The eggbutt cheek

The eggbutt cheek was the next step on from the loose ring- a more complicated closed joint that does offer some advantages in certain circumstances. The primary advantage was to prevent pinching of the lips in the days where the loose ring bits were badly made. It should be noted that a badly made eggbutt with a loose joint can also cause a nasty pinch, so again this highlights the need for careful selection of what you put in your horses mouth! The eggbutt bit is generally suited to more novice riders that are less steady with their hands, as the cheeks lessen the effects of the tiny vibrations from the riders hands which are often unintentional whilst the rider is still learning their balance.

For more experienced riders a loose ring is normally preferable as a finer and more subtle signal can be communicated to the horse. The variation on the eggbutt cheek is the less commonly used D cheek. Primarily used by racing yards, this cheek is almost more similar in action to a full cheek, giving a flat ‘edge’ to encourage the horse to turn his head but without the danger of the long shanks of a full cheek to get caught up. The D cheek is a more positive cheek than the eggbutt, and should only be used on a temporary basis when possible to avoid the rider relying on the use of it to turn the horse. As soon as the horse is more responsive to the leg and seat aids to turn, and listening to the bridle the horse should be stepped back down into an eggbutt or loose ring to progress the horses schooling more correctly.