Sweet Iron Pelham Short Curb Ported Mullen

Suitable for horses that:

• Have a large tongue and need more than a snaffle

• Come high in the neck and become unsteady

• Come above the bit in downward transitions

• Are new to a curb bit and need the milder of the two shanks

How it works

Mouthpiece. An unjointed mullen bar formed from a single piece of sweet iron, tapering from 14mm at the cheek to 10mm through the centre. The port measures 80mm wide by 10mm high, low and broad rather than tall and narrow, so the tongue is given room across a wide span while the bar stays well clear of the palate. The mouthpiece is swept forward to follow the arch of the tongue. With no joint there is nothing to close on the bars and no nutcracker action, and port relief moves the load off the centre of the tongue and out onto the bars.

Cheek piece. A short shank engages quickly and remains forgiving if the rein is held rather than given, which makes it the one to start with. The arms above and below the mouthpiece are close to equal, so poll pressure is loaded as much as bar pressure and the horse is asked to drop and settle rather than draw the nose in, which suits a shorter, thicker neck. Ridden on the top rein it acts as a fixed cheek snaffle; on the bottom rein the curb chain enters the curb groove, poll pressure is applied and the horse comes into an outline.

8239

Material. Sweet iron is low carbon steel with no chromium in it, so it is meant to rust. That surface rust is the working part of the bit. It tastes warm and sweet, which draws the horse to mouth the bit and salivate into a softer, wetter mouth. Ours is solid iron right through rather than a coating, and this mouthpiece is formed from a single bar with no joints in it at all. Supplied blue, fading to brown grey as it oxidises in work. Cheeks are stainless steel. Curb chain supplied.

Fit closely, with the lip gently brushing the cheek. An unjointed mouthpiece does not draw up under contact, so the width you measure is the width you need. Adjust the curb chain so it engages as the shank reaches approximately 45 degrees, and check it is lying flat before every ride.

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

14 mm

14 mm

14 mm

14 mm

14 mm

14 mm

Port

80 x 10 mm

80 x 10 mm

80 x 10 mm

80 x 10 mm

80 x 10 mm

80 x 10 mm

Cheek

110 mm

110 mm

110 mm

110 mm

110 mm

110 mm

Wipe dry after use and apply a light food safe oil. Surface oxidation after a period of storage lifts with a damp cloth.