better in. I like the look of a full cheek, but neither of my horses goes as well in one than they do in the loose ring. My OTTB mare actually seems to like to lean on the full cheek because she likes the bottom part of the cheeks to wrap around her jaw.
:lol: You can always have both in the Austrian free ring or Fulmer snaffle.
I like both for specific uses, but they both have drawbacks. As noted, the loose ring can pinch if not fitted correctly (even with bit guards). The full cheek is just asking to get hung up on something. Keepers help minimize the potential for getting hung up, but they don’t take it away completely. And with a young horse the last thing I need is an accident like that.
My go-to bit is a Myler mullen comfort snaffle. I go from there as needed.
The action of both is different. Different horses have different likes and dislikes, and needs in a bit. Both are useful bits. Use the one that works best with your horse. There is no correct answer.
Fullcheek in general. I have found that several of my youngsters don’t like the constant movement of that the loose ring has because of the rotating rings. They tend to become fussy and I find it harder to teach them a consistent connection to the contact.
I personally hate full cheeks and their propensity to get hooked up on everything and anything, and would generally default to a loose ring, of the two options. That said, what bit does my mare go in? A full cheek! She prefers the stability of a full cheek with keepers, which doesn’t move in her mouth; we tried half a dozen different loose rings on her for flatwork and she wasn’t happy in any of them. We finally had a breakthrough and realized it was too much movement. Some horses might love that, might loathes it.
Most horses will be pretty good at letting you know which bit works for them best.
Depends on the horse. With baby horses learning to steer, I do prefer something with a fixed side piece (a dee or a full cheek with keepers or rarely a baucher). Even some more educated horses prefer the stability of one of the fixed side bits.
Both are great. Depends what the horse needs though…
Loose rings are for people with nicely educated hands.
Green or babies should be in full cheeks or D types.
[QUOTE=hunterrider23;7137032]
Full cheek. Gives a little extra leverage and some turning help that a loose ring will be no use for.[/QUOTE]
It’s true, full cheeks do have the effect of a ‘stopper’ on the side of the face, encouraging the horse to turn, but they don’t have leverage. Unless you attach the rein below the ring, on the prong part…
Part of safety with a full cheek is not allowing your horse to rub his head on you or anything else! If you allow this behavior then, yeah, the bit gets hung up on stuff. I don’t allow it so have never had this happen.
I prefer full cheek for my filly, but she prefers a D ring.
My go-to bit is a Myler mullen comfort snaffle. I go from there as needed.[/QUOTE]
This bit is pricey, but I love it. I tried a loose ring double jointed oval link, a full cheek plain snaffle, and a D ring plain snaffle with my 4 year old. Both plain snaffles were okay, but she would tend to get heavy and fussy and behind the vertical, especially towards the end of our rides. She would practically lock her jaw at times. I finally spent the money (best price was Adams), and she is SO MUCH better! I wish I knew why these bits work so well for some horses. If you buy one and aren’t happy with it, you can sell it on ebay for close to what you paid for it.
