The Shires Sweet Iron Three Ring Dutch Gag with Lozenge is a premium multi-ring leverage bit tailored for strong, dry-mouthed horses that lean heavily on the rider's hand or pull during fast work. It pairs a classic continental elevator cheekpiece with a highly palatable, double-jointed sweet iron and copper mouthpiece. This specific configuration offers riders adjustable mechanical control to manage a horse's head carriage while ensuring a warm, smooth, and highly encouraging fit in the horse's mouth.
Key Specifications:
- Mouthpiece thickness: 16mm.
- Cheek height: 180mm (5.5").
- Mouthpiece Material: Black sweet iron bars paired with raised copper ribs and a solid central copper lozenge.
- Cheekpiece Material: Heavy-duty, rust-resistant stainless steel.
How it Works:
- Tongue Contouring Lozenge: The double-jointed central copper lozenge sits flat across the tongue. This distributes rein pressure evenly over the bars and tongue while entirely removing the painful upward "nutcracker" squeeze on the palate associated with single-jointed alternatives.
- Salivation via Oxidation: The sweet iron bars are designed to oxidise and rust inside the mouth, producing a sweet taste that triggers intense salivation. The solid copper lozenge retains heat better than stainless steel, providing a warm, comfortable texture that relaxes a tense or fussy jaw.
- Anti-Leaning Copper Ribs: The bars feature raised copper ribs. This textured surface provides a mild sensory distraction, effectively preventing strong horses from clamping down, bracing their jaws, or taking too much of a fixed hold on the bit.
- Variable Poll Leverage: The bridle cheekpieces attach to the small isolated top loop, while reins are attached to any of the lower three rings. Moving a single rein or adding a second rein to the bottom loops creates a mechanical lever. This dual-action rotation applies downward pressure to the poll (encouraging head lowering) while simultaneously lifting the mouthpiece to stop the horse from running through the rider's hand.
This bit is strictly illegal for Dressage under British Dressage (BD) and FEI rulebooks but widely permitted for showjumping and cross-country phases.