Oval Peanut Full Cheek Bit

A Full Cheek bit (also called a "Full Cheek Snaffle") is a fixed-cheek bit design with long, straight bars (cheekpieces) extending both above and below the mouthpiece ring on each side.

Design

• The mouthpiece sits on rings, similar to a standard snaffle, but rigid bars extend upward and downward from these rings, parallel to the horse's face.
• The upper bars typically have small "keepers" or loops through which the bridle's cheekpieces can be attached, holding the bars upright and flat against the face.
• The reins attach either to the main ring itself or sometimes through slots in the cheek bars, depending on the design.
• Unlike a loose-ring snaffle, the mouthpiece cannot slide side-to-side through the horse's mouth because the fixed cheeks prevent it.

Function

• Framed, stable feel: The sidepieces give the bit a "framed" quality in the mouth, helping the horse feel steady and secure in the contact.
• Lateral/turning support: The long cheek bars act as a visual and physical guide. When rein pressure is applied on one side (e.g., in a turn), the opposite cheek bar presses gently against the side of the horse's face, reinforcing the turning aid. This makes it especially useful for steering and bending, and helps keep the horse's shoulders in place through turns.
• Prevents pulling through the mouth: The bars stop the bit from sliding sideways or being pulled through the mouth, which can happen with loose-ring snaffles on horses that evade contact by turning their head sharply or leaning on one rein.
• Protects the mouth corners: The fixed sidepieces prevent the mouthpiece from pinching or rubbing at the corners of the mouth, a common irritation with bits that can slide or rotate more freely.
• Mouthpiece stability: Because the cheeks are fixed, the bit sits more quietly and predictably in the mouth compared to a loose-ring design.
• No poll leverage: Like the Baucher, the Full Cheek has no lower shank/curb chain combination, so it does not create true leverage or added poll pressure — it acts on the same direct, non-leverage principle as any snaffle.

What it's good for

• Green or young horses: The visual/physical cheek support helps teach steering and lateral cues, since the horse gets a clear tactile signal from the cheek bar pressing against its face during a turn. It's considered a great, comfortable starting bit for a youngster.
• Horses that struggle with straightness: The lateral guidance helps riders reinforce direction, useful for horses that tend to drift, bulge through a shoulder, or evade turning aids.
• Horses that root or lean, or try to pull the bit through their mouth: The fixed cheeks resist this kind of evasion better than a loose-ring.
• Horses with sensitive mouth corners: The stability and corner protection make it a comfortable option for horses prone to rubbing or pinching.
• Driving/harness horses: Full cheeks are traditional in driving because they help prevent the bit sliding through the mouth when direct rein contact isn't always available (as with long driving reins), and offer better steering cues without a rider's leg aids.
• Young horses in lunging or early ridden work: Often used with "bit keepers" (small loops connecting the upper cheek to the browband/headstall) specifically to reinforce the "give and take" steering response horses are taught early on.

Competition legality

The Full Cheek is FEI-approved, including for dressage, making it a permitted option at all levels of affiliated competition.

A note on safety

Full cheek bits carry a practical risk: the protruding cheek bars can catch on equipment, fencing, or other objects. For this reason, they're almost always used with bit keepers — small leather loops attaching the upper cheek to the bridle's cheekpiece — to keep the bars stable and reduce the chance of snagging.

Summary

The Full Cheek is valued for its steering/lateral assistance, mouth stability, and comfort, making it a popular, FEI-legal choice for young horses learning directional cues, horses needing extra straightness support, or driving horses — rather than for any leverage or "stronger" stopping power, since mechanically it functions as a direct-pressure snaffle.

This pairs the rounded, smooth-sided lozenge center piece with stainless steel throughout — the most standard, low-maintenance bitting material, offering the lozenge's comfortable shape without any specific taste- or salivation-boosting properties.

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 (smooth-sided) rather than a flat plate.
• Because it's rounded rather than flat, it has no thin edges, unlike a French Link's flat plate, which can present an edge depending on how it settles in the mouth.
• Stainless steel is durable, tasteless, and non-rusting — it stays neutral and consistent over time, with no natural salivation-boosting properties (unlike blue steel/sweet iron or copper).

Function

• Rounded, even pressure distribution: Because the lozenge is smooth and oval all the way around, there's no edge to dig into the tongue regardless of how the bit sits or rotates in the mouth — a consistently gentle, "wrapped" feel.
• No nutcracker effect: As with any double-jointed mouthpiece, the two joints eliminate the sharp folding/pinching action of a single joint, distributing pressure across the tongue and bars rather than concentrating it.
• No edge to worry about, unlike a French Link: Because the French Link's flat plate can present a thin edge depending on its exact angle in the mouth, some riders and trainers specifically prefer the lozenge shape to remove that variable entirely — the smooth roundness means the horse experiences essentially the same gentle contact regardless of the bit's precise orientation.
• Independent side movement: The double-joint construction allows each side of the mouthpiece some independent movement, giving clearer lateral and flexion cues than a single joint.
• Neutral, consistent material: Stainless steel doesn't oxidize, stain, or develop a taste of its own — so unlike the blue steel or copper versions, this combination offers no built-in acceptance or salivation boost. The mouthpiece's comfort comes purely from its shape.
• 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 seem uncomfortable in a flat French Link: Some horses fuss, gape, or resist a French Link's flat plate but settle comfortably in a rounded lozenge — individual preference between the two shapes varies quite a bit horse to horse, so this is worth trying if a French Link hasn't suited a particular horse.
• Riders wanting a dependable, low-maintenance, all-purpose mouthpiece: Stainless steel's practicality (no rust, no staining, easy to clean) combined with the lozenge's comfortable, edge-free shape makes this a solid, versatile "default" choice.
• Horses that don't need extra taste-based encouragement: Suited to horses that already accept contact well and don't require the additional salivation stimulation that blue steel or copper mouthpieces are designed to provide.
• General schooling and everyday use across most disciplines: A mild, comfortable, and practical mouthpiece choice for a wide range of horses and riding levels.

A note on classification

• 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, similar in gentleness to a French Link, but with a rounder, edge-free profile and no material-based acceptance boost — comfort here comes entirely from shape rather than taste or texture.

Summary

A Double-Jointed Oval/Lozenge bit in stainless steel offers a smooth, edge-free, evenly distributing mouthpiece shape paired with the most practical, low-maintenance, and widely accepted bitting material — making it a dependable, comfortable, all-purpose choice, particularly well suited to horses with small mouths or low palates, or those that respond better to a rounded lozenge than a flatter French Link, without needing any specialized taste or salivation-boosting material.