Bits: Functions and Proper Uses :D

Why? ...actually only bringing this up because it's been brought up a lot lately xD

While I will not argue on whether it is cruel to draw a harsh bit on a drawing, (because I believe that speaks for itself) I will take this moment to bore you to death with my knowledge of bits and their uses! Plus a bit of my own opinions on what I consider to be cruel. ^^

Alright! Let me just start out by saying I do not think that, with proper use, any bit is cruelty device.

The snaffle is the simplest and mildest of bits. It sports a single joint in the middle so that it has a little 'give' with pressure. The D ring, eggbutt, and full-cheek are the most common direct-pressure bits there are. They are mild, and easy to use. They are called 'direct pressure' bits because they, as the name implies, give direct pressure on the bars, tongue, and the corners of the mouth. There is also the french link bit which is similar to the snaffle, but with an added joint. While the Snaffle has more of a 'pinching' effect, the french link has more of a pressing affect, if that makes sense.  

If a rider is using his/her arms and hands correctly when holding the reins, there should be a relatively straight line from the elbow, wrist, to the bit, as I've pointed out here: i40.tinypic.com/16jpysi.png This allows the rider to bend his/her arms at the elbow and move with the horse's movement, while at the same time, keeping a continuous and correct line of contact. A horse may learn to evade contact, if the line of contact is broken, as demonstrated here: i41.tinypic.com/iyk9wl.png

Leverage bits are bits that give the rider extra pressure to the pressure already given by the reins. There are two types of leverage bits: outer and inner. Outer Leverage bits have some sort of shank or fixed rein attachment point that is below the corners of the mouth. Examples of Outer Leverage bits are Elevators, Pelhams, Kimberwickes, and Curbs with shanks. Inner leverage bits are bits that appear to be mild from the outside (have a D ring, Eggbutt, or Full-cheek on the outside), but have various rings, curves, and attachments on the inside that give the rider added strength, for example a gag bit. These bits are not supposed to be used to 'fix' a horse with a strong mouth, in fact, with improper use, they can worsen a hard mouth. These bits are meant to give the rider added finesse and subtleness to their ride. People often fall back on these stronger leverage bits as a quick fix to a strong horse, but what they fail to realize is, that if the horse has learned to brace against a snaffle, it wont be long before the horse is bracing on the stronger bit and running through aides.

For example, curb bits with long shanks are common throughout western riders, particularly western pleasure.  If the bit has a long shank, the rider can ride on looser reins and his/her cues become less noticeable because the horse will be able to feel the slightest movement from the rider's hand. The intended use for such long shanks can be seen here: www.doublelpainthorses.com/ima… These long shanks give the rider the advantage of making their cues more acute. However, this becomes a problem when riders misuse these long shanks and ride as if they are only an inch long, or even a direct pressure bit. This can result in the harsh overuse of such bits, resulting in discomfort in the horse: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia…

I used to ride Saddlebreds saddleseat and I would ride in a weymouth , or double bridle, (as seen here: uphaonline.com/images/2010%20a… and upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia…) which for those of you who don't know, is a bridle with both a snaffle and a curb bit in the horse's mouth. Now I can imagine some of you cringing at the thought of one bit in a horse's mouth, but TWO?! that's crazy, right? Well, with all bits, there is a reason to why they are the way they are, and why they are used. In the case of the weymouth, the snaffle is to keep a constant contact with the horse's mouth and encourages the horse to raise its head (though with breeds like the Saddlebred, they seldom need any encouragement at all!) while the curb, though rarely used, and never used in excess, is to encourage the horse to tuck it's nose in. The curb bit is a strong bit, but saddleseat riders, if taught properly, are trained to hold with the pinky finger, the curb reins should be in the lightest of contacts with the bit, and the rider hardly ever needs to use it. When the curb is used, it is softly and subtly so that it is not causing the horse discomfort. Again, if someone is ignorant or misinformed, of course the use of this bridle can be quite cruel in the wrong hands.

