A closer look at different cheek pieces and their actions...
If your horse isn’t going as well as you would like in your current bit or you’re planning on trying a new discipline that they might find exciting, you might be on the lookout for a new bit to try them in. Once you start searching, you’ll see that there are so many out there to choose from, all claiming to work miracles for your horse, and you might not know where to begin! In this blog we’re looking at the most common cheekpieces you see on bits and getting you up to speed on what they do.
We hope that knowing which cheek pieces can help with steering, which can lighten the horse in your hand, and which give you some extra breaks will help you make the right decision. Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive - there are so many innovative new bit designs out there now that covering them all would mean writing a book rather than a blog! But we do cover the main ones here, and our founder Jodie is always on hand to answer your questions about any of the bits we sell. Without any further ado, let’s get started!
Loose Ring
This is a simple and popular design, the loose ring has much more movement and play than a fixed cheek. That means it discourages fixing, blocking and leaning, and can encourage mouthing. The extra movement of the mouthpiece that the loose ring allows means it can follow the angle of the tongue as the horse’s outline changes in different work and stages of training. Don't be put off by the idea that a loose ring pinches a horse - if its properly fitted and suitable for your horses mouth conformation then it shouldn’t pinch.
Eggbutt
The eggbutt cheek piece features a flat, oval-shaped ring that is fixed to the bit and bridle, providing a more stable contact with the horse's mouth. Because this is a fixed cheek piece, everything remains more still in the mouth, so it can be brilliant for horses who are fussy or lack the confidence to stretch into the contact.
D-Ring
The D-ring cheekpiece is named for its "D" shape (obviously!), where the straight side is next to the horse’s lips. The D-ring bit offers a fixed cheekpiece that also helps to prevent the bit from sliding through the horse's mouth. That gives the rider a little more stability and control than the eggbutt cheek piece.
Full Cheek & Fulmer
The full cheek is a fixed-ring design that features straight bars that extend from the mouthpiece, helping to prevent the bit from sliding sideways in the horse's mouth. They can also be an aid to encourage steering in younger horses. The Fulmer is a similar design to full cheek, but with a separate loose ring. That makes them ideal for horses who need full cheeks but go best in a loose ring bit!
Baucher
The baucher bit features a unique design where the small ring is used to attach the bridle cheeks and the larger ring for the reins. It works a little like a fixed ring eggbutt, giving the same stability in the mouth, but the hanging cheek means the action is slightly different. It’s often assumed that the baucher delivers pressure to the poll, but the position of the pivot point means it lifts the bit in the mouth and relieves tongue and bar pressure.
Pelham
The Pelham is designed to mimic the action of a double bridle, with rein placements for both the snaffle/bradoon bit and the Weymouth curb bit. It’s commonly used with roundings and one rein, though that makes it impossible to ride with just the snaffle action! The Pelham cheekpiece exerts pressure on the poll, the curb groove and the mouth. If you love jumping, then care should be taken as horses can find that the curb pressure comes into play just before they take off and that could lead to them backing off their jumps.
Weymouth
One of the two elements of a double bridle, the Weymouth is the curb bit and exerts pressure on the poll, mouth and curb groove. It’s worth noting that this bit isn’t designed to be used on its own, it should always be in conjunction with a bradoon bit, normally a loose ring snaffle. The idea of a curb bit is to encourage maximum flexion and lightness in your hand, and this should only be attempted once the horse is capable of this in a snaffle!
Remember, you can get most of our bits on a 30-day trial so it’s possible to try several different cheek pieces to see which your horse goes best in. Just browse the website and drop us a line if you have any questions.