Bit guard

A bit guard (cheek guard in Australia) is a specialty piece of horse tack: a washer, usually made of flexible rubber, that is sometimes used in pairs on a bit.

A pair of bit guards with an integral forked strap, to suspend them from the browband or crownpiece of the bridle, are known as cheekers (see Frentera).

Resembling a bit guard is a bit burr (sometimes burr bit, also bubble cheeker in Australia), which has teeth laid against the horse's cheek.

The burr bit was for a time widely used on coach horses in New York City, until the use was stopped in part through the efforts of Henry Bergh circa 1879.

[1] Bubble cheekers are approved for use in thoroughbred racing in Australia.