So which is anatomically the kindest bit?

[MagicMelon]

With all the talk of trying to make riding kinder, Ive been looking at my bits thinking which ones may not be very kind and wouldn't suit nicely in the mouth or cause an action which isn't pleasant. I know lots of people will say bits in mouths in general are cruel but then I know hackamores can be severe too! I compete so hackamores arent allowed for eventing (dressage) so bit pointless using one. I realise how severe a bit is depends to a degree on the rider, but in general - what type of bits are the kindest that fit the horses mouths the best and have a nice action? Ive always gone for a Myler with the roller centre or a french link lozenge type, rubber ones I would expect are kinder but they're always so thick. Opinions?

 

[cauda equina]

I guess a lot depends on the shape of the horse's mouth - hence what suits one horse won't necessarily suit another
My old cob prefers a Happy Mouth to a Myler, but what he really likes is no noseband which I realise is no good for competing

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Depends on the anatomy of the horses mouth. What is comfortable for one may not be for another.

I used a bit fit specialist and went with a HP relief bit, hanging cheek to reduce pressure on the poll. Doesn't mean this will be the most comfortable for your horse.

 

[blitznbobs]

Its a bit like saying what shoes are the most comfy or which make of jeans fit best — you will get 100 answers cos everyone is a different shape . (But the people who say 4 inch stilettos are lying)

 

[milliepops]

as above. so dependent on the horse. and ultimately unless the horse is noticeably uncomfortable, i don't think it matters that much (shock) if you're a leisure rider who just wants to do right by your steed, the absolute best thing you can put time, money and effort into is teaching the horse how to respond to the bit sensitively and then upping your riding skills so you can be equally sensitive. JMHO!

 

[PapaverFollis]

The kindest bit is the one attached to the kindest hands. Which tend to be attached to the human with the most balanced seat.

If you want to be kind to your horse find an instructor that will teach you (or teach yourself if you have good self awareness) to move your body in harmony with the horse's movement at all gaits, to hold your balance and to have your hands be truly independent from the rest of you so that they can follow the horses mouth with sympathy.

Don't worry too much about the actual bit. Just don't yank on it whatever it is.

 

[lme]

Depends so much on the horse. Our 5yos both have a clear preference for non metal bits and are in anatomical bridles with no flash or throatlatch. One likes a flexible Winderen and one a thicker, squishy Cu Chulainn. My old girl preferred a single jointed cherry roller and her daughter a curved double jointed snaffle, fitted by Hillary Vernon.

 

[Kaylum]

The whole bridle needs looking at really the bit is just a part of it. Bridles are very overlooked. Nosebands, browbands, bonnets, cheek pieces you need to get those right as well.

The bit depends on the horses mouth, high palet? Thick tongue? Sensitive mouth?

See so many bridles too big and resting on the most sensitive part of the horses face. Everyone needs to learn about bridles thick headpieces or anatomical padded bridles aren't always the best. Research.

My pet hate is the photos the manufacturers use of bridles on horses so badly fitted make me cringe.

 

[scruffyponies]

For a green horse the kindest bit is the one which gently encourages the correct response, since he will otherwise fight and fidget when he doesn't understand. This can change once he has 'got-it'.

 

[Highmileagecob]

I switched to bitless over ten years ago and my cob heaved a sigh of relief and started to enjoy his job.

 

[Caol Ila]

My horse has forced me to think a lot about bits and work outside of the box. When I first tried him, he had recently been bitted and hated the normal, double jointed snaffle. Throwing his head, no steering. On our second trial ride, his owner put him in a drop cheek Myler. He was better, but still not great. After I bought him, I tried the Myler combination bit, and he worked brilliantly in that. Very soft, responsive, no head throwing or resistence. I kept that for about six months, but it's a lot of bit, and because of the way the noseband thing works, you can't really develop proper contact in it. I decided he needed to transition into a bit. Could not get a bit fitter out for love nor money, so I did a lot of trial and error for about three months. His favourite one was a Bomber Happy Mouth with Tom Thumb cheek pieces. Go figure.

I could have gone bitless, but that was another rabbit hole. Tried him once in a sidepull, and he was heavy and stiff through his neck and shoulders.

 

[maya2008]

Something that suits the conformation of their mouth and their personality/level of training, as well as being mindful of the rider’s skill. Sometimes a harsher bit is actually kinder if it makes a strong horse decide not to pull, and be light in the hand. Sometimes a snaffle is better. I spent a while in a tack shop last Sunday looking for a nice comfy bit for our new Welsh. He has a tiny mouth and not much room for the bit. All the French links seemed much too bulky for his tiny mouth, so we have a curved single jointed snaffle.

