So my horse has recently gone out on loan and I used to ride her in a French link snaffle. She is strong and can be fast especially when out hacking and is a cob so doesn’t help, when schooling she can often go round with her head quite high. The people I’m loaning her to have changed her to a 3 ring Dutch gag (only has one joint in the middle) I’m just wondering if that is quite harsh and I’ve heard if anything it will make them put head up? Is it a wise idea to just let them get on with it if it’s working well for them?
Dutch gag bit
- Thread starter Lilyherm
- Start date
I wouldn't be happy with them upping the bit so soon into a loan and without consulting me. A Dutch gag is a fairly severe bit if used on the lower rings and the single joint is also often seen as harsher than a French link as well as often unsuited to a typical cob type mouth. My concern would be that your horse is too much for them and they're trying to ride her by hanging onto the mouth. What you do is up to you and depends on your circumstances, I would be inclined to say something but there is the risk that if they take offence they will end the loan - would that be a problem?
I'd agree with @carthorse. And a gag is an elevating bit because of the way it works in the mouth and technically should be used with double reins but 99% of people don't realise that and use a single rein on a dutch gag because that's what they see everyone else doing.
I think that when you put your horse out on loan, you have to trust the loaners to look after your horse and do things their way. I don't know enough about bits to comment really (I only ever rode Ben in a myler snaffle) but a dutch gag is fairly common and if your horse is strong then perhaps then have more control this way. It all depends on how they ride. If they are light in their hands and ride with the bit effectively then I'm not sure I see a problem. In fact, if they are able to ride with a more lighter contact then perhaps this could result in a lowered head position if they are not fighting the horse so much?
I shared a horse who was ridden in that, it was only there for emergencies as most of the time he was fine you just had to pick where you cantered as he could take off and as a grade a showjumper pointing him at a gate or hedge to stop was pointless. Buddy was ridden in a gag with a flash and martingale and spurs....quite why is beyond me. He was retrained to go on the buckle in a myler d ring with curve and rollers, very thin bit which we hardly tough. I wouldn't be happy if they did that to my horse so soon into a loan, i suspect they just don't suit each other and rather than work on that they just do the quick fix of a harsher bit.
That’s exactly what I was thinking, I think aswell it doesn’t help I’ve only ever ridden in very soft bits and my horse is also used to softer bits so it just feels a bit strange and they have come from a riding school so most of what they know is from YouTube or googling it, I went up to ride her the other day and also put the bit up as it seemed so low in her mouth she only just had a wrinkle so I’ll probably just have a word, thankyou!
If they've come from a riding school and this is their first experience of a privately owned horse I suspect they're feeling out of their depth and struggling. What they've learned may not be transferring well to a more forward and less indoctrinated horse, leaving them nervous and unsure. Could you give them a few lessons on her so they can see what works? Borrow a horse and hack with them?
Within reason, but I would be very unhappy if they changed my tack without first discussing with me, but I would have that in any contract anyway.
I would go and watch them ride in it. If they are hanging off the horse's mouth as a way to stop then.....hmmmmm.
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