I really really enjoy this mouthpiece. My horse is a QH, never fussy with her mouth and always willing to give to pressure. Why did I get this then, you may ask? For her Western bit (she does all around), she wears a very simple Billy Allen bit with almost this exact same mouthpiece. The shanks are only maybe 5" or so, but there is independent freedom of movement on both sides of the bit as well. She absolutely loves that bit. It's not a big difference that you see, but she's a little calmer. I've been using a simple O-ring jointed snaffle, and wanted a bit with the same mouthpiece she loved but for English. Myler was the only one that made it (a few Western bits have it but it's the "western D). The minute I put this on I could feel the difference. This mouthpiece is the one for her! She was extra soft in it, and she loves the sweet iron. It does say the bit is level 1, for a horse that's new to a bit, but my horse is 6, rides in a western shank and shows and doesn't need anything stronger than this bit. She also like tongue pressure a lot more than bar pressure which is why I have the straight bar instead of the Myler that has the tongue relief.