|
|
 A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
 
Location: Southern Oregon | I was riding with a good friend today and we were discussing this and I would like to hear others opinions on which one they use and why? I always use Loose Ring Snaffles with some sort of three piece mouthpiece. My friend only uses d ring snaffles with a simple mouthpiece or twisted mouthpiece. |
|
| |
|
 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
 
Location: Phoenix | I'm curious as well. |
|
| |
|
 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
 
Location: Montana | I don't really know if one is better than the other...my colt (he's a coming 3 y/o) I feel really comfortable with in a D ring snaffle, and my 14 y/o mare I like in the loose ring. I think with my mare I like her in the loose ring because it is harder for her to lean on the bit because it moves on a loose ring, however she still tries. The youngster I don't think has learned to lean on the bit yet, so I could probably ride him in either. I can my mare too, but I get along with her better in a loose ring for some reason. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | i have both and use both, for some reason I like the feel of a D more on certain horses I feel like the loose rings change the feel i get when i pick up on them sometimes I like that and sometimes not. I got a big hunter D bit with the 3.5" D's and I'm actually really liking it and its nice because I don't feel like I need a chin strap but I feel like I do need one for other snaffles to keep it from moving as much or to keep certain horses from trying to get the rings in their mouths.
I really don't even know why I'm replying I can't even begin to describe how I feel like the feel changes  I read an article one time about the different feels between D and loose rings and will see tomorrow if I can dig it out because it made sense. |
|
| |
|
| Use an offset O-ring with a smooth two piece mouthpiece with copper bars ....
no pinching .. hangs correctly and when you use split reins to ride two handed, how to lift the correct rein and leave slack in the other to move a horse left, right or thru the turn ... then you are ready to watch the soft hand movements of Cervi in her world record run at the NFR ... then you can start using barrel reins that are correct in length ... you will never try to neck rein your barrel horse again ... https://youtu.be/FqGi3WfY74w
 (BIT OFFSET O RING 5 IN 2 PIECE SWEET IRON COPPER BARS - 2.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
 BIT OFFSET O RING 5 IN 2 PIECE SWEET IRON COPPER BARS - 2.jpg (40KB - 265 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | One is not superior to the other. Most of it comes down to what is more comfortable for the horse. Some prefer a D ring because they like the stability. The loose ring doesn't provide that bc the ring is constantly "floating". On the same token, if you have a horse that wants to be heavy, and O ring may be better because it's harder for them to set their jaw and lean against it. Neither really affects turning ability and the odds of being able to pull one through the mouth are slim to none. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | And I use a mix of both with the eggbutt snaffle. I LOVE that bit. I can keep my horses mouth soft with it and use different training aides if I need to. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| The main difference between the two bits
Is the o ring has more of a gag action, what I mean by this is when you pick up on the rein, the rein slides along the ring, and the ring moves through the mouthpiece. This allows the horse more warning when the pressure is applied.
The d ring you have less gag action as the reins can only slide so much and the mouth piece is fixed.
I find it is more the mouthpiece that a horse responds to
I like the three piece as it doesn't pinch the tongue, whereas the two piece does pinch the tongue. There are different philosophies on if the two piece hits the hard palate. I believe with a 2 piece you have more tongue and bar pressure then a 3 piece.
A smooth piece is the lease severe as it has no ridges making contact with the tongue
The tighter the twist, the more ridges, the more severe
The thinner a mouthpiece the more severe
There is different philosophies on a chain mouth piece, some people say it is a soft bit as it conforms to the mouth, every bit manufacturer/maker say this is the most severe as the ridges make more contact with the bars and tongue.
Think of it as someone pulls a smooth piece of pipe through your hands, it doesn't hurt. Some one pulls a chain through your hands, your hands will hurt, and possibly some skin damage depending on the force applied. |
|
| |
|
 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| Very much the same. The O ring is a little easier to pull through the mouth than the D ring. I use a full cheek on really young horses to avoid this. It distributes the pressure on the side over a wider area than just the corner of the mouth. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| I used to race my mare in a square mouth o-ring with a drop cavesson and a tie down, and it was enough for a while (Til we went to Joseys and they helped us find her 3rd gear and actually get her to run).
I use an offset o ring like pictured above with a smooth mouth on colts. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | cheryl makofka - 2015-05-12 9:05 AM
The main difference between the two bits
Is the o ring has more of a gag action, what I mean by this is when you pick up on the rein, the rein slides along the ring, and the ring moves through the mouthpiece. This allows the horse more warning when the pressure is applied.
The d ring you have less gag action as the reins can only slide so much and the mouth piece is fixed.
