Fager bits focus on the pressure points within the mouth, with the objective of providing the most comfortable bitting solution for the horse.
We expect so much more from our horses today. We want them lighter, more responsive and we seek a greater degree of precision and a faster response to our aids. The breeding of our horses has also changed with sport horses often now having a higher degree of sensitivity and a greater degree of refinement to enable them to perform at the elite level we strive for.
Pressure points
There will always be pressure from the bit in the horse’s mouth, that’s the way the control function works. With many pressure points within a horse’s mouth and head, the bit and also the bridle, needs to act as a “complete solution” and it’s always important to remember that if you take pressure from one point it will just get transferred to somewhere else. The Fager principle looks at pressure in a refined and focused way, and the range is built around the "type" of horse to ensure these pressure points are applied at the most appropriate position for that particular horse.
Design
All Fager bits are lighter and slimmer, taking up much less space in the mouth. For many years we were told thinner bits were sharper and more severe, due to the pressure on a smaller surface. Fager takes the opposite approach with thinner bars and joints to give
more freedom inside the mouth without locking the tongue. The thicker bit will also sit "higher" in the mouth meaning the upper bar will press on the bit ad subsequently the lower bar giving much more unnecessary pressure than a thinner bit - even before a contact is taken up!
Another interesting design focus is the centrepiece of the bit usually a lozenge, link or roller. A long centrepiece can cause damage to the bars and palate due to the bit not fitting well within the space it is positioned. This is even more prevalent when the bit is too large for the horse and not fitted correctly. In fact it is common to cause damage to the bars and palate due to long centre pieces and / or an incorrectly fitted bit.
Sweet iron v titanium
Sweet iron isn’t new… it’s a regular choice mouthpiece for a metal bit for a number of premium and mainstream brands. The iron coating of a sweet iron bit is warm within the horse’s mouth and oxidises when it comes in to contact with the moisture in the horse's mouth, causing it to "rust". This oxidisation is completely normal for a sweet iron bit, and only when this has happened does the bit start to taste pleasant in the horse’s mouth.
The other material and perhaps the one that everyone is talking about when it comes to Fager bits is titanium. It’s a super lightweight surgical grade titanium and it tastes of.... well.... nothing! Titanium will never rust or wear and is extremely strong. It is also exceptionally light weight for its composition, passing on that remarkable property to all bits within the collection. Fager titanium bits have a blue coating, which will show scratches with bite / teeth marks. This coating doesn’t affect the bit in any way and the titanium underneath will not mark or scratch.
So many names
Each Fager bit is fundamentally defined by its mouthpiece first. Each mouthpiece has a name… a persons name! There are many… both male and female, and common “models” to look out for are “Carl”, “Julia”, “Sally”, “Alexander” and “Bianca”. These names refer JUST to the mouthpiece so in essence there will be a number of bits with the same name covering different rings / cheeks. Loose ring, fixed ring, winged, pelham, kimblewick, kimblehook and Icelandic to name but a few.
A word about fitting….
As with most premium ranges, the Fager collection all poses Fager branding and size details on the mouthpiece. There will always be a “horse logo” on the end cap of the mouthpiece, which should always be on your horse right side, running forward - FAGER in front (there is an exception to this rule, but we can discuss specific bits in a later blog).
Sizes
Fager bits don’t have quite the same flexibility in their sizing as other premium brands. Each model has length increments of 10mm between each size – 105mm, 115mm, 125mm, 13mm and 145mm – which is less size variation compared to imperial measurements for many other brands that have ¼ inch increments in many cases. The mouthpiece and ring thickness is also based on the length of the bit, rather than being a specific option to choose regardless of bit side. That said, there is an immense range of models (mouthpiece) and ring types meaning that Fager slots in as one of the most comprehensive bit range on the market today.
If you knew nothing about Fager before now, I hope this has given you a starter in to this exciting young brand. And if you are fully aware of the brand and own a number of their models I would love to hear your experiences, and in particular how the titanium bits compare to more traditional materials. One thing is for certain though, it’s a brand with a purpose and is growing its coverage on a continual basis. There is an ever growing number of retail outlets for new Fager bits, and selected bits are now starting to pop up more frequently on the second hand market. That said, pre-owned Fagers are still quite difficult to source, in my opinion, because people buy them and usually want to keep them!
