Bits and Bitting - Has it all gone OTT?

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DappleDown

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Most us know the importance of the correct bit, but tack shops these days have an astonising array of bits.

Bits and Bitting - Has it all gone OTT?

What bit do you use, and why?
 
I have to say I love the selection of bits, really allows you to find something that works for your horse and they are all so different. I have a very large horse so will never have the off the peg choice most of you have but it having more than 3 cheeks and 2 mouthpieces to decide between is necessary.
I have a myler low port eggbutt for Prelim/novice dressage and hacking. I was put onto this bit by a bitting consultant and it has revolutionised his lightness in a snaffle.
Then I have neue schule bits on his double for showing and elementary+ work. It's an eggbutt lozenge bradoon and ported fixed cheek Weymouth. It was a case of finding something in his size that fit his known bitting preferences: slim bars, eggbutt cheek, double joints and a low gentle port on a fixed mouthpiece.
 
I think there's more choice than knowledge which is a shame. I struggled for five years to find a bitting solution and found it hard to get really good advice. Last year I gave up and went bitless; both my horse and I are much happier.
 
What are you thinking is OTT, OP?

If you want to stick with simple or more old fashioned things, then you can ;)

I'm glad to have the option to try different things, the horses I have got in work at the moment have fairly straightforward tastes so far but it's nice to have the choice. Little cob is in a french link snaffle but her weymouth has a wide shallow arch - the old fangled curbs with little ports didn't suit her at all. WB is in a bog standard KK ultra.

My oldie was a fusspot though, she was really good to the contact but preferred a small lozenge over a single or normal double joint, had a backward tilting curb and didn't appreciate gags... I was pleased to be able to make her comfortable.
 
I love the fact that German engineers managed to create a single jointed snaffle (NS verbindend) that when in use ports over the fleshy tongue of my cob. Yay! Dressage legal ported bit!

I see what you mean by the choice, but when I look at what I've used over the years I'm quite surprised by just how many different mouth pieces that has been. I always start very simple, and one of my favourite bits is a straight bar snaffle, but it is useful having choice.

It must be totally bewildering to a new owner, though.
 
OTT in what way? I love having a choice and I have a decent understanding of how the different mouthpieces work.

My retired horse went better in a standard single jointed filler without loops - one of the cheapest bits on the market. New horse I have just changed into a NS team up and he goes well in that, I was looking for something to help him accept the contact more and this mouthpiece helps with that even though it's a loose ring.

Some of it is trial and error but it's a good thing to have decent choice.
 
ycbm said:
I love the fact that German engineers managed to create a single jointed snaffle (NS verbindend) that when in use ports over the fleshy tongue of my cob. Yay! Dressage legal ported bit!
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there are quite a few ported snaffles allowed now :)
 
ycbm said:
I love the fact that German engineers managed to create a single jointed snaffle (NS verbindend) that when in use ports over the fleshy tongue of my cob. Yay! Dressage legal ported bit!

I see what you mean by the choice, but when I look at what I've used over the years I'm quite surprised by just how many different mouth pieces that has been. I always start very simple, and one of my favourite bits is a straight bar snaffle, but it is useful having choice.

It must be totally bewildering to a new owner, though.
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Isn't the verbindend double jointed?
 
I think it’s fantastic there is such a wide choice available and that much research has been done on trying to find more comfortable options for the horse.
I’ve built up a good array of snaffle bits so can usually find something suitable for whatever I’m riding. My go-to’s are usually either a D ring lozenge or Myler MB02 in the first instance.

I don’t have a wide selection of stronger bits as thankfully have never really needed them. For a little bit more I use an MB04 with hooks and if I need more than that I have 3 different Pelhams I’d try first.

What I would say however is that it’s often easy to think that you haven’t found the right bit, whereas in reality a lot of the time you just need to ride better - I include myself in that! The bitting can fine tune but is rarely a miracle cure in the bulk of cases
 
ycbm can you explain what you mean about how a jointed snaffle (be that single or double jointed) ports over a horses tongue?
 
I'm old school, but I love the large selection around these days.

My std has been french link in the past 10 yrs, but NF is happiest in a bomber happy mouth (the one with a good curve on it for large fleshy mouths). In times gone by, I's have used a pelham (and I still do on her on occasions) but when we fly solo the bomber is my go to bit for her.

My bit box of different sized Kimblewicks, Pelhams, Dr Bristols, various gags and snaffles hasn't really been opened in the last 15 yrs, except on very random occasions.
 
OTT; probably, but if people want to amuse themselves by buying elaborately-named and very expensive versions of the same thing they are free to do so. I don't do "normal" riding very much any more, and all our horses go in basically the same bit with some small variations in the heights and widths of the port, length of the shanks, etc. (all go in a curb bit).

