Blue Steel Double Jointed with Brass Rollers Loop Ring Gag Bit

A Loop Ring Gag (sometimes called an "Elevator" style gag) is a running gag variant with a distinctive continuous loop-shaped ring on either side of the mouthpiece, rather than the separate holes-and-cheekpiece system of a traditional running gag like the Cheltenham or Balding.

Design

• Each side features a rounded, loop-shaped ring through which the bridle's cheekpiece and the gag rein both pass, with the mouthpiece attached at a point along the loop.
• As with other gags, the cheekpiece portion of the loop connects up to the bridle's headpiece, while the rein attaches at the lower part of the loop.
• The mouthpiece can vary — single-jointed, double-jointed, French link, ribbed, or rubber/synthetic — independent of the loop-ring cheek design.
• The loop's continuous shape gives balanced, symmetrical cheekpieces on both sides for even pressure distribution.

Function

• Mild lever action: When the rein is engaged, the cheekpieces tilt forward, lifting the mouthpiece up in the mouth. This causes the horse to feel simultaneous pressure on both the poll and the mouth — the core gag mechanism.
• Encourages head-raising and rebalancing: As with other gags, this lifting action discourages a horse from dropping its head, leaning on the forehand, or getting heavy in the hand, encouraging it to rebalance back onto the hindquarters.
• Comfort-focused design: The balanced, rounded loop shape is designed to sit evenly against the face, aiming for comfort alongside the leverage action, rather than the harder edges of some other gag styles.
• Two-rein or Pelham-strap use: As with most gags, it's commonly used with two reins — one attached directly to the bit ring for ordinary snaffle-style contact, and one to the gag portion, engaged only when the lifting/rebalancing action is needed. It can also be used with Pelham straps to simplify to a single rein.
• No leverage limit: Like all gags, there's no built-in stop to how far the bit can rise in the mouth with sustained pressure, so use requires good timing and release.

What it's good for

• Horses that lean, rush, or get strong, especially in faster or jumping work: The lifting/rebalancing action helps riders manage horses that get heavy on the forehand or pull hard, particularly over fences or in open galloping work.
• Horses that walk or work "behind the bit" or need encouragement to raise the head: The lifting mechanism can help correct a horse that drops too low or curls away from contact.
• Riders wanting a milder-feeling gag: Compared to some other gag styles with more rigid cheeks, the loop ring's rounded, balanced design is often marketed as a more comfortable option while still providing the core gag benefit.
• Show jumping and eventing: Common in these disciplines where quick rebalancing and extra control are useful, especially in speed classes or cross-country.

A note on use

• Not suitable for inexperienced riders — as with all gag-style bits, the leverage action requires good hands and timing to use effectively and fairly.
• Using two reins is strongly recommended so the gag action can be applied only when necessary, rather than constantly engaged.

Competition legality

Like other gag bits, the Loop Ring Gag is generally not FEI dressage-legal, and is used instead in disciplines such as showjumping, eventing, and some hunter/jumper or cross-country contexts where stronger control is accepted.

Summary

The Loop Ring Gag offers the classic gag benefit — lifting the mouthpiece to apply combined poll and mouth pressure, encouraging rebalancing off the forehand — in a rounded, balanced ring design aimed at comfort, making it a popular choice for horses that lean, rush, or get heavy in faster work, best used with two reins by an experienced rider.

This describes a mouthpiece style and material combination rather than a single "type" of bit — it refers to features that can be applied to almost any cheekpiece design (loose-ring, D-ring, eggbutt, or even a gag), so the ring/cheek style would still determine the bit's overall lateral action. But the mouthpiece itself — double-jointed, blue steel, with brass rollers — has specific, well-defined functions.

Breaking down the features

• Double-jointed mouthpiece:
• Consists of three parts rather than a single hinge — two outer sections plus a center link/piece.
• The center piece lies flatter across the tongue than a single joint would, eliminating the sharp "nutcracker" action that a single-jointed mouthpiece creates (where the two halves fold upward into a V-shape and can pinch the tongue and jab the roof of the mouth).
• Distributes pressure more evenly across the tongue and bars, generally making it a more comfortable, gentler mouthpiece profile than a single-jointed bit.
• The thicker the center portion, the more surface-area pressure lands on the tongue specifically.
• Blue steel material:
• Blue steel is a technologically advanced version of traditional sweet iron (black steel).
• It oxidizes faster and more easily than standard sweet iron, developing a light surface rust when exposed to air, humidity, and saliva.
• This surface rust has a naturally sweet taste, which stimulates the horse's saliva production and encourages better bit acceptance — horses tend to mouth, chew, and salivate more, and often relax their jaw more readily as a result.
• The rust is cosmetic and easily wiped off with a damp cloth; it's considered a normal, expected part of how the metal functions rather than a defect.
• Brass rollers:
• Small rollers or discs set into the mouthpiece (usually at the center joint) that rotate freely, giving the horse something to "play with" using its tongue.
• This can help keep a fidgety or mouthy horse's mouth quieter and more occupied/settled, redirecting nervous tongue movement into a small, contained motion rather than more disruptive tongue or jaw evasions.
• Some brass roller designs, particularly ring-style rollers at the joint, can also increase tongue activity and salivation further, reinforcing the sweet-iron effect.
• The brass material itself, similar to copper, is often chosen because horses tend to find its taste and warmth pleasant, adding to overall acceptance.

What it's good for

• Horses that are mouthy, tense in the jaw, or resistant to accepting contact: The combination of a gentler double-jointed profile, a taste that encourages salivation, and rollers to occupy the tongue is specifically aimed at improving relaxation and acceptance of the bit.
• Horses that grind, clamp, or fuss with a plainer mouthpiece: The rollers give restless tongues something constructive to do, which can reduce fidgeting or tension-related evasions.
• Riders wanting a milder feel than a single-jointed bit: The double joint's flatter profile avoids the sharper nutcracker action, making it a comfortable step up from a basic single-jointed snaffle.
• General schooling and everyday riding: This mouthpiece style is popular across many disciplines specifically because it's seen as a comfort-focused, acceptance-boosting design rather than a stronger or more corrective one.

A note on classification

• Because "double-jointed blue steel with brass rollers" describes the mouthpiece and material, not the cheek/ring style, its overall action still depends heavily on what kind of cheek it's paired with — a loose-ring version will behave differently (softer, more mobile) than the same mouthpiece on a D-ring, Full Cheek, or gag bit (which would add lateral support or leverage on top of the mouthpiece's own gentle action).
• This mouthpiece and material combination is generally considered mild to moderate, focused on comfort and acceptance rather than added control — any extra severity would come from the cheek style it's built into, not from this mouthpiece itself.

Summary

A double-jointed blue steel mouthpiece with brass rollers combines three comfort- and acceptance-focused features: a flatter, gentler double joint (avoiding the nutcracker effect), blue steel's natural sweet taste (encouraging salivation and relaxation), and rollers (giving a fidgety tongue something to do) — making it a popular, mild-to-moderate mouthpiece choice for horses that need encouragement to relax, salivate, and accept contact comfortably, regardless of which cheek/ring style it's built onto.