# Happy Mouth bit - not a happy bunny!



## squirtlysmum (3 May 2008)

I bought my baby ned a hanging cheek snaffle with a peanut as I thought he would mouth it well and he's had in his mouth three times, it is now completely unusable as the plastic is cracked and appears chewed with sharp edges. Has anyone else had this sort of problem I'm not impressed that I've paid over £30 for this and it clearly doesn't do the job.


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## sam72431 (3 May 2008)

Hi

Yes i had a happy moth Dutch gag with a joint i used it for about a month if that it it is completely chewed and unusable, wouldnt buy one again!


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## Bert&Maud (3 May 2008)

I bought the full cheek with peanut for my baby -  he wore it about 5 times and went really well in it, but it already has some sharp bits near the centre, and it also rubs the corners or his mouth although it seemed to be a good fit. I certainly wouldn't buy another one.


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## Angelbones (3 May 2008)

Yup, used a happy mouth hanging cheek with roller centre and upon untacking after one hour's use gentle hacking, the longer side plastic piece has split on both front and back where it joined the centre roller - the metal fixing was about to come out. I contacted Jeffries (as I bought if from ebay seller) and they said it should not have happened but wouldn't deal with me direct. The ebayer (who sells literally 1000s HM bits) insisted he had also spoken to Jeffries (after I sent it back at my own cost) and that they said my pony has chewed it. I explained that the pony doesn't play with bits, and had a nose strap on so how was he meant to have moved his jaw enough to bite a good 2 inches into the width of the bit? they said I had not positioned it high enough in his mouth. Eventually he agreed to send a replacement if i paid postage (yet to arrrive). I am really shocked - it would not have withstood a day's hunting and god only knows what would have happened it if broke in his mouth etc. They are meant to be space age tech etc but I believe it is a bad design fault. If enough people complain perhaps they'll do something about it. I won't be using the replacement one on the pony but it seemed better to get something back rather than nothing. If you physically bite near the roller yourself, the plastic is remarkably soft, which is scary I think. They said they get harder in time, but that's no good once the damage is done on day one is it? I've now got one of those Eldonian Jeffries revolving centre hanging cheek ones, and so far its proving successful, fingers xed...


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## lilym (3 May 2008)

rubbish IMO i have tried these on a couple of cobs...both promptly wrecked them!! i just use a simple french link hanging cheek in good old stainless steel now!


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## magicgirl (3 May 2008)

I have had a pony chew through two and when I complained was told it must be the pony becouse nobody has complained before.


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## Baggybreeches (3 May 2008)

As youngsters chew the bits quite a lot the happy mouth bits are less than ideal, as they are more abrasive than the smooth metal mouthpieces, and cause discomfort.


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## Solveig (3 May 2008)

I thought i would buy my youngster a happy mouth - just a normal jointed snaffle. Well she hated it. It was too much for her mouth. I switched to a sweet iron/copper roller and she is going really well in it. I don't think i will buy a happy mouth again.


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## conniegirl (4 May 2008)

i had one for my pony as he hates snaffles, the only one he will tolerate is the cambridge magic bit but thats not dressage legal. Well he hated the happy mouth even more particularly after it rubbed the side of his face the first time he wore it (half an hour and he was bleeding). Now this pony is 18 years old and perfectly settled in his mouth (well in his pelham or a cambrige magic bit anyway). He does not chew bits at all, but the happy mouth was unusable afterwards.
he eventualy settled in a staqinless steel hanging cheek french link, but he isnt as happy in it as he is in his pelham.


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