Would you ever use a gag bit and why?

Question

i never seen one used in person, and i dont think i'd ever use one. . . but i was wondering why and how they are used?

Answer 1

I like gag bits, and in the right hands, they are not cruel.  Or, let's put it this way: even a snaffle bit in the wrong hands can be cruel.  I barrel race my mare in a tender touch gag bit.  She works fantastic in it, I've had great results with other horses.  I haven't tried some others that other people spoke about, but I stick to what I said: ANY bit can be cruel in the wrong hands, and even the harshest bit can be used well and effectively in the RIGHT hands.  Yes, some bits are harsh... when they are engaged improperly or with hard hands.

Answer 2

I use a gag bit on my eventer, out on the course he works himself up and responds in no way shape or form to a regular bit. He works himself up and runs off, it only "gags" when he isn't doing what he knows he should do. As soon as he falls back into a steady pace the pressure is released and it's working just like any other bit in a horses mouth.

Answer 3

i use a three ring gag for my cob.

his driven and is very strong

i cant hold him :)

i use the gag to try and give me a bit more control. the bit aplies pressure to the poll which help back up your aids

the severety of the bit is your choice, you have three different rings. there is a snaffle ring with slight pole pressure, a middle ring with more pole pressure, and the third ring is the severest on the bit, this is what i use and still have no contol whatsoever

i woudnt recomend this bit on youngsters as it only hardens there mouth making them stronger.

i only use this bit because my cobs mouth is allready hard and this appears the best bit control wise i have used on him.

hope this helped :)

Answer 4

i use a 3 ring gag

but it depending on what hole you use them on... they give a different amount of pressure for example, if used on the last hole they apply pressure to the poll as well as the bars of the mouth.

i found them to be a great bit and use them alot because if your horse acts up a bit (like at a hunt) you just adjust the hole and you have more control.

as i say i use them alot ans they arnt crule at all. they can do a horse damage to the mouth iff handled very roughly but otherwise they are a very good bit.

Answer 5

We use them for polo on about 90% of the ponies (the other ones we use pelhams for--depends on whether the pony prefers a broken or solid mouthpiece).  We use it because we use draw reins when riding with one hand, and the gag allows you to make fine tuning adjustments with smaller movements than other bits.  For example, you can just tip you wrist toward you to instead of having to pull to engage the gag action and get a horse to slow down.  With other bits you end up pulling more and so it just doesn't work as well, plus it will ruin the horse's mouth.  But that's polo.  I've never used one for any other discipline personally.

People who don't know much about them consider gags to be severe.  Sure, they can be, if in rough hands or if used excessively, but what bit isn't?  Polo players need their ponies to stop and turn on a dime, and the gag helps them get that quick response.  Not because it's harsh, but because it has very distinct pressure, and because it is engaged quicker than other jointed bits, like a snaffle.  Horses would just run through a snaffle when they get going like they do in polo (or even, I would guess, eventing) and the gag helps your control.    A horse playing polo in an ordinary bit would have it's mouth ruined quickly.

Answer 6

To born eventer....let's put one on you, and claim it's not cruel at all.

No, I've never used one.  I know they are used....I can barely identify one when I see it, because I have never known anyone who used them...including eventers, hunter/jumpers, western competitors.  Years ago we would refer to them as cowboy torture devices....no one wanted anything to do with them.

They are cruel and the choice to use them is purely the selfishness  or laziness of the rider attempting to achieve his or her goal without putting in the work to do it right.

And that's "mah" 2 cents on the matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As to how they are used, they are used like any other cruel torturous control device.

EDIT    i agree with barrel racer.  however, the handful of horsemen and women who have actually accomplished the years of master horsemanship training necessary to develop such skilled hands are not the ones most using these bits.

I also believe that for horses on driving lines, the gags are much less abusive and abusively engaged, and this is probably the only place for them to be routinely used.

Just to clarify again, and because I just read Debi's answer, people such as Debi are experienced horsemen (women) with years of training of the hands to be capable of handling virtually any device without it harming the horse.  A butcher knife in the hands of a 3 year old is a dangerous weapon, but in the hands of a chef, it's a ballet.

Answer 7

Yes I have and I do.

I use a Dutch gag on both of my horses as they can be very strong when the mood takes them. This bit applies poll pressure through the leverage action. The graduated rings allow you to fine tune the amount of leverage you actually want, on the first setting it is roughly equivalent to a dropped ring snaffle.

I have also used a Cheltenham or English gag, this one has holes in the bit rings that the cheek pieces pass through and then attach to the reins,  I was advised to try this by an eventer when I was having a problem, I didn't like this as it seemed to put far too much pressure on the mouth rather than the poll which is why I ended up switching to the Dutch.

Dutch gag bit

http://www.eclipse-equestrian.com/acatal...

Cheltenham gag bit

http://www.discountsaddleryshop.co.uk/im...

Answer 8

A gag bit is used to give the rider ability to use normal direction with the reins and gag action (the effect of both reins). You use them as you would a normal bit, but the second rein gives you more control on the mouth when needed. I would use a gag bit if I had an especially difficult horse. :)