Horse experts: difference b/t D-ring and egg butt snaffle please...

[big brown horse]

I ride in a loose ring snaffle or just a leather hacamore b/c my horse is perfect. Not really, he just has a wonderfully soft mouth etc. and he usually needs just a light touch re. head gear. He is my ultimate trail horse...now turned my daughter's english riding horse.

We took him (actually rode him and another horse 7 miles round trip b/c we don't have a trailer) to the stable where she takes lessons. Her trainer suggested switching to an egg butt snaffel for a tad more control in the ring. (More than I need on the trails.)

I could only find a D-ring snaffle at my favorite tack consignment shop. It has large Ds...2 inches. And it is only 5 bucks.

I can't find much info on the difference b/t the two. If it is just a small difference, then I'm going to buy it. If there is a huge difference, than no.

Any thoughts?

 

[Florezian]

Basically, all I've noticed is that a D-ring won't catch in the horses mouth like a loose ring can.

As long as it is still the same size, thickness and all.. it shouldn't make much of a difference.

 

[big brown horse]

Ok, thanks.

It is the same thickness as the egg butt snaffle the trainer showed me, that is what attracted me to it.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

wow! i must really be tired. i know that those words are english but honestly, BBH, i dont have any idea what you are talking about. i got "horse" out of that!

ha ha ha ha ha ha

my thought is - why does your horse have an egg butt? what? huh?

whatever... here are some hugs and kisses!

 

[big brown horse]

wow! i must really be tired. i know that those words are english but honestly, BBH, i dont have any idea what you are talking about. i got "horse" out of that!

ha ha ha ha ha ha

my thought is - why does your horse have an egg butt? what? huh?

whatever... here are some hugs and kisses!

No, my horse has a giant peach butt.

I know aren't they crazy sounding? There's more, like, full cheek, kimberwick, shank bit, the dreaded twisted bit, lol. Egg butt is the funniest though.

 

[Farmfresh]

A snaffle bit works by applying pressure to a horse's lips by stretching them over the horse's teeth. You can demonstrate how they work on yourself by simply placing a finger at each corner of your mouth and pulling backwards. Some bits also apply pressure to the jaw by closing in around the jaw bone when pressure is applied. (See jointed mouthpiece info below)

Some broken mouth western bits are improperly called a snaffle but are instead a curb. There is NO leverage with a true snaffle.

Only a bosal or side pull is milder than a snaffle bit.

Really a more important difference than the ring shape is the type of mouth piece and the way the ring attaches to the bit.

A simple "O" ring bit can sometimes pinch a horse in the corners of the mouth, since the ring can slip through the mouthpiece right at lip level. A good D ring or egg butt snaffle will swivel at a higher point in the cheek.

The egg butt and D ring are both supposed to allow better turning than a ring snaffle due to the pressure of the side bar on the bit which is applied to the off side of the mouth during a direct rein turn. A full cheek snaffle will give you the most control during a turn.

As for mouthpiece make sure a bit correctly fits the horses mouth width wise first. After that remember the larger the mouthpiece the gentler the bit. A snaffle bit with a hinged mouth piece is also more severe than a solid bar since it tends to collapse and press in against the jaw. Also, an aggressive mouthpiece such as a twisted wire is obviously more severe.

Hope that helps.

 

[big brown horse]

A snaffle bit works by applying pressure to a horse's lips by stretching them over the horse's teeth. You can demonstrate how they work on yourself by simply placing a finger at each corner of your mouth and pulling backwards. Some bits also apply pressure to the jaw by closing in around the jaw bone when pressure is applied. (See jointed mouthpiece info below)

Only a bosal or side pull is milder than a snaffle bit.

Really a more important difference than the ring shape is the type of mouth piece and the way the ring attaches to the bit.

A simple "O" ring bit can sometimes pinch a horse in the corners of the mouth, since the ring can slip through the mouthpiece right at lip level. A good D ring or egg butt snaffle will swivel at a higher point in the cheek.

The egg butt and D ring are both supposed to allow better turning than a ring snaffle due to the pressure of the side bar on the bit which is applied to the off side of the mouth during a direct rein turn. A full cheek snaffle will give you the most control during a turn.

As for mouthpiece make sure a bit correctly fits the horses mouth width wise first. After that remember the larger the mouthpiece the gentler the bit. A snaffle bit with a hinged mouth piece is also more severe than a solid bar since it tends to collapse and press in against the jaw. Also, an aggressive mouthpiece such as a twisted wire is obviously more severe.

Hope that helps.

YES that helps a lot! Thank you! Thank you!

 

[Farmfresh]

Check above I did some editing.

 

[big brown horse]

Yes, right, thank you!

 

[Henrietta23]

Hmmm, DS had a paper he did at "riding camp" today that discussed these very things in kid terms. Complete with pictures. He left it there. I'm with OFG, it's Greek to me. Sorry!
We are headed to the Dovery Saddlery tent sale tomorrow. I'm sticking to riding pants for DS and maybe a poster for his room.