Blue Steel Oval Link 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 combines the rounded, smooth-sided lozenge center piece with blue steel outer bars, pairing a comfortably shaped mouthpiece with a material specifically chosen to encourage salivation and acceptance.

Design

• Like the French Link, the oval/lozenge mouthpiece is double-jointed — two outer sections plus a center piece — but the center piece is rounded and oval-shaped rather than a flat plate, with no thin edges anywhere around it.
• The outer bars are made of blue steel, a technologically advanced version of traditional sweet iron (black steel), which oxidizes faster and more easily, developing a light surface rust when exposed to air, humidity, and saliva.
• The center lozenge itself may be blue steel as well, or sometimes a different metal (such as copper) — worth checking on the specific bit, since manufacturers vary in whether they carry the blue steel through the entire mouthpiece or just the outer bars.

Function

• Rounded, even pressure distribution: Because the lozenge is smooth and oval all the way around rather than flat, there's no edge to dig into the tongue regardless of how the bit sits or rotates — this gives a consistently gentle, "wrapped" feel that many horses find comfortable, similar to but distinct from the flatter French Link.
• No nutcracker effect: As with any double-jointed mouthpiece, the two joints eliminate the sharp folding/pinching action of a single joint, spreading pressure across the tongue and bars rather than concentrating it.
• Encourages salivation and acceptance: The blue steel bars develop a naturally sweet-tasting oxidation layer when exposed to moisture, stimulating the horse to salivate, mouth the bit, and relax the jaw — the same acceptance-boosting mechanism seen in other blue steel combinations discussed earlier.
• Independent side movement: The double-joint construction allows each side of the mouthpiece some independent movement, offering clearer lateral and flexion cues than a single joint.
• No leverage or added severity: This remains a true snaffle, working purely through direct pressure with no shank or curb chain.

What it's good for

• Horses with small mouths, low palates, or big tongues: The rounded lozenge shape suits horses with limited mouth space, since there are no edges to catch regardless of positioning.
• Horses that need encouragement to relax the jaw and accept contact: The blue steel's sweet taste is particularly useful for tense, dry-mouthed, or resistant horses that benefit from extra salivation stimulation — more so than a plain stainless steel lozenge would offer.
• Horses that seem uncomfortable in a flat French Link: As discussed previously, individual horses can strongly prefer the rounded lozenge shape over the flatter French Link plate, so this is a reasonable option to try if a horse fusses with a French Link.
• Young or green horses learning to accept the bit: The combination of a comfortable, edge-free shape and a taste that encourages chewing and salivation makes this a popular, approachable introduction to contact.
• General schooling across most disciplines: A mild, comfort- and acceptance-focused mouthpiece suited to a wide range of horses and riding levels.

A note on classification

• As with other mouthpiece/material combinations discussed, the overall lateral action still depends on the cheek style (loose-ring, D-ring, eggbutt, Full Cheek, etc.) this mouthpiece is built into.
• This pairing sits at the mild end of the spectrum, combining a naturally comfortable mouthpiece shape with a material aimed purely at boosting acceptance and relaxation, without adding any extra control.

Summary

A Double-Jointed Oval/Lozenge bit with blue steel bars combines a smooth, edge-free, evenly distributing mouthpiece shape with blue steel's natural sweet taste and salivation-encouraging properties — making it a gentle, acceptance-focused option well suited to horses with small mouths or low palates, those needing encouragement to relax and salivate, and horses that respond better to a rounded lozenge than a flatter French Link.