Footlights
Well-Known Member
What bit size would you think a 16.1 thoroughbred would have?
Thoroughbred bit size
- Thread starter Footlights
- Start date
kippen64
Well-Known Member
Thoroughbreds do vary a lot as they are bred for speed and not to a breed standard. If I had to pick a size, I would say 5.5 inches but measuring the horse's mouth is the only way to be sure.
Marydoll
Well-Known Member
If your not sure ask someone who knows how to measure a bit to show you, and also look at the conformation of the mouth as to the type of bit you choose.
I used info from a really good website sorry cant remember which one, use the end of a wooden spoon i used the one i to mix feeds,Put 2 rubber rein stops either side of the area youre using to measure, rest the wood on the bars and slide the rein stops to the corners of the mouth.This should give you the right size if you take the measurement from the outside of the stops and mark where you've measured to. Its not just about size though look at the size of the horses tongue, does it bulge out between the teeth, are the lips fleshy and are there any wolf teeth ? All of these need taken into account to find a suitable bit.
I used info from a really good website sorry cant remember which one, use the end of a wooden spoon i used the one i to mix feeds,Put 2 rubber rein stops either side of the area youre using to measure, rest the wood on the bars and slide the rein stops to the corners of the mouth.This should give you the right size if you take the measurement from the outside of the stops and mark where you've measured to. Its not just about size though look at the size of the horses tongue, does it bulge out between the teeth, are the lips fleshy and are there any wolf teeth ? All of these need taken into account to find a suitable bit.
Luci07
Well-Known Member
There is no set size! We have chunky TB at 16.2 and he only takes 4 1/2. Bitting is an art and there are a lot of factors to be taken into account. Size is only one, then the width of the jaw can mean you need a bit with small bit rings. One of mine ended up in a bridoon snaffle bit as normal rings would catch behind his jaw. The size of the tongue will mean how much space the horse as in it's mouth. Finally horses vary tremendously between what variances they like. Some like a fixed contact so are happy in a hanging snaffle and some prefer something like a loose ring. I have collected a large number of bits over the years and we frequently borrow other bits in our yard to play around to see what the horse is happy in.
Dizzle
Well-Known Member
It varies! My very fine tb with the head of a small welsh sec A (no seriously, he has a pony head on a tb's boy!) has a 5 inch, but I have to say they can be anything from 4.5 to six inches.
If you use a wooden spoon to feed your horse, you can use the handle to measure their mouth, put it in their mouth and mark off from corner to corner of their mouth, measure with a tape measure et voila, one bit measurement
If you use a wooden spoon to feed your horse, you can use the handle to measure their mouth, put it in their mouth and mark off from corner to corner of their mouth, measure with a tape measure et voila, one bit measurement
margaretandmargarita
New User
What size would you say for a 15.2 3 yr old thoroughbred?
splash30
Well-Known Member
The TB which I have just added to my collection ? is in a 4.5" bit, he is 16'2
Bosworth
Well-Known Member
my 16.hh tb is in a 5.5 but its a totally individual thing