Snaffle vs french link - which is stronger?

[BabyBear]

I'm a bit confused:confused:

Casper is currently ridden in a plain snaffle but I also bough him a french link hanging cheek snaffle on advice from my RI which TBH I haven't really used as when schooled he's ok in the snaffle and occasional use of the flash if he tries to evade.

I've been told different things by different people about which one is stronger - can anyone help?

I need something a tad stronger than the plain snaffle and flash for hacking but nothing too severe as I do want to fix the issue with schooling but would like some slightly better breaks in the meantime.

Ta

Kx

[NoviceNic]

Snaffle is stronger because of the nut cracker action. Not all horses like them. Cobs have a particular problem with them as they tend to hit the roof of their mouth...

[NoviceNic]

Try a Myler Comfort Snaffle Loose Ring. The loose ring will stop the horse from grabbing the bit and feckin off with you. ;)

[BabyBear]

Snaffle is stronger because of the nut cracker action. Not all horses like them. Cobs have a particular problem with them as they tend to hit the roof of their mouth...

Hmmm, so what would be the next step up then?

Any recommendations for cobs?

He's just finding it too easy to get the head down and set himself against me and although he'll generally come back eventually I'd rather try and reduce the response time as it's not always safe to wait for him to come back to me.

I don't have the quietest hands so would need something more forgiving!

[NoviceNic]

captain sets his neck and fecks off. Even in a Gag...:eek:

I tried the Myler after recommendations from my RI. Been having lessons once in a blue moon and loads of confidence boosting. Now I am at the stage where we hack out in the Myler. A long way on from hanging on tight with my eyes closed...:o

[BabyBear]

Try a Myler Comfort Snaffle Loose Ring. The loose ring will stop the horse from grabbing the bit and feckin off with you. ;)

Ooops - cross posted!

That's exactly what the little bugger does!:cool:

Will look into that - thanks!:)

[NoviceNic]

Look on Ebay. You have to have the one that has no seams around the loose ring or it may pinch...

I would buy one second hand and then if Casper doesnt like it you can sell it again without loosing money...:)

[BabyBear]

Is it the low port or wide port one?

http://www.themylerbitbank.co.uk/#mouthpiece

[Pink's lady]

Which one's stronger? Which ever one doesn't suit their mouth. They are pretty much the same in 'severity' but some horses like one, some like the other, depending on their mouth conformation. The single joint has a nut cracker effect, pinching the bars and hitting the roof, but has reduced effect on the lips and little on the tounge. The french link doesn't squeeze the bars (lower jaw) or pivot the hit the roof of the mouth, but it has lots of tounge pressure and strong lip pressure.

Pink loves her french link and is much happier in it than the single jointed. Kalli hated the french link but is perfectly happy in her single jointed. It just depends.

If you are going to go down the myler route I'd defintitly look at places you can trial them - they are quite an aquired taste for some horses and i know plenty of horses who hated them, as well as plenty who loved them. There are so many different types that you really need to try lots.

[Wally]

Agree with Pinks, it's a bit like a key and lock, the key must fit the lock for it to work.

Just because my front door key works on my front door, it's not going to work on yours!

[blues mum]

If its a hanging cheek french link then you have different pressures going on.
hanging cheeks work with slight poll pressure.
As already stated, its finding the action that suits your horse.
with blue.
No response to french link snaffle, no brakes no nothing !
same with plain jointed.
hated french link gag.
loved a pelham ! perfect brakes even just ridden on snaffle rein.
Now have him in a loose ring myler comfort snaffle, just like novicenic(sp?)
really diff' to a plain snaffle

[BabyBear]

Thanks everyone.

I'm going to try him in the french link tomorrow and see how he responds and then will possibly look into trialing one of the myler bits to see how he gets on.:)

[laceyfreckle]

i agree with the key and lock thing.

Lacey has until recently been in a kimblewick as i have no braking/turning system with a jointed snaffle if she decides she doesn't 'want to'. However she is currently in a french link eggbutt and is absolutely fine in it, much happier and i have control.

[newforest]

my chap didn't like the french link he used to lean so i changed to a myler.
though any bit is kind or harsh, it all depends on how quiet the riders hands are. you shouls think about your body before your hands.

[katie_charz]

basically they are the same just one has a double link and one is a single join many people thin that snaffles with a single link are stronger ... there not they only have one pressure point yet they pinch the tongue so many horses dont like them where a french link snaffle has 2 joints making it stronger as it has more pressure points yet more horse prefer this as it does not pinch there tongues and i would always go with a french link its up to you?
MANY PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED BUT FRENCH LINKS ARE STRONGER ACCORDING TO THE *BHS*

[NoviceNic]

Its neither the low port or the medium.

Its like this one but loose ring where the ones below are on a set ring.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Myler-5-1-2-Bit-Used_W0QQitemZ120256804628QQihZ002QQcategoryZ16244QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZ****Item

They dont make the one I have anymore unless you order it specifically and I believe the quote i got was £60 a year ago. So I just kept watching on Ebay till one came up. :)

[BabyBear]

I've changed to the french link to see if there is any difference - we only walked today so not a real test but I just wanted to see how he reacted to it and he seemed ok with it.

Casper's problems is that he gets more upset when you take a tighter contact so when he takes off, all I can do is sit back, stiffen my back and give short, small checks with the rein - if I take too big a pull or shorten my reins he sets himself against me and only goes faster. We've got this problem sorted in the school but now need to work on it when hacking.

With the plain snaffle, I feels as though my half halts are being ignored or only responded to eventually - hopefully he'll be a bit more responsive in the french link.:)

[Pink's lady]

there not they only have one pressure point yet they pinch the tongue so many horses dont like them where a french link snaffle has 2 joints making it stronger as it has more pressure points yet more horse prefer this as it does not pinch there tongues

Thats bad science! The same force applied over a larger area makes the pressure LESS, so a french link having more points of contact (which it doesn't really - it just had different from a single jointed) should in theory make it LESS severe.


Casper's problems is that he gets more upset when you take a tighter contact so when he takes off, all I can do is sit back, stiffen my back and give short, small checks with the rein - if I take too big a pull or shorten my reins he sets himself against me and only goes faster

Thats sounds like a pain response, and fear of the bit. Tia is exactly the same (she even looks like him;)) - she can get silly and try and bugger off but if you take a strong pull she just explodes. She doesn't want to listen to what I'm trying to tell her but she also won't respond to pressure on the reins either:rolleyes: I swapped her to a curved french link (from a hollow mouth snaffle) and she was better as the bit was more comfortable. If she were mine i'd be investigating further with different mouth peices.

It would be worth looking into different mouth peoce types (ports, single jointed etc) and I'd also try a waterford - the wrap around the jaw, which some horses hate, but unless you saw they aren't hugely severe and you may have more control.

[BabyBear]

Thats sounds like a pain response, and fear of the bit.

I'm not sure if it could actual pain or remembered pain with him - his previous owner rode him in a bit that was too big and cheek pieces that were too long so the bit was actually hittting off the back of his teeth. He was also ridden Western style so was never asked to take what I would class as a contact and was always worked on a long rein with his head long and low.

You can now take a contact on him but a very light one - I now ride with my hands held slightly higher and forward on advice from my RI to keep the nice soft contact but still giving me enough control should I need to check him.

I'll see how he goes in the french link, then I've got a rubber bar to try and then I'll just have to go through them all and see what he's happiest in.