Continental Gag bit
- Thread starter wondergirl
- Start date
...A fashion statement!!
Lol! At wallys comment
Its really meant (I think) to add more "breaks" by applying poll pressure to lower the horses head. If this is the rihgt bit im thinking of (3 ring gag, right?) it doesnt add much "gag" movement ie. raising the bit in the horses mouth to raise the head, the poll pressure acts much more and lowers it. In this sense, it is not a true gag.
Oh and it should be (but normally isnt) used with 2 reins, one on the snaffle setting and one on a lower ring to add a bit extra.
I might be completely wrong about all that btw, someone feel free to correct!
B
buttons
Guest
A very useful bit and much better than a pelham.
It gives some poll pressure and leverage to help with "brakes", but does not clamp the jaw with a curb chain making it much less severe.
The fashion statement is not the two or three ring gag, but the "neue schule" - exactly the same but with nicer shaped rings!!!
It gives some poll pressure and leverage to help with "brakes", but does not clamp the jaw with a curb chain making it much less severe.
The fashion statement is not the two or three ring gag, but the "neue schule" - exactly the same but with nicer shaped rings!!!
Siogfinsceal
nature abhors normality
You mean a 3 ring right? Some people dont like them allright but they are less of a fashion statement than fancy myler bits and the like!
I use a 3 ring gag with a set of roundings and find it excellent on my horse who is too strong for a snaffle and ignores the rubber pelham. It works on the horses poll as well as their mouth and lifts their head up and in. Its not as severe as the action of the curb chain on the pelham. You will often see people riding in this bit with no d rings and one set of reins just on the second or third ring. I would not agree with this as the poll pressure is then too severe and the bit 'swings' from teh horses head. using it with D-ring or with 2 sets of reins is more gentle (with the advantage of 2 reins is that you can choose how string the poll pressure is when needed)
Its a good bit for cross country too if you are jumping ditches and drops to get their head back up afterwards.
I have also used it successfully with a girl I teach whose horse leans on the forehand esp when jumping and it has been very successful
I use a 3 ring gag with a set of roundings and find it excellent on my horse who is too strong for a snaffle and ignores the rubber pelham. It works on the horses poll as well as their mouth and lifts their head up and in. Its not as severe as the action of the curb chain on the pelham. You will often see people riding in this bit with no d rings and one set of reins just on the second or third ring. I would not agree with this as the poll pressure is then too severe and the bit 'swings' from teh horses head. using it with D-ring or with 2 sets of reins is more gentle (with the advantage of 2 reins is that you can choose how string the poll pressure is when needed)
Its a good bit for cross country too if you are jumping ditches and drops to get their head back up afterwards.
I have also used it successfully with a girl I teach whose horse leans on the forehand esp when jumping and it has been very successful
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Thank you to everyone who has answered this post.
Does anyone have any pictures of using 2 reins with this type of bit? x
Does anyone have any pictures of using 2 reins with this type of bit? x
Siogfinsceal
nature abhors normality
Siogfinsceal
nature abhors normality
Siogfinsceal
nature abhors normality
Here you go. In this pic shes also wearing a grakle nose band because she likes to cross her jaw and stick her tongue out the side when I ride her!
Ahhh yes, I thought this was what you meant... can you just buy the d-ring or do you have to buy the whole set of reins?
This is like the bit my loan horse will come with. She doesnt have a d-ring though... I dont think... Hmmmm.
PS: You horse has a lovely nose x
This is like the bit my loan horse will come with. She doesnt have a d-ring though... I dont think... Hmmmm.
PS: You horse has a lovely nose
x
A
Amanda22
Guest
Siogfinsceal
nature abhors normality
you can buy the d rings by themselves they should have them in your local tack shop. Always have the first part of the 'D' in the snaffle ring and the second part can go on the 2nd or 3rd ring depending on how strong you want it to be
continental gag/3 ring gag / bubble bit - all the same! ive also seen it called a 'pessoa bit'?
siog was amused at me taking pics of her nose!!
continental gag/3 ring gag / bubble bit - all the same! ive also seen it called a 'pessoa bit'?
siog was amused at me taking pics of her nose!!
Oooh I might have a look for some then.
What's the difference (to horse and rider) if ridden on the 3rd ring?
What's the difference (to horse and rider) if ridden on the 3rd ring?
Personally I think it should be the other way round! If you think the curb chain is too severe you can always use a leather one or put a cover over the chain. It looks so much smarter than the gag, and is more traditional.
V
vimto92
Guest
Sorry to sound rude, but why should it matter how it looks, and if its traditional or not? Surely how your horse goes in the bit and accepts it is main priority here?
Also known as Dutch gag and in Finland it is called Olympia. I love it, can ride pretty much any horse with it, but I think that is just me. Some people absolutely hate it and can't use it on the same horse I use it with great success.
Nina x
Would one of these help with my horse? Took him on a 10 mile fun ride yesterday, did loads of cantering - he wasn't strong, and came back to me easily, so I don't need more brakes, but when cantering he puts his head right down and leans, even when we're going slowly. He's in a hanging cheek French link, we jump and do dressage in it, but yesterday his nose was almost on the floor and I worry that if he stumbled or decided to buck I'd be in a vulnerable position.
I could stop him by going into a nice, round, steady trot then asking for canter, but as we went into stubble field after stubble field it wsn't that easy to organise myself as loads of horses cantered past, so often he had his head down as we set off into canter, then it's really hard to get it back up.
He gets his tongue over a pelham, so I wondered if a 3 ring version of the mouthpiece he's in would help (I'm happy to use 2 reins). It would only be for fast hacking as his flatwork canter is fine.
I could stop him by going into a nice, round, steady trot then asking for canter, but as we went into stubble field after stubble field it wsn't that easy to organise myself as loads of horses cantered past, so often he had his head down as we set off into canter, then it's really hard to get it back up.
He gets his tongue over a pelham, so I wondered if a 3 ring version of the mouthpiece he's in would help (I'm happy to use 2 reins). It would only be for fast hacking as his flatwork canter is fine.
Well, I have seen a variety of opinions on this, but in mine Dutch gag applies poll preassure which means that it will ask the horse to bring it's head even lower. So probably not the bit for you.. But then again, he might like it and it might work the other way around with him. With bits and horses, funny things you see..
Nina x
Nina x
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