Full Cheek Fench Link v Hanging Cheek Snaffle

[harleydales]

I backed Elle last Autumn in a Full Cheek French Link snaffle which she has always faffed and faffed with. I thought it was because she was just getting used to it etc, but she still does it a lot, and there are a lot of teeth showing out of the side ;D ! OK, she didn't do anything over the winter and has only just come back into very light work, but the faffing isn't any better.

BUT a couple of weeks ago I tacked her up and realised her bridle was up in the other shed . So I cobbled one together, and the only bit the right size that I could find was a French Link Hanging Cheek snaffle so I used that. No faffing.

I've always been a serious advocate of the Full Cheek snaffles for youngsters because they are gentle and help the steering, but what do you all think about using a Hanging Cheek snaffle on a youngster (she's 5 this year but a 'backward' 5 in the nicest possible way!)? Is there too much poll action? She has always been a bit wary of her ears and poll, though has taken to having her ears rubbed and pulled this spring.

Some people have suggested using a relatively loose flash noseband - I know people who use them regularly on young horses, and others that say never use them - help please!!

Elle is doing great though really, she walked all the way down the road and back tonight, past machinery, running dogs, broncing cows and a very evil septic tank and though she had a good look and once tried to spin, she did do as she was told and walked on. She also wanted to join a group of hinds that jumped a fence and ran up a bank into the forest....er, no, I don't think so ! That involved some reversing and classic Standardbred 'I'll sit down then!' but a strong NO and she walked on in the end.

[SuzieP]

It rather sounds as though Elle has given you her answer by not faffing! The hanging cheek does have poll action which you might not want, but if she's comfy in that mouthpiece what about getting a simple french link eggbutt snaffle for her.

My personal preference would be to avoid a flash and stick to a plain noseband. If she's comfy in the french link snaffle and isn't faffing then there'll be no need for a flash I would have thought......

Sounds liike she's coming on great!

[harleydales]

Do you think it could be the full cheeks that are bugging her Sue? It's strange, all the other youngsters have loved it, yet she just doesn't seem as happy with it.

Edited to add - thinking aloud here and may be way off the mark - as a 5 year old will she be growing molars? Could the full cheeks on the erupting teeth be irritating her?

[SuzieP]

Could be her teeth Jane. Does she have any fleshy bits around her mouth that the cheeks could be rubbing on? Or maybe she just doesn't like the feel of it. Do you have the cheeks held in keepers?

[harleydales]

No, she's quite tight-lipped , not really fleshy. Yes, the cheeks are in keepers. She's always quite soggy sound the corners of her mouth when I take the bridle off.

[Anna]

I know a hanging snaffle is meant to be poll action but if you hold the snaffle and pull the reins you are going to have to put some serious amount of pressure on the reins to put the poll bit in action, an amount that just never (or shouldn't!) happen when riding. If she's happy in it I would personally stick with it.

I did have a flash on Dylan for quite a while and its done him the world of good in terms of settling, now i've removed it he's working really nicely without and I'm much more confident in that he's listening to my seat. Before the flash he would grab the bit and do what he wanted basically so it went on as measure for me more than him and we taught him to listen to me through the seat. Thats just why we used it anyway and I would happily use it again if the situation called for it.

[drummersmum]

Just wanted to say that Livvi loved the hanging cheek, I think its because it is literaly hanging, so suspended in their mouth and its much stiller, unlike a normal snaffle which has lots of movement. She used to chomp her full cheek snaffle. We have now moved onto a loose ring lozenge bit and she seems happy with that now.

Agree with Anna over the poll action. it doesn't really exist!

[harleydales]

Thanks everyone, she's now in the hanging cheek and there's much less faffing, so we'll stick with that.

Had a super hack out yesterday, no problems at all and our first proper TROT!

[valerie n scout]

am pleased things are working fine for you Jane x

[Biggerside Benwell]

A bit late but reading this with interest as Ben has a french link full cheek and got his toungue over it on sat out hacking which was abit scarey. Maybe I should try a hanging cheek again? Does Elle still like it Jane?

[harleydales]

Yep, she still goes better in it than in the French Link.

[greydales]

I used to ride Cherry in a normal French link but she seemed to hate it, was always mouthy and shaking/tossing her head. I changed to a mullen mouth baucher (hanging cheek) with rotating barrel in the middle and she's WAY better with this. As others have said the poll pressure is negligible (imo) and the bit does stay more still in the mouth.

Remy has a full cheek french link, she often shakes her head about and I'm wondering if it's the full cheeks (although I have seen her shake her head in the field so it could be to do with her condition). I may well try a baucher bit with her too.

Glad you are getting on with it Jane!

[southerner]

if they get their tongue over a fulmer, add the fulmer loops, this holds the bit higher and steady in the mouth and prvents this. i used this bit specifically for this reason

[olivia]

Can you use fulmer loops on a full cheek piece snaffle (rather than a fulmer snaffle). I understood they were slightly different, but as I've never used either I wasn't quite sure.

[harleydales]

I think so, as long as they fit onto the bridle and stay over the full cheek bits I dont see why not