Sweet Iron Pelham Short Curb with Aurion Lozenge

Suitable for horses that:

• Come high in the neck and become unsteady

• Are strong intermittently rather than consistently

• Come above the bit in downward transitions

• Have not improved with a change of mouthpiece alone

How it works

Mouthpiece. 14mm, 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 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.

actical choice for horses that benefit from additional control while maintaining a sympathetic contact.

8342

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.

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, so it keeps producing it for the life of the mouthpiece. Supplied blue, fading to brown grey as it oxidises in work. The centre lozenge is Aurion, a high copper concentrated alloy. Cheeks, eyelets and joints are stainless steel. Curb chain supplied.

Fit closely, with the lip gently brushing the cheek. Aim for one to two soft wrinkles at the corners of the mouth. 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

Cheek

110 mm

110 mm

110 mm

110 mm

110 mm

110 mm

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