A Little "Bit" of Your Love

Ok, so this one goes out to all of those beginners out there or even those of us who have been around a while but still get a little confused.

So lets start out by first asking 'what is a bit?'
A bit is the part of the bridle that is put into the horse's mouth, it is usually made of metal or something like it. The bit rests on the "bars" of the mouth, or the gum between the front and back teeth.

We can see bits and bridles being used as far back as biblical days. If you look at Psalm 32:9 you'll read 'Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held with a bit and bridle.' It's amazing to think that something that has stood the test of time and has been used throughout the ages, is something that we still use today!

So now that we know what it is, let's go a little deeper.

I know when you walk into your local tack shop you turn a corner and BAM! There it is, the massive, gleaming wall of bits. Let's be honest this moment can be a little scary. You see labels like "copper roller", "scramperdale pelham", and "uxter hinged copper kimblewick". You may faint briefly, because you only want the best for your horse but it's so confusing!

I've done a little homework and found out that there are only two basic types of bits: the snaffle

and the curb bit. The difference between the two is that the snaffle is a non-leverage bit and the curb is a leverage bit, also the snaffle is usually a jointed bit and the curb is not.

Now, what this means is that on a snaffle the rein attaches to the mouthpiece. The bit acts with a nutcracker action (if it's jointed) on the bars and the corners of the mouth and tongue, so the horse feels an equal amount of pressure.

On the curb though, the rein attaches to the shank or cheekpiece which adds leverage. So the horse feels a greater amount of pressure. Stemming from these basic types you get all of those other bits out there. Now, the bit that you end up buying is up to you, I prefer a lighter snaffle bit, like a D-ring snaffle. But your horse may be hard on the mouth and need a heavier bit. There are also a lot of people out there such as myself that really love hackamores, or bitless bridles bridles.

So go forth, my fellow horsemen and woman! and be confidant in knowing that with a little help from the store manager, you will make the right choice!