Myler Dressage Gag

The Myler Dressage Gag, imagine that...

There is an enormous amount of bits from western training entering the dressage scene. This, I guess, because of the focus of getting the horse to yield his neck has become stronger in dressage, and western pleasure have already invented all the tools for it.

The Myler Brothers manufacture and sell their "myler bits" and have entered the dressage market big time. Lots of dressage riders use the bits, and complain about that they are not legal for competition since their horses go so well in them. "And it looks just like a snaffle bit..." Little do they know that the small fastenings on the sides make this bit into a glorified jointed kimberwick - an English hunting bit in the ranks of pelhams or other hand brakes.

Don''''t get me wrong - I have nothing against either the Myler Company or inventors of new horse equipment. What I do have a thing about is riders and trainers using equipment that they have no idea how it works for reasons they don''''t even know, or just to "fix a problem" without understanding the reasons for the problem in the first place. Like getting the head down. If you need a bit that gets the head down, you are not prepared for dressage competition.

To dressage riders, many of these western bits look novel, unusual and flashy, and are also called such things as on-the-bit-bit, miracle gag, and happy mouth (with a plastic coating tasting apple to take focus away from the fact that it is a gag bit). No matter what you call them, a gag bit is a gag bit, and if it exerts leverage and is not fixed by a chin chain it will move up against the teeth. Especially if the fastening of the mouth piece to the side pieces is running, as on this american gag to the right. The inch or so that the mouthpiece can glide when the reins are pulled, causes the shanks to become horizontal, the side piece fastenings to move forward and the mouth piece to jam against the teeth. And speaking of jamming against the teeth...