Bits And Bitting

Bits and Bitting Design, Function and Style

General Terminology ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾

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Mouthpiece=the portion of the bit that rests in the horse’s mouth. Cheek=the sides of the bit (for a snaffle) that you can see outside of the horse’s mouth. Shank=the long piece connected to the mouthpiece (for a curb or leverage bit) Purchase=the length of metal between where the mouthpiece connects to the shank and where the bridle is attached Diameter=the width of the mouthpiece.

Classifications of Bits ¾

Bits are classified by the mechanics of “way they work” along with the bridle they are attached to.

Snaffle Bit ¾

A snaffle bit works directly on the corners of the horses mouth and the reins are in DIRECT contact with the mouth piece of the bit

Curb Bit ¾ ¾

A CURB works through the application of LEVERAGE. The reins are attached to a shank which, when pulled, puts pressure on z z

A curb chain or strap The poll of the horse

OFFSET O-RING CURB OR SNAFFLE?

MEDIUM PORT GRAZER SNAFFLE OR CURB?

D-RING CORRECTION SNAFFLE OR CURB?

RUBBER MOUTH PELHAM SNAFFLE OR CURB?

Lip Chain or Lip Strap

ARGENTINE SNAFFLE SNAFFLE OR CURB?

Pressure Points ¾ Bits and their bridles work on the horse

by applying pressure to seven points of a horse’s head: z z z z z z z

Corners of lips Bars Tongue Curb Groove Poll Roof of mouth Nose

Anatomy of the Horse’s Mouth ¾

Every horse’s mouth has the same components, however each horse’s level of sensitivity and function determines which bit it wears best. The rules of the association with which you are competing in will dictate what bit you use.

Anatomy of the Horse’s Mouth ¾

Snaffle in horses mouth

Moment of ZEN How Severe is This Bit? ¾ A bit is as severe as the hands holding the

reins. A finely tuned dressage horse, saddle horse, hunter or western horse may wear a “big” bit because he is so highly trained. If a horse is only able to ride in a snaffle or hackamore it doesn’t necessarily mean they are more responsive than a horse wearing a “bigger” bit.

Bitting Problems ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾

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loss of feed from mouth while eating difficulty chewing or excess salivation loss of body condition large, undigested food particles in manure head tilting or tossing, bit chewing, tongue lolling, fighting the bit or resisting the bridle bucking or failing to stop or turn foul odor from mouth or nostrils traces of blood in mouth nasal discharge or swelling of the face

Other Types of Bridles

Other Types of Bridles

Mouthpiece Materials

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Stainless Steel: doesn’t flake off, very strong, stays clean looking

Mouthpiece Materials

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Copper: promotes salivation, is softer than stainless steel

Mouthpiece Materials ¾

Sweet Iron: will rust naturally and promote salivation

Mouthpiece Materials ¾

Chrome: looks shiny, flakes and chips regularly leaving sharp edges

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Aluminum: very light but has the tendency to dry out a horse’s mouth

More Mouthpiece Materials ¾ Rubber: black rubber is soft on the corners

and bars, but can be chewed ¾ Flavored polymers: encourages salivation and chewing ¾ Latex wrapped: cushions mouth structures, can be destroyed in the mouth ¾ Flavored Coatings: BBQ sauce, peppermint etc.—encourages salivation and acceptance of bit/bridle

Texture and Diameter of Mouthpiece

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Smooth mouthpieces of any material slide easily in the horse’s mouth Twists, wraps, edges provide some “bite” to a traditional mouthpiece Ports allow for tongue relief, but extreme height will affect the roof of the mouth Thicker mouthpieces have more contact area and are “softer” than a thinner mouthpiece

Mouthpiece Styles ¾Slow Twist

¾Twisted

Mouthpiece Styles ¾Twisted

Wire

Mouthpiece Styles ¾French Link

Mouthpiece Styles

¾Dr. Bristol

Mullen Mouth

Other types of Bit Accessories

Curb Shanks—artistry and mechanics ¾ The length of the shank determines the

amount of leverage—longer shanks mean increased leverage. ¾ The straighter the shank the quicker the horse will feel the curb strap when the reins are pulled. ¾ Shanks are designed to provide many subtle bit cues for the horse

Shank Styles

Tom Thumb “Snaffle”

Suitability of Horse to Bit ¾ Considerations in bitting z z z z z

Nervous Stubborn/tough/strong willed Protective of mouth Size and Shape of Mouth and Tongue Supplemental devices to be used

HACKAMORE/GAG COMBO SNAFFLE OR CURB?