Who has experience with the french link snaffle? What are your thoughts on it, and what are the mechanics of it? Pros, cons?

Views: 503

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I find the problem with the French link is that the construction of it means there are quite large links close to the insides of the upper lips. For this reason, I prefer a KK or Herm Sprenger with a small lozenge and discreet links.
My main concern about French link snaffles is that the joints in the mouth are vertical. Since I ride Arabs and part Arabs right now this is a concern. I had once tried a French link brandoon on a double bridle with a low palate Arab and he did not like it (he would invert when I tried anything but the very lightest contact.) In fact the only snaffle this horse really liked was a JP Hunter D Dr. Bristol once I added some bit loops to stabilize the bit in his mouth (since it is a D ring bit I had to make them myself.) Once I did this all the horses I've ridden in this bit will accept contact even with my MS challenged hands. The Dr. Bristol mouthpiece joints are at an angle almost identical to the angle of the joints in my Herm Sprenger bit and do not jut up as much as the French link and the lozenge center bits.
On the horse I'm talking about I tried a regular single jointed snaffle, a loose ring lozenge bit, a 3-piece copper roller snaffle, a Herm Sprenger Dynamic RS D-ring lozenge bit, a regular Dr. Bristol full cheek snaffle, a French link brandoon and finally the JP Dr. Bristol bit. His favorite was the JP Dr. Bristol, and he gave me great contact immediately (a BIG problem for everyone before this bit) and had absolutely no fear in facing the action of this bit.
With the other bits it was hard to get good contact (he would not "face" them willingly), and with the French link brandoon (in the double bridle) he was inverting when I tried to get good contact with the brandoon (at the same time he accepted contact with the Weymouth curb.)
The problem with the Dr. Bristol is that if you put it on upside down it is a horribly severe bit, and horses do not like contact with it, put on the bridle properly the horses relax and reach for the bit. ANY bit, if you put it on upside down becomes severe, but for some reason most people put the Dr. Bristol on upside down and it has gotten a terrible reputation because of this.
I will try the French link again when I ride a horse with a high palate. I suspect that this type horse may like it a lot better. I also suspect that horses with thin tongues (from side to side) will also like the French link mouthpiece better than wider tongued horses.
If its joints on each side of the link were not vertical I suspect that low palate horses would like the French link bits a lot better. But then you would have the same problem of people putting it on upside down that the Dr. Bristol has.
Hi, Jackie:

I think you have the french link and the Dr. Bristol confused. The Dr. Bristol is the bit with the center link angled, and the french link has a flat center link. For that reason, the Dr. Bristol is illegal in Canada for use in dressage, while the french link is an acceptable and legal bit.

A french link, whether with a flat link or a lozenge is a very mild bit, and many horses go very willingly in it. The Dr. Bristol has its uses, especially for horses who have learned to pull hard, and who need to be backed off the hand a little, but I've only had one horse who needed it for a short while. Most of our horses go in a french link with a lozenge link, like the Herm Sprenger KK training bits, or the John Dewsbury Kangaroo bits (if you can still find them), but I have some who prefer plain snaffles. Of course, any bit's only as good as the hands using it...

RSS

The Rider Marketplace

International Horse News

Click Here for Barnmice Horse News

© 2024   Created by Barnmice Admin.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service