is this bit legal for dressage[in events]??

[brii7]

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k15/briii7/bit.jpg < I used this bit for dressage at King Oak H.T.'s [and passed bit checks] in May but my trainer is iffy on if it's legal or not.... Hmph. I'm going to Old Chatham H.T's this weekend in NY and want to make sure it's legal before I get there...just double checking :]

[Dr. Doolittle]

Does the middle piece rotate? As I understand it, this would be what would make it illegal.

But "greater rules minds" than mine will no doubt weight in ;)

[brii7]

nope, it doesn't rotate!

[Janet]

If it doesn't rotate, the question will be whether it is smooth, or whether the cylinder in the middle is determined to have an "edge".

What counts is not how WE interpret it from a picture, but how the TD and of GJ interpret it when they see the actual bit.

I would
A - take a known-to-be-legal bit with me as backup
B - arrive earlier enough to find the TD and show it to teh TD before you need to tack up.

[Dr. Doolittle]

:yes: Good advice, there (as usual...)

[FoxChaser]

Happy Mouth Revolver? It is legal. I use one for all 3 phases as does a friend who is an "R" judge.

[brii7]

Yay. Yeah I think it is the happy mouth revolver, there's definately no edge to the middle piece. Just in case I'll bring my snaffle.. even though he does nott go well in it!

[tulkas]

If the center piece doesn't rotate, why do they call it the Happy Mouth Revolver?

t

[FoxChaser]

The Happy Mouth folks didn't do themselves any favors by calling it a Revolver, did they? :) It has the same action as a Myler with a swivel point in the center of the losenge, allowing the sides to act independently. It's a great, kind bit.

[Saskatoonian]

it's been a couple of years since I've used one, so it may be that USEA has changed its policy or even the rule since (the bit was fairly new then, I think), but USEA (and I'm pretty sure that Malcolm agreed with whoever it was) told me that it was illegal. Since whatever their intent was, I didn't believe that the rule said that, I brought it with me and used it whenever I had time to run it by the TD first. I was always allowed to use it. I got a lot of responses similar to "why would that bit be illegal?" However, I always had a spare, and if I didn't have time to check it, I used an indisputably legal bit. Good luck!

[Hilary]

I think the difference is that I would call this action a swivel. The 2 pieces twist against each other.

The ones that are not legal are the ones where the center piece rolls - like a rolling pin. (for a VERY tiny pie)

[Janet]

I didn't realize it swiveled. DEFINITELY check with the TD. Some TDs interpret the rule as meaning only swivel bits that look EXACTLY like #15 are legal.