On the rare occasions when I do ride "proper" (usually on other peoples' horses) then I find all the various fancy mouthpieces rarely make much more than a tiny difference to the horse; probably the main difference is to the owner's perception (same thing with the micklem bridle).
 
It probably is OTT, but then there are so many things to consider.
Discipline you do with the horse - whether you compete or not
Size and shape of horses mouth
Stage of training

I've had two who were easy to bit - simple lozenge snaffle and good to go.
Current horse has been much more sensitive (more than my TB ever was!). Its taken some trial and error to find one that she finds comfortable and will settle in. She's in a NS Team Up, which is working well for her. The bit bank was great as gave me a chance to try different bits and see what she thought. What looked like minimal difference to me, made a big difference to her.

She's also in a micklem!!! I've found that a cavesson noseband (even very loose) seems to lie on her cheek in a way that bothers her. Can't compete without a noseband (still not sure why!) so tried her in a micklem - happy horse so it's staying.
 
Cortez said:
OTT; probably, but if people want to amuse themselves by buying elaborately-named and very expensive versions of the same thing they are free to do so. I don't do "normal" riding very much any more, and all our horses go in basically the same bit with some small variations in the heights and widths of the port, length of the shanks, etc. (all go in a curb bit).

On the rare occasions when I do ride "proper" (usually on other peoples' horses) then I find all the various fancy mouthpieces rarely make much more than a tiny difference to the horse; probably the main difference is to the owner's perception (same thing with the micklem bridle).
Click to expand...

I'm with you on this. I find a lot of it is in the mind of the human. "I've paid £xXx for this bit and bridle therefore it MUST make a difference".

All of mine go in either a jointed or French link egg butt or full cheek snaffle for most things and then go into a basic Pelham for the ponies or a show Pelham for the biggies for the show ring. I tried a double on one of my biggies. Day 1 I pootled about on a long Rein no problems. Day 2 I picked up the reins and shot backwards at 100mph! The horse hated 2 bits so went back to his ported show Pelham and is happy.

I don't do nosebands beyond bog standard cavessons either. No need to strap the mouth shut if the horse is ridden and schooled correctly from the word go.
 
I tend to have a few go-to bits, but I love having a large selection to play with til I find the right one. I prefer to use something that my horse is less respectful of, as I figure that that means he is more comfortable in it. He is in a pretend verbindend, which he gives me a lovely feel in whilst schooling, and is a bit of a ****** to stop when cantering out hacking. Anything without tongue room makes him stuck his nose on his chest and drop the bit. I like horses who take a bit of a hold, that I can soften up from back to front, rather than horses that are so light that they don't give me anything down the rein
 
I have a relatively small collection of bits really for 30 years of horses. Mine go in eggbutts or hanging cheeks- mouthpieces vary depending on the horse.
I keep a few kimblewicks in the tack room, they are my handy bit for anything requiring a bit more anchorage when out at farm or hunt rides.
I assess a horses mouth when it arrives, stick them in something based on that and what they have previously been ridden in, and go from there.

I think the obsession with bitting can take over sometimes and perhaps make people forget to look at their riding and hands first.
 
My new Connie is trialling a Bomber Happy tongue bit at present and loving it, so I'm loving all the choice.

I wish there had been more choices 15 years ago when we were starting our ID mare and trying to get her settled in her mouth.

Fiona
 
I had a biting expert out last weekend and he examined my horse's mouth (teeth and tongue muscles) and tried us in a selection of other bits until we found one that he went much better in immediately.
 
As with so much these days, it seems that people are no longer able to work out for themselves when their horses are not comfortable. I've been around horses for a very long time and can tell when a saddle doesn't fit, a bit doesn't suit, or a horse is lame. Two of those things I can fix myself, the third will involve a call to the vet.
 
Wheels said:
ycbm can you explain what you mean about how a jointed snaffle (be that single or double jointed) ports over a horses tongue?
Click to expand...

Have you got a Verbindend handy? Jeffries do a copy which costs less than half.

Position it so that the ends are on the horses 'bars' (on your thumbs maybe) and apply slight pressure to the reins. The middle will rise and the bit will form the same shape as a very large ported bit.
 
