Buying and Fitting Bits

by Barbara Torres, Owner eBridles

    Buying a new bit for your horse should be done when you have a well defined plan or goal you want to achieve and you must have a new or different bit to attain that goal, e.g. aging out of snaffle bit classes or moving up to a double bridle in dressage. Never buy a new bit to solve problems, especially for a well trained horse that has recently developed a "new problem" or has gone "ring sour".  Dodging out at jumps, tossing head, refusing to lower the head or problems transitioning to canter are all symptoms of greater problems that can not be solved by a new bit. Ring sour barrel horses that don't want to turn have the same problems as hunters who refuse a jump or kick out on the landing. It is almost always a problem in the back or the neck and has nothing to do with the bit. Think about it! He has been in this bit for many months or even years and all of a sudden he has a problem. So you think the solution is a stronger bit. Beep! Wrong!

    The answer may lie with your saddle or your equipment. Horses change shape when they get fit and a saddle that was perfect when you bought it a year or two ago may now be too wide or too narrow. Check your saddle fit and check your pads. It may be time to invest in a new pad. Saddle fit should be checked on a naked horse without pads. If it's too wide you can pad it up to get it up off his back and withers. If it's too narrow, eBay is a good place to sell it. A saddle that's too narrow is like a pair of shoes that are too tight. Four pairs of socks are not going to make tight shoes feel better and 3 pads is not going to make a too narrow saddle feel better. Check your bit for bumps, sharp edges, rough spots, teeth marks, cracks, pinching hinges and nay abnormalities that could rub or hurt the sensitive skin of the lips or tongue. Make sure your cinch or girth has no stickers, cracks or rough parts that may rub or pinch and make sure your saddle is placed behind the shoulder so as not to interfere with his normal gaits.

    Have the horse examined by a vet for neck, shoulder, back and hock problems. Make sure his teeth are floated regularly and that there are no problems with his mouth. If the vet gives him a clean bill of health and your saddle still fits nicely then your next step is to find some professional help with his training. Don't be surprised if most trainers want to put him in a very severe bit. They get quick results and you feel like you are getting your money's worth. But, as I said before, bits are rarely the problem's underlying cause, unless there is a mechanical or structural problem with the bit.

    As the owner of a brick and mortar store, I have been educating customers on buying bits (and solving problems) for over 16 years. I have also taught a seminar on bits to the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Instructor Program here in Texas for the past 4 years and I have heard hundreds of horror stories. People are so surprised when I ask them to check their saddle fit and have a vet check before they buy a new bit. But believe me, if you love your horse, you want to know why he has a problem and not just "jerk and spur" him into submission.

    There are lots of different quality bits out there and there is also a wide range of quality in the different types of stainless steel and other materials from which bits are made. First lets examine the types of materials used to manufacture bits and then discuss the families of bits and how and why they are used.

Bits are made from metal, rubber, plastic or nylon.

METAL BITS Metal used for bits can be almost anything. I'm sure you have seen thin twisted wire, bicycle chain and other nasty metal items that people put in their horse's mouths. Metal bits are more commonly made from stainless steel, chrome, copper, sweet iron, german silver, alloys and aluminium just to name a few. All these names can apply to a wide variety of processes and mixtures of metal and none are definitive of a "good" or "bad" bit. I have seen beautiful sweet iron such as on Myler bits and I have seen horrible stainless steel from Pakistan with rough sharp edges that could leave a horse's mouth bloody. Just because it says "Stainless Steel" does not guarantee quality. Price usually tells you the quality. Stay away from chrome or very cheap stainless steel. These bits are known to crack and their outer coating may chip or peel away leaving sharp slivers and edges.

    Stainless steel comes in varying degrees of quality and many horsemen say that stainless steel with too much nickle will dry the horses mouth and prevent salivation. Again, price is your guide here. Good quality stainless steel starts at around $12-$15 for simple ring snaffles and $30 and up for a nice curb or Kimberwick. Aluminium was very popular back in the 1960's because of the weight and price but is almost never used by modern horsemen. Sweet Iron has many different qualities but will always (and should) rust. Rust tastes good to the horse and makes him salivate (hence the name sweet iron). Just watch for excessive rust that causes pitting, rough or sharp edges. Copper can be used for the entire mouth piece, a coating over the mouth piece or tiny inlays in the mouth piece. Copper does not taste good to horses and they will salivate a lot with a copper bit. This salivation is a good thing as it keeps the mouth moist and soft. German Silver is a version of stainless steel with varying amounts of nickle, copper, zinc or other alloys that give it a different color and may also help with salivation. They are not necessarily better if they are not made with skill and precision. A well made bit of any material should look like a precision surgical instrument and feel silky smooth to the touch. The hinges, breaks and knots should not have sharp edges, pitts, bumps or rough spots. The space between the hinges should be small and tight so as not to pinch the delicate skin of the lips or tongue and should move quietly and fluidly when you work them with your hands.

