Leather Mouth Universal Gag with Aurion Lozenge

Suitable for horses that:

• Get strong as the pace increases but are sensitive about metal

• Run long, low and stiff

• Lean through the bridle across country

• Are over bitted in a three ring

How it works

Mouthpiece.14mm finished, double jointed, with curved cannons angled forward to follow the shape of the tongue. The lozenge lies flat on the tongue rather than standing upright between tongue and palate, so tongue pressure is spread across the width of the tongue. There is no nutcracker action and nothing reaches the palate.

Cheek piece.A ring cheek introduces poll pressure and creates leverage on the mouthpiece. The half ring is what makes this version milder than a three or four ring. With the rein on the centre ring the bit works as a plain loose ring snaffle, with full movement and immediate release. With the rein on the lower ring poll pressure is introduced and the mouthpiece rotates and lifts in the mouth. The bridle ring is offset from the cheek so the bridle cheekpiece stays clear of the face. With a leather mouthpiece the leverage is felt through a softer surface, which suits a horse that gets strong without wanting a hard bit.

8251

Material. The cannons are 12mm stainless steel bars wrapped in bark tanned leather to a finished 14mm. Leather carries no metal taste and does not draw heat from the mouth, so there is no cold metal contact at the start of work. Saliva softens the covering until it takes the shape of that individual mouth and holds it, and the surface gives slightly under load, spreading the bearing wider than bare steel of the same diameter. The stainless core keeps the geometry and the strength unchanged, so nothing is given up for the softness. The leather is hand stitched with the seam running along the front of the mouthpiece, away from the tongue, and tapered down to a smooth finish where it meets the joints. Colour comes from vegetable oil and deepens with use. The centre lozenge is Aurion, a high copper concentrated alloy, which adds a taste stimulus that leather alone does not give.

Allow 2 to 5mm clearance at each side so the centre ring can rotate. Leather does not slide across the lips the way polished steel does, so do not fit tight. A backstrap is recommended, as it holds the bit steadier and limits rotation of the cheek.

Size and fit

4.5"

5"

5.5"

115 mm

125 mm

140 mm

Mouthpiece

14 mm

14 mm

14 mm

Core

12 mm

12 mm

12 mm

Centre ring

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.