While some bits are definitely over the top and often times unnecessary, if used properly none of these bits should cause discomfort.


As well as correct usage, one should take in consideration the individual preferences of the horse. Just because one horse prefers loose reins, doesn't mean another one will. Similarly, while one horse may be fine with contact, another horse may detest it. It is key to pick a bit that will fit for your horse. From the time she was 2, up until she was 5, my mare rode in a full-cheek copper mouth snaffle bit: encrypted-tbn0.google.com/imag… As we started competing in higher level events, I switched her to a D ring snaffle bit with copper rollers, as seen here: encrypted-tbn2.google.com/imag… merely because the D Ring is a bit classier and somewhat more preferred by judges, though that isn't a concrete rule of thumb. We showed in hunter classes and jumped, so the bit matched our discipline. We have since moved even higher in our level of competition, and her performance is expected to increase as well. We now show Jumpers, a sport that demands precision and accuracy in order to be successful. I now ride her in a Happy mouth snaffle 2-ring elevator bit, only when working on our 3ft courses: encrypted-tbn3.google.com/imag… This bit has a rubber lining to ensure comfort of my horse, and the added leverage just ensures extra precision and subtleness. I have been trained since I started riding, not to use the reins more than needed and to always ride with 'light' hands. You will never see me tugging on a horse's mouth unnecessarily.  

Here is a good page that has a detailed description of how each of your body parts should be used: www.thistleridgestables.com/ge…

Now then, after you have chosen the correct bit, understand what it's used for and the proper way to use it, now you must learn to correctly utilize your body and the bit to engage the horse's entire body. Getting a horse into a proper 'frame' involves a lot more than a tug o' war between you and the horse to get him to tuck his head in. Too often I've seen horses going in an incorrect or false frame. If all you do is tug a horse into frame, you will have a horse who does not correctly engage their back or hind end at all, resulting in improper posture, incorrect development of muscles, and poor topline. A false frame can resemble a true frame, and it takes a trained eye to see the differences: efarrellequestrian.com/Eliza_F… A friend of mine rode leia and had her going in a false frame (2009) as seen here: a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto… To the untrained eye, it would appear that she is going in a proper frame. However, upon further inspection, the lack of impulsion is evident in her lack of forward movement. She is also obviously behind the bit, and if you look, her butt seems to be pointing upward, hollowing out her back. There are also those who use artifitial aids such as side reins, draw reins and the sort to force a horse into an improper or uncomfortable frame, as seen here: dressage.files.wordpress.com/2… Horses that are forced into frame in such ways can often be seen evading the bit (a term I mentioned above), either by throwing their head up, tucking their head below the 'vertical' to evade all contact, or opening their mouth.  More on evading the bit here: www.meredithmanor.edu/features…

In order to ride a horse and correctly engage its entire body, you must think to ride the horse 'back to front'. The horse should have steady impulsion (this does not mean the same thing as speed) moving in front of your legs. By this, I mean, the horse should not be lazy (behind your legs) or too forward beyond what you ask. You should ride by driving the horse's hind end forward with your legs and seat and hold the horse's front steady with the use of your hands, reins, and bit. This is what a correctly ridden horse should look like: www.topclassdressage.com/displ… A horse that is ridden incorrectly from front to back, may become heavy on the forehand and ride in a 'downhill' manner, as seen here: www.curlyfarm.com/photos/winte… A horse that is in a false frame will adopt a 'hollow' back, as seen here: www.horsekeeping.com/images/Sh… and i176.photobucket.com/albums/w1… i176.photobucket.com/albums/w1… even in a pic of me and Leia before I knew what I was doing: sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-a…

The proper use of the right bit for your horse can lead to a happy, willing partner, as seen with my Leia, who always has her ears forward and a happy, willing attitude:
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There are some good tips here as well: theperfecthorse.blogspot.com/2…

Also, when asking a horse to ride correctly, always refer back to the 'training pyramid' www.ridingart.com/images/The-T… Start at the bottom and work your way up, and never skip a level.

There are no harsh bits, only harsh riders.