I find it is more the mouthpiece that a horse responds to
I like the three piece as it doesn't pinch the tongue, whereas the two piece does pinch the tongue. There are different philosophies on if the two piece hits the hard palate. I believe with a 2 piece you have more tongue and bar pressure then a 3 piece.
A smooth piece is the lease severe as it has no ridges making contact with the tongue
The tighter the twist, the more ridges, the more severe
The thinner a mouthpiece the more severe
There is different philosophies on a chain mouth piece, some people say it is a soft bit as it conforms to the mouth, every bit manufacturer/maker say this is the most severe as the ridges make more contact with the bars and tongue.
Think of it as someone pulls a smooth piece of pipe through your hands, it doesn't hurt. Some one pulls a chain through your hands, your hands will hurt, and possibly some skin damage depending on the force applied.
 thank you that is pretty much what I read |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | cheryl makofka - 2015-05-12 10:05 AM
The main difference between the two bits
Is the o ring has more of a gag action, what I mean by this is when you pick up on the rein, the rein slides along the ring, and the ring moves through the mouthpiece. This allows the horse more warning when the pressure is applied.
The d ring you have less gag action as the reins can only slide so much and the mouth piece is fixed.
I find it is more the mouthpiece that a horse responds to
I like the three piece as it doesn't pinch the tongue, whereas the two piece does pinch the tongue. There are different philosophies on if the two piece hits the hard palate. I believe with a 2 piece you have more tongue and bar pressure then a 3 piece.
A smooth piece is the lease severe as it has no ridges making contact with the tongue
The tighter the twist, the more ridges, the more severe
The thinner a mouthpiece the more severe
There is different philosophies on a chain mouth piece, some people say it is a soft bit as it conforms to the mouth, every bit manufacturer/maker say this is the most severe as the ridges make more contact with the bars and tongue.
Think of it as someone pulls a smooth piece of pipe through your hands, it doesn't hurt. Some one pulls a chain through your hands, your hands will hurt, and possibly some skin damage depending on the force applied.
Why do you specifically call this action "gag"? Both bits operate on the corners of the mouth like a gag, tongue, bars, etc. but a gag has poll pressure. O rings and d rings do not. I wouldn't describe their action as "gag" like at all, not unless they had a moveable mouthpiece that operated on the poll in some way.
Edited by oija 2015-05-13 12:02 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| Will the loose ring real help the horses that get bracey in the face ? I have a mare in s smooth mouth D ring now but she gets kinda bracey in the face.. I'm going to try a loose o ring with the same mouthpiece tonight . See if I can answer my own question lol |
|
| |
|
Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | Fancy Lass - 2015-05-13 11:34 AM Will the loose ring real help the horses that get bracey in the face ? I have a mare in s smooth mouth D ring now but she gets kinda bracey in the face.. I'm going to try a loose o ring with the same mouthpiece tonight . See if I can answer my own question lol
On my mare, I feel like the loose ring helps, but she still occasionally tries to brace against the bit. I've been considering something with more gag to get her to quit, but she is doing good in the snaffle racing so I'm not in a big hurry either. Sometimes I use another bit to get a horse to back off, then go back to what I was using. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| oija - 2015-05-13 12:01 PM
cheryl makofka - 2015-05-12 10:05 AM
The main difference between the two bits
Is the o ring has more of a gag action, what I mean by this is when you pick up on the rein, the rein slides along the ring, and the ring moves through the mouthpiece. This allows the horse more warning when the pressure is applied.
The d ring you have less gag action as the reins can only slide so much and the mouth piece is fixed.
I find it is more the mouthpiece that a horse responds to
I like the three piece as it doesn't pinch the tongue, whereas the two piece does pinch the tongue. There are different philosophies on if the two piece hits the hard palate. I believe with a 2 piece you have more tongue and bar pressure then a 3 piece.
A smooth piece is the lease severe as it has no ridges making contact with the tongue
The tighter the twist, the more ridges, the more severe
The thinner a mouthpiece the more severe
There is different philosophies on a chain mouth piece, some people say it is a soft bit as it conforms to the mouth, every bit manufacturer/maker say this is the most severe as the ridges make more contact with the bars and tongue.
Think of it as someone pulls a smooth piece of pipe through your hands, it doesn't hurt. Some one pulls a chain through your hands, your hands will hurt, and possibly some skin damage depending on the force applied.
Why do you specifically call this action "gag"? Both bits operate on the corners of the mouth like a gag, tongue, bars, etc. but a gag has poll pressure. O rings and d rings do not. I wouldn't describe their action as "gag" like at all, not unless they had a moveable mouthpiece that operated on the poll in some way.