To view my current stock range of Fager bits please use the link below. Or if there is a model that you would like but isn’t listed on my site, please let me know as I will try my best to source it for you.
https://secondhandhorsebits.com/collections/fager
And of course, any queries or comments always greatly received x x
]]>Neue Schule, translated loosely to ‘new school’ is a UK based brand with a broad range of bitting options that focus on accommodating profiles and cutting edge materials. OK, so that’s the corporate line!! But lets get straight to the important points…
The beginning
First we need to look at the philosophy of the brand. The founder, Heather Hyde, already had many years’ experience running a bit hire service where she needed to balance the requirements of the rider and comfort for the horse. It became apparent to her that the mainstream bits on the market at that time were often not satisfying the challenges presented by both horse and rider. This led to the formation of Neue Schule – innovatively designed with comfort and performance always a priority.
The Neue Schule collection covers all types of bit including snaffles, pelhams, weymouths, gags and lever bits, with a separate lightweight pony range specifically designed for a smaller head and mouth. There really is a solution for every horse, across all disciplines.
What is salox?
The unique factor of a Neue Schule bit is the salox gold metal that is used to produce every mouthpiece. Salox is an engineered metal specially designed for a horse's mouth which is a warm, soft and often sensitive environment. For the riders aids to be effective the horse's mouth needs to remain calm and relaxed to receive each and every signal coming from the reins. Salox has high thermal conductivity, a soft feel with acoustic dampening and low bioactivity. Properties that enable it to create a kind but reliable environment in the horse's mouth, promoting warmth and softness that is much great than an equivalent stainless steel bit.
Navigating the range
To keep it simple, lets break the bit down specifically in to “mouthpiece” and “cheek piece” when selecting the most appropriate bitting solution for your horse’s mouth conformation, sensitivity and ridden requirements.
There are approximately 15 individual mouthpieces, some spanning all categories of bit and others specifically for snaffles or weymouths for example. For more information about each one and how it is used, the Neue Schule website is an invaluable tool with in depth profiles and in many cases a video explaining how and why to use a specific bit / mouthpiece.
Where to start!
To start a young horse in their training I personally like either the starter snaffle or the team up. They are both gentle bits that promote acceptance and confidence, but with a varying action. The team up is perhaps more similar to a French link but with a kinder ergonomically shaped lozenge. Other snaffle mouthpieces include the tranz angled lozenge and verbindend, similarly variations on a double jointed lozenge bit, and again a really great knowedge base about all of these bits is found on the Neue Schule website. NOTE! On first glance the verbindend and starter snaffle do have a “similar” appearance if you’re not sure what to look for, but its wise to understand the difference between the 2 – we will cover this in more detail in a forthcoming blog.
Neue Schule mouthpieces that remain specific to the bit type are found in the Weymouth category. They include the starter, slimma, pacifier, warmblood, mors l’hotte plus a number of further variations each with a specific action and providing a specific solution depending on the type of horse and their level of training. Again if you would like to understand more about types of Weymouth or even how to start your horse in a double bridle, the Neue Schule website has some excellent content.
Cheeky!
Then looking at the ring / side of the bit, the neue schule range is divided in to loose ring, fixed ring, lever, gag, pelham and weymouth, with the predominant function of this element of the bit being control and precision. With all of this innovation and variation, there really is far too much to cover in one go, but please ask if you would like anything specific covering in future topics.
Navigating the second hand market
The Second Hand Horse Bit Shop always stock a range of Neue Schule bits, carefully sourced to ensure they are "good" second hand examples and although they will often have wear such as teeth marks they will always be still completely functional.
Buyer beware
When buying a second hand Neue Schule bit independently it is important that you check the bits authenticity. Most sellers are genuine but unfortunately some will sell a "copper alloy" or “german silver” bit as a Neue Schule simply because it looks the same. While this could be deliberate, it is often actually because they are simply unaware that it’s an unbranded bit and not aware that a Neue Schule bit is uniquely identifiable.
