The Shires Cheltenham Gag Jointed Bit is a powerful, traditional leverage bit built for exceptionally strong horses. It is widely used in high-intensity, fast-paced equestrian disciplines like cross-country and polo to manage horses that lean or poke their noses out down low.
Key Specifications:
- Material: High-grade, rust-resistant, and tasteless stainless steel that is highly durable and easy to clean.
- Mouthpiece Thickness: 14mm profile.
- Ring/ Cheek Height: 75mm inside ring diameter.
- Mouthpiece: Single-jointed offering a traditional "nutcracker" action that applies pressure to the bars, lips, and tongue.
How it Works:
- Head-Raising Mechanism: Unlike Dutch gags which leverage the poll to push the head down, a true running Cheltenham gag uses specialized leather or nylon cords (gag cheeks) that run directly through the eyelets of the bit rings. When rein pressure is applied, the bit slides upwards along the cords, physically hoisting the corners of the lips up toward the horse's ears. This creates a powerful head-raising action.
- Poll Leverage: Simultaneously, the tension pulling on the cords draws down on the bridle headpiece, applying a secondary layer of poll pressure to ensure the horse respects the braking aid.
- Nutcracker Action: Its single-jointed mouthpiece collapses into an inverted "V" shape under strong contact. This applies concentrated pressure over the bars, lips, and tongue to break the horse's forward momentum.
- Eggbutt Stability: The flat, fixed eggbutt sides ensure the bit stays cantered across the jawline and prevents the metal from sliding sideways through the lips during sharp turns.
This bit is strictly forbidden in British Dressage (BD) and FEI competition. Running gags violate standard dressage principles because they use leverage to manually alter a horse's head carriage.
Usage Tips:
- Required Accessories: The bit is sold on its own. To use it, you must purchase gag cheeks separately to thread through the eyelets.
- The Two-Rein Rule: For safety and clear communication, this bit should ideally be ridden with two sets of reins. One rein attaches to the large eggbutt ring for a normal snaffle action, and the second rein attaches to the ring at the bottom of the gag runners. This ensures you only engage the strong lifting leverage when the horse genuinely ignores a gentle snaffle aid.