The way I was explained is not all gags have poll pressure, and bits don't have to have gag to have poll pressure.
The gag I was taught is a delayed pressure on the bit.
When you pick up on an o ring snaffle, some of the energy you excert is the rein moving along the oring to the point of contact, this movement gives the horse warning that pressure is beginning, but the horse doesn't feel the complete force you are excerting. After the rein stops moving, as you continue to pull the ring in the oring move a little, the horse is experiencing more pressure on the mouth, but not full force till the ring stops.
Hope this makes sense.
For poll pressure the more purchase a bit has the more poll pressure is applied.
With the exception of a draw gag which applies poll pressure first |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Fancy Lass - 2015-05-13 12:34 PM
Will the loose ring real help the horses that get bracey in the face ? I have a mare in s smooth mouth D ring now but she gets kinda bracey in the face.. I'm going to try a loose o ring with the same mouthpiece tonight . See if I can answer my own question lol
I would say no a losse o ring will not stop a horse from bracing, you may need to go to a more severe mouthpiece, or go to a shank to get her to back off |
|
| |
|
Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | Fancy Lass - 2015-05-13 12:34 PM Will the loose ring real help the horses that get bracey in the face ? I have a mare in s smooth mouth D ring now but she gets kinda bracey in the face.. I'm going to try a loose o ring with the same mouthpiece tonight . See if I can answer my own question lol
I can't guarantee it, but it's harder for a horse to lean on than a D ring. Will it fix your problems for sure? Maybe. But you may have to try a different mouthpiece or shank option. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-05-13 5:24 PM
Fancy Lass - 2015-05-13 12:34 PM Will the loose ring real help the horses that get bracey in the face ? I have a mare in s smooth mouth D ring now but she gets kinda bracey in the face.. I'm going to try a loose o ring with the same mouthpiece tonight . See if I can answer my own question lol
I can't guarantee it, but it's harder for a horse to lean on than a D ring. Will it fix your problems for sure? Maybe. But you may have to try a different mouthpiece or shank option.
I rode her in it tonight .. It did help ! It didn't completely fix it , but it helped a lot . I'll fix her the rest of the way with just training .. My other horse on the other hand is night & day different in a loose o ring compared to a d ring .. She's usually very resistant .. Always wants to toss her head with a D ring but with the loose ring she stays very soft & broke at the poll with hardly any contact .. She's extremely light mouthed . Idk why that is , but hey I'll take it! |
|
| |
|
Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | Fancy Lass - 2015-05-13 7:06 PM cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-05-13 5:24 PM Fancy Lass - 2015-05-13 12:34 PM Will the loose ring real help the horses that get bracey in the face ? I have a mare in s smooth mouth D ring now but she gets kinda bracey in the face.. I'm going to try a loose o ring with the same mouthpiece tonight . See if I can answer my own question lol I can't guarantee it, but it's harder for a horse to lean on than a D ring. Will it fix your problems for sure? Maybe. But you may have to try a different mouthpiece or shank option. I rode her in it tonight .. It did help ! It didn't completely fix it , but it helped a lot . I'll fix her the rest of the way with just training .. My other horse on the other hand is night & day different in a loose o ring compared to a d ring .. She's usually very resistant .. Always wants to toss her head with a D ring but with the loose ring she stays very soft & broke at the poll with hardly any contact .. She's extremely light mouthed . Idk why that is , but hey I'll take it!
I'm glad to hear it worked well for you! It goes back to what I said, no bit is magic but the right one sure does help. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-05-13 10:48 PM
Fancy Lass - 2015-05-13 7:06 PM cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-05-13 5:24 PM Fancy Lass - 2015-05-13 12:34 PM Will the loose ring real help the horses that get bracey in the face ? I have a mare in s smooth mouth D ring now but she gets kinda bracey in the face.. I'm going to try a loose o ring with the same mouthpiece tonight . See if I can answer my own question lol I can't guarantee it, but it's harder for a horse to lean on than a D ring. Will it fix your problems for sure? Maybe. But you may have to try a different mouthpiece or shank option. I rode her in it tonight .. It did help ! It didn't completely fix it , but it helped a lot . I'll fix her the rest of the way with just training .. My other horse on the other hand is night & day different in a loose o ring compared to a d ring .. She's usually very resistant .. Always wants to toss her head with a D ring but with the loose ring she stays very soft & broke at the poll with hardly any contact .. She's extremely light mouthed . Idk why that is , but hey I'll take it! I'm glad to hear it worked well for you! It goes back to what I said, no bit is magic but the right one sure does help.
Thanks ! :) |
|
| |