All Neue Schule bits will be stamped NS somewhere on the mouthpiece, and most bits on the market now will have "salox" on the other side of the mouthpiece. If the bit doesn’t have the “salox” stamp don’t panic, as long as it has NS someone it just means it is an older model from the range. But if the bit isn’t stamped at all then it’s not likely to be genuine. If a seller doesn’t show a close up of this, just ask... if it is genuine they will be able to photograph it for you.
Also beware of a Neue Schule with excessive wear. Due to the properties of salox, heavy use can lead to exaggerated or even sharp teeth marks / ridges on the mouthpiece and also wear to the joining parts. This is especially evident on the links of some older waterford bits, and ever sometimes the central link of an older lozenge bit. If either of these conditions are evident, don’t buy the bit. It is likely to be uncomfortable for your horse and ultimately dangerous if it were to break if the metal is too thin.
We could discuss the variances within the Neue Schule range for days, and as a range you could even feel very much spoilt for choice! However, when selecting the best bit for your horse it is wise remember these two final points….
Firstly, the Neue Schule brand provides a fantastic knowledge base (on its website) with in depth descriptions, videos and numerous scientific research projects. I would urge to you to look at the poll pressure research which is extremely informative regardless of the brand of bit you use. Learn about the options available to you based on your requirements and level of training, and don’t rush your decision to invest in such an important piece of kit. Secondly, never lose sight of what you need and why. Consider the mouthpiece first and then the appropriate cheek pieces, and pay special attention to the conformation of your horse’s mouth and any behavioural issues that a poorly fitting bit has been causing. Your primary goal should be comfort for the horse, from which you will naturally achieve better performance.
Next time, we’ll be taking a look at the hanging cheek snaffle (and the many other names that it has]]>
The primary focus of this site is to provide good quality second hand (and some new) horse bits of all types and sizes at affordable prices. But I will also look in detail at numerous categories and types of bit, their action, the variations and also the ever changing materials used in modern bitting. Gone are the days of having a nickel bit that does every job on every horse.
I will take a closer look at the emergence of "branded" bits and their value in the market, and also the many trends that come and go with not only bitting, but tack as well.
Now I am in no way a bitting expert myself - I would like to stress this point heavily! I am not a vet or an equine dentist and I dont possess a qualitfication to enable me to offer bitting advice or solve bitting issues for you and your horse. There are lots of experts in this field, some more qualified than others, and some with plenty of knowedge and experience to offer this type of advice on an objective basis. But please beware, there are also some so called bitting experts who will charge a small fortune to offer information or sell you a product based on limited knowledge or qualification to do so. My advice would be to do your research, understand what service you need and why and always seek out good recommendations and references from "real" customers.
With that said, you may well ask why I am going to write about bits? And what could possibly give me any authority to do so? I have over 40 years experinece owning, riding, schooling and competing horses. I have competed across a number of disciplines to a high level, and have always had young and often challenging horses to work with. As an ultra keen amateur rider I have always left no stone unturned to understand the best possible tack and equipment to keep my horses comfortable, productive and most of all happy!
When I started riding age 4, my ponies all had a single jointed eggbut snaffle or a pelham if they were strong! And then for showing classes I had to master the dark art of not only putting together a double bridle, but the confusion of riding with 2 sets of reins! I cannot recall the 100's and 100's of bits I've tried since then, and as I strive to treat every horse as an individual I made it my business to understand what each bit I used did, and what affects it was intended to have.
So now here I am sourcing and selling bits, and a self confessed bit-a-holic. Not because I believe a bit will ever provide a quick fix to a problem, but more because I understand that every horse is unique and the theory and technology behind bitting can often be the key to unlocking a horse's full potential.
I hope you check back on my blog from time to time, and if all goes well I am hoping to update it on a weekly basis. I would love your comments and feedback, and if there is any bits or brands that you would like me to write about then please drop me a note.
Thanks for reading :-)
Becky
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