Bits

[nrly]

Where I stable my horse's a lady has her 3 year old which she trained her self, and did a good job considering. Well here is my thing: She bought a bit cause it was pretty, it is a long cheek double snaffle (what they called it). It is one that you would use in reining. Now all she will ever do is trail ride with this horse. But because she was very heavy handed on the reins her other bit will not stop the horse according to her. so that is another reason why she bought it. Can she retrain the horse to stop with the easy bit,or is the mouth of the horse ruined and will be hard forever. The bit looks really harsh to me and the horse always has her mouth open, and is trying to get her tounge over it, and her neck is arched all the time. If I can get a picture of it I will post it so you all can see. She has no idea that different disciplines use different bits, if it is pretty she wants it.. Just would like some input now this lady will not listen to any of us,

[zephyrcreek]

The most important thing about bits (especially if you are not in the show ring is what works for the horse and the owner. It does not matter what the original intent was it works. It does not sound like it works if the horses has already been trained to a bit, and she constantly has her mouth open. That is not fun for the horse, or the owner.

Ellen

[Michelle Clarke]

Bits are a serious subject because it goes in your horses mouth and is probably one of the most misunderstood pieces of equipment. Snaffle literally means "shankless bit", though this is going by the wayside. Snaffles are meant for lateral flexion so you can teach a horse to turn and bend. They put pressure on the sides of the mouth. Shanks put pressure on the roof of the mouth and the poll causing the horse to flex his head vertically. This may give you stopping power but does not give you any control in bending or teaching a horse to go left or right.

The middle part of the bit is important too because each horse has a different build to thier mouth. Thier pallets are different shaped, the tongues are different and the bars where the bit sits are different. This all matters when choosing a bit.

A horses teeth also need to be done at least once per year, whether you are riding or not. Sharp edges or hooks can cause lots of pain in the mouth not to mention when the teeth do not work properly, the tongue has to work more which makes it larger and therefore harder to get a bit to fit right.

We use a Cavesson on all our horses we start or horses that need to go back to basics. Many folks that buy horses from me never even use anything else or go on to a bit. The Cavesson is just plain leather and the reins come out from the sides to teach the horse turning and bending without putting any pressure in the mouth. This is a great tool when teaching any horse.

Rev is still in the Cavesson and never has been bitted. Maybe once we get the spooking over with I will, but I sure don't want to give any horse hard corrections with a bit...to me they are for refinement, not control. If a bit is needed for control, then there are certainly other issues there.