RUBBER BITS The use of rubber bits is not as wide spread nowadays as it used to be. Rubber come in hard or soft variety but are almost always very thick. Modern scientific research has shown that young horses and certain breeds like Arabians do not have a lot of room in their mouths for a thick bit. The palate will not accommodate it. Many people think that a rubber covered bit is gentler and softer so it's good for a young horse. Remember the thing that makes a bit gentler or more severe is the hands of the rider and not the material it is made from. It is far gentler to train your horse in a well made bit that fits him correctly than it is to make him wear a fat rubber bit that may be too big or taste bad to him. My friend had a horse that she trained in a black rubber bit years ago and he still refuses to eat from a black rubber tub to this day.

PLASTIC OR NYLON Plastic bits such as Flexi Bits or Happy Mouth have found great popularity and originally were known for the bend and/or the small bumps that sit on either side of the tongue. They evolved into plastic covered mouth pieces of all designs that are not necessarily better than metal and, like rubber, you have to be careful that the horse has a palate that can accommodate the thickness of the particular bit. Both brands mentioned above are extremely well made but beware there are lots of fakes and knockoffs and private labels that may be cheaper but not as well constructed. Examine these plastic mouth pieces the same way you would a metal one and you can't go wrong. If you decide to buy one, be sure to check it each time you go to put it in your horses mouth because some horses can chew on them and make them rough and sharp. I know of no way to fix them once they have been chewed on. You will have to buy new.

    I have found that Korsteel from Weatherbeeta, Myler and Toklat from Toklat and Coronet from Intrepid are the best quality of the mass produced mid-priced bits sold in America. There are more expensive bits like Sprenger, Courbette and Dewsbury that are excellent, top of the line bits, but, unfortunately for most folks, out of their budget. A well made bit priced around $25 to $35 will always last 3 to 4 times longer than a cheap $10 bit of poor quality.

Families of Bits There are 5 families of bits and also bitless bridles.

DIRECT PRESSURE BITS/SNAFFLES The true definition of the word snaffle is a bit that applies direct pressure in a 1:1 ratio. That is one pound of pressure is applied to the bit when you pull with one pound of pressure. The second half of the definition that allows you to have a 1:1 ration is the position of the reins. The rein must be directly in line with the mouth piece to apply direct pressure. There is a straight line from your hand along the rein to the attachment on the cheek that is in straight line with the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece can be broken, mullen ported or hinged but it is still a snaffle as long as the rein lines up with the mouthpiece and the action uses direct pressure.

LEVERAGE BITS/CURBS A leverage bit employs the length of the shank to increase the ratio of pressure on the mouth. The further away from the mouthpiece the rein is attached, the more leverage you apply and the greater the ratio of pressure. Hence you can apply one pound of pressure with your hands and the shank will transfer and increase that pressure on the mouth. In otherwords, one pound of pull equals 2 or 3 or more pounds of pressure on the mouth. Leverage bits can be used with or without a curb strap or curb chain but when they are present it makes it a curb bit. The tighter the curb strap the more pressure is applied to the tongue, bars, curb groove, and poll.

GAG BITS The family of gag bits is usually defined not by the mouthpiece but by the action of the cheeks. Also called elevators, the sliding cheek of the gag works on the lips and the corners of the mouth to raise the horses head and elevate the front end. In a true gag the cheeks of the bridle extend through the rings of the bit and the reins are attached to the bottom of the bridle allowing the bit to be pulled up high into the mouth with hand pressure and drop low when released. Bits where the mouthpiece slides up and down the cheeks of the bit like Pessoas or Continentals, are also referred to as gag bits.

COMBINATION BITS Combinations bits combine the different pressure points with multiple reins (pelham, Argentine Snaffle, etc.) or sliding cheeks, nose bands or other combinations. When using 2 sets of reins, one rein applies direct pressure and the other engages the curb strap or chain and applies leverage.

