My tack room is heated so bits never go in cold - always at room temp! I think if they weren't I would warm them up first! The idea of an ice cold piece of metal in my mouth isn't very pleasant! But then I guess metal does heat up quickly so wouldn't remain cold for long.
I try to, today just had to hope that wrapping my hands around it made a bit of difference to the temp. Thought about using some warm water but didn't have any free plug sockets for the kettle.
:O your lucky horses!!!!! warm...everything!!! (quivering at the thought of dry rugs :'( )
can i come and live with you please????? ill live in the tack room! it will be warmer than my house
Always through winter, either run bit under hot tap for a few seconds, then straight into horse's mouth if at home or if trailering out for a hack or whatever, I sit on it with heated seat on full. Hunting on bitter days, have been known to heat bit with water from a thermos flask as I don't travel tacked up. Yes, I know, I'm incredibly sad!!
I always do winter and summer, bridles are kept in the house but the bits still get cold, I also dampen winter feeds with warm water with marmite in and cover the barn gates with old rugs to help stop the draughts, but then our barn is exposed and the wind comes off the moor, it's not uncommon this weather to find frozen poo in the stables, having said all that my lad is still unrugged and my arthritic 18yr old is only in a MW and tonight it's -3
I warm the bit before use if its really cold and always rinse it clean straight after use before anything can dry and go hard on it.
I think this is simply a case of treating your horse with respect - I wouldn't offer somebody a dirty knife or fork and equally I wouldn't ask my horse to take a cold or dirty bit. Always amazes me the number of people who have endless matchy matchy blingy things for their horses that make no difference to the horse at all but it never occurs to them to take simple steps that actually do make a difference
Seeing people bridling their pony/horse with a bit crusted up with days/weeks gunk is a pet hate of mine and doesn't reflect well on the amount of thought actually given to their horses comfort...
I don't really but I might with new horsey as she is a bit sensitive. I don't like leaving green goo on bits mainly because its so hard to get off once dry!
When it's really cold I do- my tack lives at outside temp and I'm soft! Only rub my hands on it till its not very very cold or if getting in hang the bridle round my neck and zip the bits in my jacket When it's frozen the bits are painful to touch so even though it only takes them a few mins to warm in the horses mouth I feel bad
My hands are always cold so warming up in me hands would be useless.
I just tuck the bit and bridle between my thighs for a few minutes while I do girth up or pick feet out. The shuffle back to head and put on bridle. No problem... until someone sees me and says "what ARE you doing???"
It's just habit. If I think about it it's no colder than drinking water for them or us eating ice cream. Sometimes cold is quite pleasant