Different port heights in a bit

[HorseMom]

I've still been on the look out for a bit that Jay would find more comfortable. As I've been shopping around I see a lot of bits with different sizes of ports. When would someone use a bit with a low, medium, or high port?

 

[RhineStone]

Wow, another complicated question. Some people feel that ports give tongue relief. Others think that the port bumps the roof of the mouth when "engaged", encouraging the horse to flex at the poll.

Not sure I would use a high port on a mini (or any other horse for that matter). I'm not sure that minis have enough room in their mouth for a high port. Even a medium might be too much. I have used a low on Alax, and he seemed to like it, but he likes solid mouth curb-style bits better anyway. He has an Arch now, and really likes that. It doesn't mush his fat tongue.

Have you felt around in Jay's mouth, especially with a bit in? That would give you an idea of how much room is in there, especially between the mouthpiece and the palate. Tell us about his mouth. Lots of fleshy lips and tongue, or more scrawny lips? Can you get your finger between the bit and roof? "Low" lips or ones that are quite high on his face where the bit would lie? All of these things might help us help you select a bit.

Myrna

 

[MiLo Minis]

Please be VERY careful feeling around inside a horse's mouth, not saying don't do it, just be VERY careful. Their teeth can be sharp and their bite is severe, can break or remove chunks of fingers.

It is one of the best ways to find out what that bit is doing in there but it is also a 'bit' dangerous.

I would only use a high port for very short periods of time on any horse as a correction bit to lift them up some if they are lugging on the bit but I have never found a Mini that could hold one in his mouth.

Minis tend to have quite a shallow palate and there isn't a great deal of room for a bit in their mouth generally. You need to be sure that your horse can comfortably close his mouth around the bit so that he doesn't get a dry mouth.

If your horse is really monkeying about with his tongue once he has had a chance to accustom himself to a bit in his mouth and you have ruled out a dental problem there is a possibility that he doesn't care for the pressure of the bit on his tongue in which case I would give a low port a try. If that relaxed him some but not completely I might try going to a medium port but again, few Minis can carry one. I am more likely to go to a french link or well curved mullen rather than a ported bit.

 

[HorseMom]

Thanks. I was just curious. Everywhere I've looked at bits I've seen some of the various port heights. I never knew what they would be used for.

 

[disneyhorse]

I sort of believe that high ported (or even medium) aren't really "for" driving, just riding. When riding, you have a lot less distance from the horses' mouths to your hands, and you don't have the added drag of one or more rein terrets. Therefore, you just have a bit more pressure and weight on those reins for contact. Therefore, the port will be engaged a lot more driving than riding.

Anyone else think this or am I crazy?

Andrea

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I agree Andrea! The only high port bits I've used are Western curbs and those are definitely meant to work with a draped rein and cause a big response with a slight touch. I guarantee you my riding horse would have had a fit if I'd tried to hold steady strong contact on a bit like that!

He would have been gaping and backpedaling in moments as the port shoved on the roof of his mouth without ceasing. Now granted that was a leverage bit and you can buy high ports with snaffle rings for driving but I was traded one of those by accident (was told I was getting one Myler and got another) and my horse reacted like I'd stuck a torture device in his mouth. We stopped driving after five minutes and dropped the bit while he was still hitched (something I never do) because he was so desperate to get it out of his mouth. He stood like a rock looking pathetically grateful as we switched bits and I've never seen a horse so glad to accept his old bit back.

On the other hand that particular horse isn't real fond of pressure on his tongue either so he found his nitch with the so-called "low port Mylers." They have just enough clearance to stay off his tongue without pushing into his pallet and he seems happy that way. I'm going to try him in a nice German Silver "horizontal bean bit" (very like a French Link) I have this spring just to see what happens but I bet he'll accept it pretty well. Kody seems more about what a bit DOESN'T have than what it does- it cannot be big and clunky, it cannot have large unwieldy joints, it cannot pinch, it cannot poke his pallet, it cannot squeeze his tongue, and it cannot be a completely solid bar that he can't play with a little.

The bean bit and the low-port mullen Myler both meet those criteria so he's perfectly happy. I suspect his head will be steadier with the Myler mullen than with the bean bit though as he can get more support from the mostly-solid bar.

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

Please be VERY careful feeling around inside a horse's mouth, not saying don't do it, just be VERY careful. Their teeth can be sharp and their bite is severe, can break or remove chunks of fingers.

It is one of the best ways to find out what that bit is doing in there but it is also a 'bit' dangerous.

Thanks for adding that. I normally do, but I guess I forgot. I got bit a little "bit" once, not on purpose, but the poor guy couldn't figure out what I was doing in his mouth!

I agree Andrea! The only high port bits I've used are Western curbs and those are definitely meant to work with a draped rein and cause a big response with a slight touch. I guarantee you my riding horse would have had a fit if I'd tried to hold steady strong contact on a bit like that!

Leia

One of the best analogies that I have heard about driving is when you lose rein contact, you "hang up the phone" or the line of communication with your horse (Hardy Zantke). Yes, a high ported bit would not be good for consistant communication, unless you are trying to YELL at him.

You definitely want a bit that you can have a pretty much constant rein contact with.

Myrna

 

[MiLo Minis]

High ports ARE available in driving bits but I sure do agree!!! You would be YELLING and he would be SCREAMING!!! The only high port bits I have used were on riding horses and even then it was strictly for very short periods to teach them - not even riding would I use one as a regular bit.