DOUBLE BRIDLE/FULL MOUTH A double bridle has 2 bits in the mouth at the same time. One employs direct pressure (a snaffle) and the other employs the leverage of a curb bit. Two sets of reins are used and are referred to as the curb rein and the direct rein (also sometimes called the snaffle rein). The double bridle is used to show some gaited horses and for upper level dressage.

BITLESS BRIDLES Bitless bridles are exactly as the name implies. There is no bit in the horse's mouth. Leverage is applied to the sensitive areas of the nose (a hackamore, bosel) or direct pressure (pull) is applied to the sides of the bridle as in a side pull. Mechanical hackamores with long shanks can apply a very high ratio of pressure to the sensitive area of the nose and cause extreme pain but are often mistaken by the uneducated as "gentler" than a bit. NOT!

Mouth pieces are broken, mullen, ported or hinged.

BROKEN MOUTH BITS Biggest mistake that most uneducated people make when buying a bit is they call all broken mouth bits "snaffles". They aren't.  You can have a broken mouth curb such as a tom thumb or a broken mouth pelham or you can have a broken mouth snaffle such as a ring snaffle or eggbutt snaffle. You can have a two piece broken mouth, a three piece broken mouth or multiple breaks such as in a Waterford and the action of each can be very different giving your horse very different signals and producing different results.

MULLEN MOUTH BITS The mullen mouth bit is a straight bar or slightly curved bar (without any break or hinge) that rests evenly on the tongue and bars of the mouth. The mullen mouth snaffle is one of the gentlest bits (in the right hands) and a good bit for beginners on well trained horses. It's hard to really inflict any real pain with a mullen mouth but easy for a naughty horse to ignore and run through.

PORTED BITS A variation of the mullen mouth is the ported bit. It can be low, medium or high and may be plain, have a hood, a roller or a cricket. A wide low port will be comfortable and give lots of room for the tongue allowing a horse to swallow without raising his head or moving the bit. A very high port with long shanks will rotate and apply leverage on the tongue and bars.

HINGED BITS A hinge in center of the mouth makes it a hinged bit. Hinges on the cheeks are not normally referred to a hinged bits. The hinge on the mouth is single or double and controls the direction the mouth piece bends in the mouth (usually only one direction) when the rein pressure is applied. Hinged bits without shanks are technically a type broken mouth snaffles if they employ direct pressure.

Fitting Bits

    Once you have determined your goals for the horse, have checked the rule book for your discipline and decided which type of bit to buy, you need to know what size.  Size is listed by the mouthpiece and the shank.  So you can have a 5" bit with a 6" shank or a 5" bit with a 4" shank.  The size of the bit is measured inside the cheeks.  If you buy a broken mouth bit, push the cheeks in toward the middle when you measure, taking out the slack.  Not all bits come in all sizes but most ponies will need a 4", 41/4", 41/2" or 4 3/4" mouthpiece.  Horses usually need a 4 3/4", 5" or 5 1/4" mouthpiece.  Warmbloods usually range from 5" to 5 1/2" with draft or draft crosses larger up to 6' or 61/2".   When you are looking for a western bit you will notice that 90% of all western bits are 5".  You need to hunt long and hard for one bigger or smaller but they are out there (try Myler).  Take your tape measure when you go bit shopping and don't believe what the tag says.  European bits are measured in milimeters (mm) and don't always measure exactly in 1/4" or 1/2" increments.

    The bit will fit differently in your horse's mouth depending on how high you buckle the cheek pieces on his headstall or bridle.  If you want him to be comfortable try this.  Adjust the bridle so the bit hangs in the mouth with no smile wrinkles.  Pull the bit gently to one side.  You should see enough space that you can place your pinky finger between the cheek of the bit and the lips of the horse.  If you have tiny pinkys use your index finger.  If you don't have this space you should get a bigger mouthpiece.  If you do have space, center the bit in his mouth and take up the bridle cheeks one hole at a time until you have a little smile wrinkle or 2 in both corners of his lips.  If he sucks the bit up higher in his mouth so that the bridle cheeks flare in and out, then you can probably safely take the bridle up another hole.  Give him a chance to get used to a new bit before you hop on and head down the road or go straight into the show ring.

    Always inspect your tack and your bit each time before you ride.  Hold the bit in your bare hand for a minute or two before you put it in his mouth to avoid one that is too cold or too hot.  Learn how the action of each bit works and what the feel of it means to the horse.  Don't expect your horse to understand new cues and the new bit without teaching him what you mean.