 

[Birker2020]

The kindest bit is the one attached to the kindest hands.

This ^^

 

[Tiddlypom]

I ran my way through all my various new fangled anatomically shaped nueue schule lozenge bits for my current IDx, but what does she show a clear and definite preference for?

An old fashioned Fulmer single jointed snaffle.

She's also in a Sabre Cordoba sensitive snaffle bridle with extra ear room. It has a crank noseband but that is done up very loosely. Both bit and bridle checked and approved of by my chiro vet.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Its a bit like saying what shoes are the most comfy or which make of jeans fit best — you will get 100 answers cos everyone is a different shape . (But the people who say 4 inch stilettos are lying)

Thays because you need 6in platform stilettos to be comfortable!

 

[Hallo2012]

its whichever one they like and with good hands on the reins!

mine both have tiny mouths (4.25 and 4.5) and fleshy tongues but one likes thin, light ported bits and the other likes a huge fat flexible old rubber snaffle.

neither would go in the others bit!

 

[HBB]

The whole bridle needs looking at really the bit is just a part of it. Bridles are very overlooked. Nosebands, browbands, bonnets, cheek pieces you need to get those right as well.

The bit depends on the horses mouth, high palet? Thick tongue? Sensitive mouth?

See so many bridles too big and resting on the most sensitive part of the horses face. Everyone needs to learn about bridles thick headpieces or anatomical padded bridles aren't always the best. Research.

My pet hate is the photos the manufacturers use of bridles on horses so badly fitted make me cringe.

I was really shocked at the photo's Fiona Cork used to promote her bridles, they were a horrible fit, surely she should understand and recognise that they didn't fit?

https://www.facebook.com/FionaCorkShowing/posts/3353326688236636

 

[Snowfilly]

It really depends. I had a mare with thick fleshy lips and a low palate but she was adamant that she liked a thick rubber straight bar snaffle although according to the book she didn’t have room for it to be comfortable!

Another who only liked a Mullen mouth and would head toss the entire time if there was any joints at all.

A third who wouldn’t go in a fulmer or cheek Snaffle for love nor money, because he didn’t like anything touching the side of his face, but didn’t give a monkey’s what sort of mouthpiece you used.

And the Arab liked a hackamore.

I would say Y mouths and anything with spikes can’t really be kind in any way, but everything else has a place and a horse that will like it, and it’ll be kind as long as you’ve got kind hands and a light seat.

 

[ponynutz]

Yes, it does really, really depend. But I suppose the softer they are and the more they encourage horse to chew and test out the bit in their mouth the 'kinder' they are. So happy mouths, snaffles that don't apply too much pressure.

But some prefer or need the extra pressure because too little is confusing and some need lighter because they're sensitive. So it's all hit and miss really.

A bit is also only as strong as the rider who uses it.

 

[conniegirl]

Yes, it does really, really depend. But I suppose the softer they are and the more they encourage horse to chew and test out the bit in their mouth the 'kinder' they are. So happy mouths, snaffles that don't apply too much pressure.

But some prefer or need the extra pressure because too little is confusing and some need lighter because they're sensitive. So it's all hit and miss really.

A bit is also only as strong as the rider who uses it.

happy mouths do not automatically make for a kind bit that doesn’t apply too much pressure.
ive had a couple of horses who would rear vertical in a happy mouth if you even thought about putting any contact down the reins.
happy mouths are very bulky bits that need a fair amount of room in the horses mouth. A horse with a low palette, fleshy tongue and fleshy bars just won’t have the room needed for one so the bit the puts a massive amount of pressure on those areas.

I’ve also seen a lot of sores on lips caused by happy mouth bits.

the gentlest bit is one that suits the horses mouth conformation and is handled gently by the rider.
I find a lot of horses go well in A plain french link snaffle and it is my go to bit as a starting point but it doesn’t suit all horses

 

[maya2008]

Talking about material for the bit, mine all love copper in any form - as the whole bit or in combination with sweet iron. Happy mouth is lovely until it’s been chewed and then it’s so sharp it could cut their tongues.

 

[sbloom]

No different to asking what the best fitting saddle is. There are some brands, and some models, that many will believe to be overall better than others, but ultimately it's about what fits that horse and rider.