• Horses that have problems with getting on the bit and yielding to the hand
• Sensitive horses that have difficulty accepting a metal mouthpiece
• Horses that destroy synthetic bits by chewing on them
• Horses allergic to metal bits
Horse-friendly bit
For over three years we have been running in-depth tests and observations which ultimately led us to develop our Gel Bits System bits. During this period, we tested our ideas on hundreds of horses and riders with varying levels of skill and experience. This extensive group, consisting of professional riders, amateurs and leisure riders, helped lead us to the right conclusions. As a result, we’ve created a gel that our test horses easily accepted and that is extremely durable against destruction from horses’ teeth. Many of our test riders observed that their horses were chewing the bit more willingly and relaxing faster during work without evading the bit. The horses were getting on the bit quickly and working with a good, stable contact, which made training sessions more effective and relaxed.
Safe for horses
The synthetic gel used in a Winderen mouthpiece has been fully tested and found to be completely safe for horses. It has FDA certification, which is internationally recognised as proof of high standards, quality, and safety. This means that your horse can safely chew the Winderen bit with no ill effects.
Durable against destruction from chewing
A big challenge in the design phase was to make a bit’s mouthpiece that’s both soft and comfortable for horses and strong enough to hold up to chewing. After many attempts, we finally managed to achieve it. The soft, gel structure is willingly chewed and accepted by horses and at the same time is extremely resistant to being destroyed by chewing.
We did a lot of tests with horses, which, to the despair of their owners, destroyed different synthetic mouthpieces very quickly. These same horses didn’t destroy the Winderen gel bit. We even let dogs chew on it to ensure the strength of our gel. As carnivores, they have much sharper teeth and stronger jaws. Winderen bits performed more than satisfactorily* ;)
*We assure you that no dogs were harmed during the tests – on the contrary, they had quite a good time. ;)
System of interchangeable mouthpieces and cheek pieces
As we all know, choosing the right bit can be quite a challenge. A horse’s needs can change over time, so when designing the Winderen Gel Bits System we wanted to make the process of selecting the right bit for the needs and temperament of your horse as easy as possible.
This is why we have created a system of interchangeable cheek pieces and mouthpieces. This innovative solution lets you connect any of our mouthpieces with our entire range of cheek pieces, allowing a wide range of possibilities and modifications in the functionality of our horse bits. The other important thing is that mouthpieces and cheek pieces can be quickly and independently interchanged as often as you like.
Compliance with FEI requirements
One of the priorities we set when designing the Gel Bits System bits was its compliance with FEI requirements. Thanks to that we were able to design a bit that meets guidelines of the jumping, dressage and eventing rules:
• a smooth surface of the bit
• made of synthetic, durable material
• all mouthpieces' hardness allowed by the rules
• tongue relief port with acceptable height
• 18 mm thickness, suitable for both horses and ponies
• cheekpieces allowed for dressage (loose ring, eggbutt, D-ring and baucher)
• the shape of the curb bit and all lengths of cheekpieces allowed by the rules
• white and orange bit color not forbidden in all disciplines
Our gel bits for horses comply with the 25th edition of the FEI Dressage Rules, the 27th edition of the FEI Jumping Rules and the 25th edition of the FEI Eventing Rules.