Full Leather Three Ring Elevator with Straight Bar

Suitable for horses that:

• Set the neck and take hold

• Get long and lean through the bridle as the pace increases

• Are strong around a course and settled at home

• Need a reliable brake but will not take a metal mouthpiece

How it works

Mouthpiece. An unjointed bar at 18mm, the widest bearing surface in the range. With no joint there is nothing to close on the bars, nothing to rise towards the palate and nothing to pinch at the lips, and rein pressure is spread across the full width of the tongue. A stainless steel wire core runs through the whole length, so under contact the bar takes a shallow curve and follows the shape of the tongue.

Cheek piece. With the rein on the main ring the bit works as a loose ring snaffle, with immediate release. The middle ring introduces poll pressure and leverages the mouthpiece; the bottom ring increases both. Unlike a running gag, which slides the mouthpiece up a cord and holds it there, the leverage here is direct and releases as soon as the rein is given. Ridden on two reins, with the leverage rein brought into play only when it is needed. Putting that action over a leather bar gives the control of a three ring with the softest mouthpiece we make.

8262

Material. Built in layers over a 2mm stainless steel wire core. The core is sleeved in nylon webbing, built up with a suede layer that also carries over the cheek bushings, then wrapped in 1mm bark tanned leather and hand stitched with the seam running along the front, away from the tongue. The nylon sleeve means the horse never meets bare wire, and taking the suede across the bushings removes any hard junction where the mouthpiece meets the cheek. Leather carries no metal taste and does not draw heat from the mouth, and saliva softens it until the bar takes the shape of that individual mouth. Colour comes from vegetable oil and deepens with use. Cheeks are stainless steel.

Allow 2 to 5mm clearance at each side so the main ring can rotate. An unjointed mouthpiece does not draw up under contact, so the width you measure is the width you need. Leather does not slide across the lips the way polished steel does, so do not fit tight. Ride on two reins so the snaffle rein carries the ordinary work, and fit a backstrap if the cheek over rotates.

At 18mm the bar is tall as well as wide, so check there is room between the upper and lower bars when the mouth is closed. Leather does not slide across the lips the way polished steel does, so do not fit tight.

Size and fit

4.5"

4.75"

5"

5.25"

5.5"

6"

115 mm

120 mm

125 mm

135 mm

140 mm

150 mm

Mouthpiece

18 mm

18 mm

18 mm

18 mm

18 mm

18 mm

Core

2 mm wire

2 mm wire

2 mm wire

2 mm wire

2 mm wire

2 mm wire

Main ring

65 mm

65 mm

65 mm

65 mm

65 mm

65 mm

Wipe dry after every use. Treat with a food safe oil if the leather dries out. Do not soak, do not store wet, and do not leave the bit on a horse standing or travelling in the bridle. The covering moulds to one mouth, so keep the bit to one horse.