Waterford 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.

The Waterford is a distinctive, multi-jointed mouthpiece made of a chain-like series of rounded links or balls, rather than a single bar with one or two joints. Its purpose is fundamentally different from most other mouthpieces discussed so far — it's designed specifically to prevent a horse from locking onto or leaning against the bit, rather than to concentrate or diffuse pressure in a fixed way.

Design

• The mouthpiece is made up of numerous rounded, bubble-shaped links (resembling oversized chain links or a series of connected balls), rather than a single bar with one or two joints.
• Because it's built from many independent links, the mouthpiece has flexibility throughout its entire length, not just at one or two fixed hinge points.
• Made of stainless steel — durable, tasteless, non-rusting, offering no natural salivation-boosting properties of its own, unlike copper or sweet iron/blue steel Waterford versions.
• Sizing note: a Waterford typically needs to be ¼ to ½ inch larger than a horse's normal bit size, since the mouthpiece needs room to curl slightly around the lips to function properly.

Function

• Prevents leaning and locking on: Because the many independent links flex and move freely with each other, there's nothing rigid for the horse to brace against or "grab" — a horse that tries to lean or pull into contact finds the bit shifts and reshapes rather than offering the fixed resistance a solid bar would.
• Even, distributed pressure: The rounded links lay across the tongue and mold to the shape of the mouth, spreading pressure fairly evenly across the tongue, bars, and lips, rather than concentrating it at one or two points.
• Encourages mouthing and salivation: The freedom of movement invites the horse to mouth and play with the bit, which encourages salivation and relaxation of the jaw — similar in spirit to a roller mouthpiece, but distributed across the entire length rather than at a single center point.
• Transitions from mild to firmer under strong contact: When ridden on a light or loose rein, the Waterford feels quite soft and mobile. But when a rider applies strong, even pressure with both reins, the many links can work together as a more unified "bridge" across the tongue, and the numerous small bumps create multiple points of contact and pressure — meaning the bit's felt severity genuinely increases as contact firms up, more so than a plain smooth mouthpiece would.
• Discourages a fixed hold on the mouth by the rider too: Because the many joints make the mouthpiece uncomfortable if a horse pulls or a rider sustains heavy pressure, it also naturally discourages a "sawing" or constant heavy-handed rein action — its action is generally considered moderate, but can become genuinely severe in rough hands, particularly with a sawing motion across the mouth.

What it's good for

• Horses that lean, pull, or get heavy in the contact: The Waterford's defining strength — since there's no rigid bar to brace against, horses that typically lean into a fixed mouthpiece often find it much harder to do so here.
• Sensitive-mouthed horses that still need some extra "encouragement" against leaning: Despite its ability to firm up under strong contact, many riders find horses accept a Waterford well because of the flexibility and even pressure distribution, particularly compared to a single, fixed pressure point.
• Show jumping, eventing, cross-country, and hunting: Popular across these disciplines specifically because riders often need a tool to prevent strong, forward-going horses from leaning or taking a hold, especially at speed or over fences.
• Riders wanting to encourage a relaxed jaw and salivation: The mouthing encouraged by the many independent links can help produce a softer, more accepting connection over time.

A note on suitability and severity

• The Waterford's action is described as "a fairly mild bit that transitions to a more severe one" depending on how it's used — light, tactful riding keeps it gentle, but strong, sustained pressure with both reins brings out its firmer, multi-point-contact character.
• It's generally recommended to be used under the guidance of an experienced trainer or equine professional, given this variability in feel depending on rein use.
• Not permitted in dressage competition.

Summary

The Waterford bit uses a flexible, multi-linked mouthpiece to prevent a horse from leaning or locking onto contact — distributing pressure evenly and encouraging mouthing and salivation under light rein use, while firming into a genuinely stronger, multi-point sensation under sustained heavy contact — making it a popular choice for horses that lean or pull, particularly in show jumping, eventing, and cross-country, though its variable nature means it's best introduced and used with guidance from an experienced trainer.