Question: a Hunter gag bit, while considered to be an unconventional bit, is legal in the Hunter ring. Does anyone have a picture or link to one? I’ve never seen one before.
Thanks in advance.
It’s a hunter D with the hooks or slots on the top and side for the cheek pieces/reins - sometimes you call these Myler D based on the manufacturer:
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/myler-level-2-3-38-medium-dee-with-hooks-mb04-22773
I’ve also heard called this bit the hunter gag. I do believe it’s not legal with the hooks, and for some would be unconventional as a loose ring, though I’ve seen horses win plenty with a loose ring.
Brad can make these with any mouth piece. I personally really like these bits, they’re not as aggressive as some gags and you can use them with normal cheek pieces.
The hooks, I think, is what makes this a very unconventional hunter ring bit. It fixes the reins and cheek pieces to the rings, thus amplifying the rein pressure and creating the gag-like effect. I’ve seen horses show in the D ring version since they are technically legal. If a judge isn’t really paying attention, you might not even notice.
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Don’t kid yourself. Any kind of hunter gag is instantly recognizable to any experienced judge.
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Hey, I didn’t say a “good” judge LOL. I personally wouldn’t use one just because of their unconventional label, but a horse in my barn schools in one and it’s a great bit for him.
Anyone can use it if they like. Just don’t think for one second that it will go unnoticed by a judge.
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Maybe someone who judges can step in here, but I would consider the hunter gag non-conventional for hunters, but a loose-ring less common, but conventional.
Pretty obvious that a horse is using a hunter gag as soon as a rider pulls on the reins.
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A loose ring is completely conventional. Just not very fashionable these days.
Many years ago when the hunter gags were the new thing, they were still shaped like loose rings before somebody figured out how to make them into a D bit.
We had a horse back then who loved, loved, loved his egg butt snaffle with a round ring on it. That was his favorite bit, that was the bit he wore, that was the bit he always showed in. There is a judge who has always been very vocal about her feelings on the hunter gags. When we showed that horse in front of her, we made sure to go right up by where she was sitting at the side of the ring during the opening circle so that she could see it was NOT a gag bit. Lol.
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Holy crapamoly! $545??? Is there a normal people’s version of this?
This would be considered a gag? The mouthpiece looks fixed; how would it move up?
I’m not too worried about whether a judge sees it or not. I was just trying to determine what I was looking for!
The whole bit moves up the side pieces, rings and all.
There is a slot on the top and side of the hunter D gag. If you fix the rein and cheek piece through those slots, the bit rotates in the mouth and provides some leverage, putting pressure on the crown piece on the top of the horse’s head. The bit does not slide up and down at all.
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Then there’s this:
I’ve only ever seen them used with the rope side pieces that allow the bit to slide when the reins are pulled. I may be thinking of a different bit. It’s used in polo.
@LilRanger - This bit? It’s what most think of when you hear “gag.” It is called a Cheltenham Gag, technically. It is popular in polo but also very popular for jumpers. There are a few other types of gags (like the hunter gag, but also the Dutch gag (aka the 3 ring)) but all work with the similar goal in mind of creating leverage through pressure.
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While this is what I think of when I think “gag”, I don’t believe that it’s hunter legal. I think the OP is looking for one that is.
Thanks, @Greys4Days22 - I was responding to @LilRanger question about a gag bit with rope sides. Should have used the quote function! I’m not quite up to snuff on the new forum layout.
There is no such thing as an ‘illegal bit’ in the USEF rules for hunters.
There are bits that are ‘conventional’ and bits that are ‘non conventional’. ‘Non conventional’ bits are penalized at the discretion of the judge. I think a judge can kick out the entry as the most severe penalty? Zero score.
Traditional gag bits, two ring or three ring bits and dee ring bits with hooks are all in the same ‘unconventional’ USEF bit group.
Rules and regulations for AQHA, apparently allow for dee ring bits with hooks. Also the allowed bits in Canada hunters include Kimberwickes; which again fall into the unconventional USEF bit group.
