Why should you use bit guards with a loose ring snaffle?

Question

kk well then wat causes them to pinch???

Answer 1

Loose ring snaffles can pinch. This happens because the horses cheek can get pinched between the ring and the loop the ring goes through or the ring and the bit. You can get no pinch loose ring snaffles. I prefer eggbutt snaffles personally.

Answer 2

Bit guards are used to keep the bit from being pulled sideways through the horse's mouth....on a loose ring snaffle, the rings  can rotate to lay sideways and be pulled through when lateral pulls on the reins are used, as in training exercises.

Answer 3

I don't...but I ahve heard alot of people use bit guards because they pinch some horses mouths. I ahve only seen bit guards used in western riding so I assume the western style snaffle may pinch more? I am not completely positive about tht, but I do know the purpose of a bit guard is to deture pinching :P

Answer 4

To protect from pinch injuries which can be caused by the juncture of the mouthpiece and the ring.

The loose ring snaffle is so called because the mouthpiece itself is not fixed - it is simply mounted on the ring so that it can run freely on the ring as required. With some horses this running, coupled with pressure from the reins can cause a piece of the horse's lip to become trapped thus pinching.

Loose ring snaffle

http://www.tackroominc.com/images/BJPLoo...

loose ring snaffle close up on horse - showing ( I hope ) how a pinch would be possible.

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/1810579-l...

Answer 5

Sometimes the bit can be just a little narrow for the horse when pressure is applied to the rings, and the edge of their lip/cheek can become pinched between the ring and the bit. Bit guards prevent the ring from twisting too far inwards, thus protecting the lip/cheek.

Answer 6

if you pull to one side of the bit the joint where the bar and the ring can pinch the corner of the horses mouth.