Gag Bits

Why is it that about 90% of all good polo ponies use a gag bit? I have also notice that you dont see many pelhams on high goal ponies that play in the high goal chmapionships.

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Permalink Reply by Kim Snider on May 29, 2011 at 0:16

Sani- The argentines seem to have a preference for gags. In their high-goal, you will see gags predominantly. In the US high-goal, however, pelhams seem to be much more common. Not exactly sure why. I asked someone far more knowledgeable than me. Her answer was that gags kept the horse more on their front end with their heads down in a running and flowing motion where the pelhams tended to keep the horse more in a checked up position on their hind ends. Not sure if this is right. Maybe some others with more knowledge could weigh in.

 

Permalink Reply by Maltese Cat on May 29, 2011 at 10:43

 

Discussion by Richard Hobson, Polo and Ponies, published by J.A. Allen & Company Limited, First published 1975, Reprinted 1983, 1988, ISBN 0 85131 236 5

Permalink Reply by Sandra Funk on May 31, 2011 at 1:08

both bits have absolute different points of accion for the horse, I mean points of pressure of the horse mouth.

I believe that because of the leverage effect of the pelham it is much easier to stop with less power of your arms than with a gag. More longer the pelham more dangerous it is. (I saw broken jaws with some long pelhams)

The gag also has the effect, that's why the name in spanisch also is "levantador" = lifter, that it get the head of the horse higher, to lift the front legs when you stop, what's better for the tendons.

After all I believe there is always the right bit for each horse and the riding method of each rider, I personally wouldn't say one bit is better than another one.

Regards

Permalink Reply by Sani Umar on June 5, 2011 at 9:18
Majority of the ponies imported here from argentina play with a pelham bit. They don't stop on a gag! While a most of the thoroughbreds from south Africa play with gags. Same goes with our locals. What we do here mostly is to use gags on horses with a soft mouth that stop easily and a pelham for those that do not stop, the harder the mouth the more severe the bit( that's from a simple straight bit, to a curved one and to ones with rollers). Which is why I don't buy horses that use a pelham here; its an advert that it doesn't stop well.

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