Cortez said:
As with so much these days, it seems that people are no longer able to work out for themselves when their horses are not comfortable. I've been around horses for a very long time and can tell when a saddle doesn't fit, a bit doesn't suit, or a horse is lame. Two of those things I can fix myself, the third will involve a call to the vet.
Click to expand...
Surely we can't all be expected to be immediate experts in things. Fair enough for those of you with a lifetime of experience and born into a horsey lifestyle who don't need expert input to get ensure your horse is happy but for those of us who are newer to this (and trying to learn as much as possible along the way) is there really any harm in asking a professional to support you in making decisions?
After 8 years ownership (and donkeys years in riding schools before that) I can make an informed judgement that something (bit/saddle/lameness) isn't right but I certainly don't have the knowledge to fix all of these things on my own. I read as much as possible, I watch as much as I can and I speak to people to expand my capability but with just one horse for a few years I certainly don't feel there is any harm in asking a professional to support me in my actions.
 
ycbm said:
Have you got a Verbindend handy? Jeffries do a copy which costs less than half.

Position it so that the ends are on the horses 'bars' (on your thumbs maybe) and apply slight pressure to the reins. The middle will rise and the bit will form the same shape as a very large ported bit.
Click to expand...

Does it do the same if you test it on your upper arm?
 
I am old school in as much as I have been riding for nearly 50 years when everything was pretty much in either a single jointed eggbutt snaffle, Kimblewick or pelham.
However we also spent a LOT more time hacking with very little time spent in a school.

I am pleased that bitting has moved on and become more scientific although I do agree that the enormous amount of choice can be confusing - especially for those that do not understand the mechanics of bitting. I think there has been a significant change in the type of horse that is ridden compared to half a century ago with corresponding changes to their mouth confirmation. My preferred bit is a double jointed snaffle but one of mine really does not suit this type of bit due to the size of his mouth and tongue and is much happier in the bombers ported snaffle.

I do think people should try to understand the mechanics of a different bit if they are hell bent on trying something different rather than just following the fashion though.
 
Well the lips are soft and so is the tongue, they compress a fair amount. Studies have shown that the vast majority of jointed snaffles be that single or double joints behave in a very similar way. When a contact is taken the bit is raised in the mouth and the cannons begin to wrap around the tongue and lower jaw. Different lozenge size, angle and curvature will allow different parts of the tongue to receive more or less pressure but there is still pressure across all of the tongue.

The reason this is important is if there was no compression on the centre of the tongue then the bit would hit the palate
 
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abbijay said:
Surely we can't all be expected to be immediate experts in things. Fair enough for those of you with a lifetime of experience and born into a horsey lifestyle who don't need expert input to get ensure your horse is happy but for those of us who are newer to this (and trying to learn as much as possible along the way) is there really any harm in asking a professional to support you in making decisions?
After 8 years ownership (and donkeys years in riding schools before that) I can make an informed judgement that something (bit/saddle/lameness) isn't right but I certainly don't have the knowledge to fix all of these things on my own. I read as much as possible, I watch as much as I can and I speak to people to expand my capability but with just one horse for a few years I certainly don't feel there is any harm in asking a professional to support me in my actions.
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Ah, but that's the thing: these "professionals" are often not. As in they've done a "course", often only a few days, and with manufacturers, not real, practical horsemen, and don't necessarily have the actual experience to really know what happens in the long term, with the whole horse. By all means get help, but don't rely on what are in effect sales reps to really know very much more than you do. It's easy to spout lots of technical terms and theory without knowing how something works. I have listened with genuine interest to "Master Saddlers" and "Bit Fitters" but haven't heard anything which would convince me to start following their advice. I did let a saddler fiddle around with one of my saddles once but ended up taking out all the "adjustments" as the horse was not happy, and I could see that the shape was all wrong.

People really should educate themselves; it's not rocket science.
 
Most have mine have been easy to bit, 2 have been a pain. Both big HW cobs with small mouths, big flashy tongues and almost no room for a bit. One is my current boy, who has the added bonus of not being started well and spending a decent portion of his life in pain. He has a very fancy bit indeed, that goes by the wonderful name of max control danger bit which absolutely cracks me up! Its actually a very mild bit that is almost impossible to explain and is quite the feat of engineering!

It is totally flexible and you can use each side independently, but at a certain angle it locks to almost form a straight bar. I've spent ages fondling it trying to work out how it works and cant! But hes gone from tense and anxious in his mouth to soft and settled so I'm happy. I dont think I would ever have gotten there with a "normal" bit. Its the same as this one but with a D ring cheeks to form a kimblewick. I drive him otherwise he would be in the snaffle version. I really like how neat and flat the curb chain sits with the flat hooks as well

bfly.jpg
 
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That is essentially a kimblewick with a 3-link snaffle mouthpiece. The hooks are flat polo hooks (very good if your horse gets pinched by the chain). I find that most cobs go better in some form of a curb, it helps them not only in the mouth but also with getting up off their front ends, but a broken mouthpiece in a curb can be very confusing for horses.
 
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