The goal - hanging cheek mullen or Baucher mullen snaffle

This version and the "D" ring are very common and perfect for converting

D-ring pelham

Tom thumb pelham - the smaller snaffle rein ring is perfect for smaller or more finely built horses/ponies.

Converted English pelham mullen

The bottom with shanks cut off and filed

(click to enlarge)The arch - full 1" of clearance between mouthpiece center and surface.

(click to enlarge) Cheek rings tipped out to accommodate face

I am a huge believer in the Baucher mullen snaffle with a little more arch than is standard for a mullen mouthpiece.  If your goal is to teach your horse to move correctly, carry themselves correctly, if you’re trying to train him to be strong enough for self-carriage, this really is the perfect bit.

If you elect to buy a bit a Baucher mullen snaffle or hanging cheek mullen snaffle, buy it ½” wider so you can add extra arch.  More arch=narrow width and the ½” of additional width gives enough material for the extra arch.  The end result is the right width bit with enough arch for a comfortable mouth.

When I first started making my own “hanging mullen snaffle” a la Francoise Baucher, the Baucher mullen snaffle was impossible to find.  Years later when I finally managed to find a vendor, this very simple bit was $180 and didn’t come in all sizes.  $180 may not seem like a lot of money now, but in the 1990′s, it was a lot of money to me.  Even now, given how frugal I tend to be, it’s a lot of money, though you can now find a Baucher mullen snaffle in most sizes at a semi-reasonable price, though if you’re in the US you’ll be paying for international shipping.

If you can’t find a Baucher mullen or hanging cheek mullen snaffle in the size you need, here’s how I make them.

You will need to purchase an inexpensive solid stainless English pelham ½” wider than your horse’s mouth.  The extra width is important.  You want a version that doesn’t have a sloppy mouthpiece.  Your horse’s lips could get pinched if there’s enough slack for the mouthpiece slides up and down.

Remove the chin chain hooks.  This is easily done with a screw driver.  Stick the screw driver through the ring, grab the bit and twist until the ring will slide off the headstall ring.

Use a hacksaw and saw off the shanks below the ring.  Don’t cut it off too close as some manufacturer’s bits have a pin running down through the center of the shank.  If you cut into this it will not affect performance but it will impact appearance.

Use a flat file to smooth the cut locations.  Use some emery paper for final smoothing.

Now comes the tough part.  You’ve got to put more arch in the mouthpiece.  If you lay the bit down on a flat surface with the mullen arched up, there needs to be 1″ of clearance between the center of the mouthpiece and the flat surface.  I mean something 1″ thick/tall should be able to slide between the mouthpiece and the flat surface.

There are a couple ways you can add extra arch.  If you have a work bench you can screw wood down to, screw down two 2x scraps.  Set them far enough apart for the mouthpiece of the bit to hang between the pieces of wood and the cheek pieces and headstall rings to rest on the wood.  Fasten the rein and headstall rings down to the wood using fence staples.  Use a piece of 2×2 or something similar as a buffer.  Hammer on the 2×2 (not the bit itself).  Keep checking your progress and don’t hammer just in one place.  Move from side to side so the extra arch is evenly distributed across the width of the mouthpiece.

I’ve had my farrier heat the mouthpiece to make it easier to bend.  If you have him do it on his anvil expect to have a rough mouthpiece.  The goal is to keep the mouthpiece smooth so it won’t offend the horse’s mouth.

And finally, I’ve used a torch to heat the mouthpiece while using the workbench, wood pieces and hammer technique.  This method is fast and effective.  Expect some discoloration of the bit with this and the above (farrier) method.

The last thing you’ll do is make sure the small head stall rings are tipped out enough to provide clearance for the headstall connection.  The goal is to provide enough room to prevent pinching or rubbing the hair off.  These rings are normally straight which, unless you’ve got a horse with a narrow head, is not going to provide adequate clearance.  Be careful here.  Bend slow so you don’t snap the ring off.

That’s it. That’s all that’s required.  Sounds easy, right?   It’s actually pretty easy, it just takes most of an afternoon and the right tools.