A full cheek snaffle has long arms above and below the mouthpiece. When you open a rein, the arm on the far side presses against the horse’s face and backs up the turn, so you get clearer steering than from any other snaffle. The arms also stop the bit sliding through the mouth. That is why so many young horses are backed in one, and why it is a common choice for in-hand work and for a horse that drifts or is hard to turn.
Full cheek or Fulmer? On a plain full cheek the mouthpiece is fixed to the cheeks, so the bit sits still and acts much like an eggbutt with extra steering. A Fulmer, sometimes called an Australian loose ring, has loose rings outside the cheeks. The mouthpiece can turn and move a little, as it would on a loose ring, while the long arms still guide. A horse that fusses with a moving bit usually prefers the fixed full cheek; one that leans or locks his jaw often goes better in the Fulmer.
If you want some lateral help without the long arms, a D-ring gives a smaller version of the same effect. For the stillest mouthpiece of all, look at the hanging cheek.
Keepers. Most full cheeks are used with bit keepers, small leather loops that fasten the top of each arm to the cheekpiece. They hold the arms upright, which keeps the mouthpiece still and stops the lower arm catching on anything. British Dressage permits these loops on full cheek snaffles.
Mouthpiece. The full range of snaffle mouthpieces comes on these cheeks, from single and double jointed to mullen and ported. Pick the mouthpiece your horse already accepts and change only the cheek. Our guide to snaffle cheeks compares them.
Measuring and fitting. Measure the mouthpiece between the inside of the cheeks on a bit that fits. A fixed full cheek can sit close to the lips without squeezing them. A Fulmer needs a little clearance, no more than an eighth of an inch either side, so the rings move freely. Check the arms lie flat against the face without digging in, and look for rubbing after the first few rides.
Many of the metal full cheeks and Fulmers can go out on our 30 day trial; non-metal ones are sold outright. Ring 01405 861800 for help with sizing.
Both have long arms for steering. On a full cheek the mouthpiece is fixed to the arms, so it sits still. On a Fulmer there are loose rings outside the arms, so the mouthpiece can move a little as it would on a loose ring.
It gives the clearest steering help of any snaffle and cannot pull through the mouth. That makes it a standard choice for backing and schooling young horses and for any horse that is hard to steer.
They are strongly recommended. Keepers hold the top of each arm against the cheekpiece, which keeps the mouthpiece in place and stops the arms tipping or catching. Without them the bit can sit unevenly.
No more than the mouthpiece it carries. The cheek itself only adds steering help. A Fulmer with a mild mouthpiece, fitted correctly and ridden quietly, is a mild bit.
Not sure of the width? How to measure a horse bit