Which is your favorite bit/nonbit?

Also the word "gag" paints a picture of a horse's mouth gaping, slobber falling out, tongue sideways, distressed, when in fact that is not that case.

If she's like me, she was picturing the English gag bit, which looks just like a snaffle with ropes running through the rings:

The bridle I use is just parts of lots of bridles put together. I don't have any good pictures of my bridle, so here is the link to GRC Photo (the BEST photographers in the sport :) ) I am number 273. If you look through these pictures, you can get and idea of what I'm talking about.

http://www.photostockplus.com/home.p...bum_id=1078912

I ride Indie in a loose ring french link, although my instructor has recommended that I look into a happy mouth or something similar.

Yes verona, I was thinking of the english sort like you posted.

Jore french inks are great ^^ About happy mouths, I like them a lot but you have to be real careful with them, if the horse chews it at all the rubber gets cut up making little sharp edges that cut their tongue. My mare couldn't use one for more than a 20 min ride before completely ruining it, but she's green and still messes with the bit a great deal.

I have a feeling that Indie would be the horse to chew up the rubber.

She had brought up the idea of a bit with some copper or a bean (I think that's what they're called?). I'm trying to find a double-jointed loose-ring bit with either some copper or a bean but I'm not having too much luck as I need one that's 5 1/2".

So in western terms, a draw gag.

A draw gag for me is a training tool in young horse, nothing more. They certainly aren't harsh, either.

I really like the Tom Thumb from "Partrade" for my young Paint mare..she started on it over a year ago and loves it still..copper, of course!
Then, for my appendix gelding we love the non--mechanical hackamore you can find anywhere with the fleece ;ined nose band, because of his wolf teeth, and he is such a willing horse to ride.
For our gaited TWH, a long shanked simple walking horse bit, works for our MFT mare too, although she loves a nice copper mullen mouth type better. Gets her all nice and foamy, and the more saliva, the better:)