Fager Bits | Guide to Metals & Styles
Malvern Saddlery is pleased to offer a selection of premium Bits from Fager. Fager is a contemporary forward thinking brand, committed to taking bit development to the next level. They work on the principle that it's the smallest of changes that often have the greatest impact -- aligning with Malvern Saddlery's long standing philosophy of discovering the products and fit that work best for each rider and each horse.
By challenging the traditional bit design, Fager enhances the connection between horse & rider with lighter designs and development backed by science. Learn a bit more about Fager's materials and designs below, then explore our product collection to find the right bits for your riding needs.
Fager Metals:
Sweet Iron is a covering on top of a bit made of stainless steel. The purpose is to disguise the metal taste from stainless steel and to create a pleasant, sweet taste, encouraging the horse to seek more contact and hold on to the bit.
Following use, sweet iron will start to oxidize and turn brownish grey. The more the sweet iron oxidizes, the more 'sweet' taste will be released. When this happens the blue will almost disappear.
Sweet Iron is a good material if you have an horse that can be too light in the hand and needs to seek a consistent contact. It can also be good for young horses starting in a bridle as the sweet taste often helps the horse to accept and enjoy the bit more.
Fager Sidepiece/Ring Styles:
Learn more about the characteristics of the different sidepiece styles below. Each style will be further modified by the specific bit and type of mouthpiece that you choose (ie., how much contact, pressure, stability, etc).
LOOSE RINGS
Loose Rings are designed to move independently to the mouthpiece. This allows the horse more freedom to use their tongue, enabling them to place the pressure from the mouthpiece either higher or lower, whichever they prefer. Loose Rings work independently from the mouthpiece.Loose Rings are a good choice for a horse that prefers to lean on the bit and can feel stiff.
FIXED RINGS
Fixed Rings are attached to the mouthpiece; the reins' contact will be more still towards the mouth. Fixed Rings will encourage a horse to keep the contact towards the bit and create a stable feeling for both the horse and the rider.
Fixed Rings will also help with steering and will calm down a horse that plays a lot with the bit
BABY FULMER
Baby Fulmer is a registered design by Fager. This sidepiece will give you a mix between the loose and fixed rings. The Fulmers will lay close to the horse's side, helps with steering, and keep the mouthpiece steady. The loose rings are placed further away from the mouth corners. This puts the pressure further down and inwards, encouraging the horse to lift in the front, come back to your hand and avoid a stiff feeling toward the bit. It is a very comfortable choice for many horses and a great start for a young horse. Baby Fulmer is FEI approved, even for dressage.
LOOSE BAUCHER
Loose Baucher is a registered design by Fager. This sidepiece is designed to keep the mouthpiece steady without the loose ring interfering with the placement.
Loose Baucher is recommended if your horse tends to have wounds in the corners of the mouth or wearing of the premolars (P2). The Loose Baucher will relieve these places from constant pressure and help your horse to relax.
WINGS
Fager Wings have a unique feature called TOL(TM) - "Turn Over Lock" system. TOL prevents the ring from overbending and hitting the molars while working your horse. This fantastic feature protects the teeth and makes anxious and tense horses more relaxed.
UNIVERSAL
The Universal sidepiece including Baby Fulmer is versatile, providing a steady mouthpiece with the ability to adjust the leverage and flexibility feeling from the Universal Rings. They work as a gag-bit when the reins are placed in the lower rings. The ring will glide and put pressure on the neck as well as the mouth.
The Universal Rings create a flexible and light feeling that can help a horse who gets heavy, stiff, too long and low; but still can be sensitive if the bit moves too much in the mouth.
SHOW PELHAM
Show Pelham is used with two reins and gives more flexibility due to the loose ring. It is a combination of a Loose Baucher bit and a curb bit. The rein placed in the snaffle ring will not add any leverage, and the rein in the bottom ring will add leverage. This gives the rider the advantage of adding leverage only when needed.
BUTTERFLY
The Butterfly is a combination of a Baucher bit and a curb bit. Specially suitable to driving, the Butterfly sidepiece has enhanced impact and control and helps to support the horses in tight turns.
The Butterfly sidepiece allow variation of the leverage to suit different situations and horses. For maximum leverage, attach the reins to the bottom ring. To emulate a mix of Baucher bit and fixed rings, attach the reins to the highest ring.
WEYMOUTH & BRADOONS
Choose the Weymouth from the individual horse's perspective & the Bradoon from
the rider's.
All Fager Weymouth and Bradoons are designed to maintain a light and flexible feel in the hands, taking up less physical space inside the mouth: ultimately creating a noticeably engaging connection.
Size Guide: It is recommended to fit the Bradoon in the usual snaffle size of the horse whilst fitting the Weymouth in one size larger. This is due to the Bradoon besing a jointed bit; if it is fitted too big, it has the potential to cause injury from the joints sliding from side to side in the mouth and coming into contact with the bars and palate. This undesirable action could cause rubbing and sores, whilst also hindering any communication from the reins.
The Weymouth should sit to the outside of a correctly fitted Bradoon. A straight mouthpiece doesn't create the same risks as a jointed one and it will also be stabilized by the Bradoon to prevent it from sliding across the mouth. When fitted correctly, the Weymouth will leave enough space for the upper ring to swivel freely over the Bradoon.
