Double Jointed Copper Roller 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.

Like the blue steel version, this describes a mouthpiece material and design combination that can be built onto various cheek styles (loose-ring, D-ring, Full Cheek, or even a gag) — so the cheek/ring choice still determines the bit's lateral action, while these features shape the feel in the mouth itself.

Breaking down the features

• Polymer mouthpiece:
• Made from a synthetic "space age" polymer rather than metal — often scented (commonly apple) to encourage acceptance.
• Feels warmer and softer than metal against the tongue and bars, generally regarded as gentler and more forgiving, especially for horses that are apprehensive about metal bits or have sensitive mouths.
• Well accepted by most horses due to both the softer material and the palatable scent.
• Double-jointed construction:
• Consists of three parts — two outer sections plus a center link — rather than a single hinge.
• This reduces palate pressure and distributes contact more evenly across the tongue, bars, and corners of the mouth compared to a single-jointed mouthpiece, avoiding the sharper "nutcracker" action of a single joint.
• Allows greater mobility in the mouthpiece, which can improve comfort and reduce resistance in many horses.
• The size and shape of the center link influences how much tongue pressure is applied — a thicker center link means more tongue pressure, making mouthpiece choice somewhat adaptable to individual mouth conformation.
• Copper roller:
• A small rotating roller, usually pure copper (often 99.9%), set into the center of the mouthpiece.
• Copper is a soft, warm metal with a taste horses generally find pleasant, which encourages salivation and helps keep the mouth moist.
• The roller also gives the horse's tongue something to engage with, which can promote relaxation, softening, and a quieter, more settled mouth — while also giving restless or fidgety horses a constructive outlet.
• In some designs, the rolling action additionally discourages leaning on the bit, since a horse can't get a fixed, stable purchase against a moving roller.

What it's good for

• Horses that are apprehensive about metal or slow to accept a bit: The combination of a soft, palatable polymer mouthpiece and a pleasant-tasting copper roller is specifically aimed at improving comfort and acceptance.
• Horses with sensitive mouths or dislike of "cold" metal contact: The polymer's warmth and give can make the overall feel gentler than an all-metal mouthpiece.
• Horses that need encouragement to relax the jaw and salivate: Useful for tense, dry-mouthed, or resistant horses, similar in intent to sweet iron or copper metal bits.
• Horses that fidget, chew excessively, or seem to need something to do with their tongue: The roller offers a controlled, contained outlet for that tendency.
• Horses that lean on contact: The rolling action can discourage a horse from bracing against a fixed mouthpiece.
• Young or green horses learning to accept contact: Often used as an approachable, comfort-focused introduction to bit acceptance.

A note on classification

• As with the blue steel/brass roller combination, the overall severity and lateral action still depends on the cheek style the mouthpiece is built into — a loose-ring version will feel different from the same mouthpiece on a Full Cheek or gag bit, which would add steering support or leverage respectively.
• This mouthpiece and material combination is generally considered mild, prioritizing comfort, salivation, and acceptance rather than added control.

Summary

A double-jointed polymer mouthpiece with a copper roller combines a soft, warm, palatable material with an evenly-distributing double joint and a salivation-encouraging copper roller — making it one of the gentler, more comfort-focused mouthpiece options available, well suited to sensitive, apprehensive, tense, or fidgety horses that benefit from extra encouragement to relax and accept the bit, regardless of which cheek/ring style it's paired with.