EcoPure 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 oval/lozenge center piece — a rounder cousin of the French Link — with rubber-covered outer bars, giving one of the softest and most rounded double-jointed mouthpiece experiences available.

Design

• Like the French Link, the oval/lozenge mouthpiece is double-jointed, with two outer sections plus a center piece — but the center piece here is rounded and oval-shaped (smooth-sided) rather than a flat plate.
• Because it's rounded rather than flat, it has no thin edges the way a French Link's flat plate can present, and it's often described as sitting even more comfortably against the tongue's natural contours.
• The outer bars are covered in rubber, cushioning contact at the lips, bars, and corners of the mouth — the same material logic as the rubber French Link discussed previously.

Function

• Reduced nutcracker effect, rounded distribution: Like the French Link, the lozenge's two joints eliminate the sharp folding action of a single joint. But because the lozenge is rounded rather than flat, it distributes tongue pressure somewhat differently — some riders and trainers describe it as an even gentler, more evenly "wrapped" feel than a flat French Link plate, since there's no flat surface or edge to catch at any particular angle.
• No sharp edges to worry about: Because the lozenge is smooth and oval all the way around, there's no risk of an edge digging in regardless of how the bit sits or rotates in the mouth — this is one reason some riders prefer it over a French Link, where the flat plate's orientation can matter more.
• Cushioned bar and lip contact: The rubber-covered outer bars add softness at the points of contact with the lips and bars, further reducing any hard or cold sensation.
• Independent side movement: As with the French Link, the double-joint construction allows each side of the mouthpiece some independent movement, giving clearer lateral/flexion signals than a single joint.
• No leverage or added severity: This remains a true snaffle acting only through direct pressure.

What it's good for

• Horses with small mouths, low palates, or big tongues: The rounded lozenge shape is often specifically favored for horses with limited mouth space, since it has no protruding edges and tends to sit comfortably regardless of exact positioning.
• Horses that seem uncomfortable in a flat French Link: Some horses that fuss, gape, or resist a French Link's flat plate settle better in a rounded lozenge — individual horses can have quite different preferences between the two shapes despite their similarity.
• Young, green, or very sensitive horses: Combined with rubber's cushioning, this is one of the gentlest, most forgiving mouthpiece combinations available, well suited to horses just learning to accept contact.
• Horses apprehensive of hard or cold metal: The rubber bars offer the same warmth and give discussed with the rubber French Link.
• Riders wanting maximum comfort with no added control mechanism: Like the rubber French Link, this pairing is squarely about comfort and acceptance, not extra "brakes."
• A note on individual preference and durability
• Despite both being "mild double-jointed" options, French Link and oval/lozenge mouthpieces can feel quite different to individual horses — some strongly prefer one shape over the other, so it's often worth trying both if a horse seems unsettled in one.
• As with the rubber French Link, rubber bars are softer and can invite leaning in horses already prone to leaning on contact, and tend to show wear faster than polymer or metal, particularly with horses that chew or mouth their bit heavily.

Summary

A Double-Jointed Oval/Lozenge bit with rubber bars pairs a smooth, rounded center piece with no sharp edges with soft, cushioned rubber bars — offering one of the gentlest, most rounded, forgiving mouthpiece experiences available, particularly well suited to horses with small mouths, low palates, or sensitivity to a French Link's flatter plate, though as with any rubber mouthpiece, it may invite leaning in horses already inclined that way and is worth checking regularly for wear.