76 - Jimmy Williams

Available in a Mini (4" x 4") and regular size (5" x5").

The Jimmy Williams Elevator Bit combines the action of a gag and a snaffle, working on the lips as well as the bars of your horse's mouth. Excellent for bitting up a horse and setting his head.

From Western Horseman Magazine:

If I was going to own only one bit in all the world to break colts, ride a broke horse, rope with, cut with... it would be this one. The greatest horseman I have ever known, Jimmy Williams, designed it. Ervin Quick made this one, and I think it's the best all-around bridle you can have, because you can do so much with it. It has a gag effect, acts a little like a hackamore with those long cheeks, but is only a mild snaffle mouthpiece. You can use it with direct reins from the mouthpiece or reins from the bottom rings as shown, or with two pairs of reins to switch between direct and indirect contact instantly. The elevator helps you position the horse's face, poll, neck, and shoulders.

Jimmy called it an elevator gag, and said "What comes up, must come down." A horse will initially elevate his entire head and neck when there is rein pressure, but you wait it out and when you start feeling them relax, you release the pressure at the point where you want the horse to carry himself- he'll learn to seek that comfortable place you want him to be. Widen or raise your hands for different effects: your hands are like the volume control on what's going to happen with this bit. It kind of works like the hackamore too, with facial contact- it actually can push their head around. By the way, this elevator has leather sleeves on the cheeks, but I don't think they do much, although some horse enjoyed chewing one of these off.