What bit do you prefer?

[earthchild]

For the past twelve or so years, I have ridden all of my horses in a bitless bridle, so when I started driving my mini, I just used the bit that came with the bridle. I know about bits from reading about them, but I was wondering what your preferences are; single or double jointed snaffle, half-cheek, full-cheek, loose or eggbutt? What type of bit do you drive with and why?

 

[Minimor]

I don't yet have a myler bit so cannot say about them--oft he bits I have my favorite is the french link. I do have horses that work well in an ordinary single jointed snaffle, and at least two of those do not like the french link bit, but the majority work better in the french link. My driving bits are all half cheek.

 

[ThreeCFarm]

I use all half-cheek driving bits. As far as which particular bit I use, it depends on the horse. I start all of mine in a single jointed snaffle and go from there. The horse in my avatar has driven in this bit for 8 or so years and like it fine. I did have one horse that clearly had a preference for a french link. A friend has a team that drives in mullen mouth bits.

 

[earthchild]

What's the advantage of using a half-cheek as opposed to a full or no cheek? I have also read that if "using a single jointed bit, when the rein action is applied, the single joint may be pressed against the roof of the horses mouth, and the two halves of the mouthpiece may press into the bars." However, the double jointed bit never does this. What's your feelings on that? What about copper as opposed to stainless steel?

 

[Minimor]

The half cheek is traditionally the bit used for showing purposes. I have one full cheek snaffle but don't care so much for it for driving--it is nice for training in some cases, because it's less likely to pull through the mouth, but even on my riding horses I rarely used a full cheek unless I was riding a horse that didn't like the bit folding & dropping down in his mouth--then I would use a full cheek with the keepers on, and that way the mouthpiece doesn't drop down in the center. As far as I'm concerned the full cheek serves little purpose unless I want to use the keepers.

It is true--the single jointed bit may dig into the horse's palate--a problem especially likely in Miniatures with their small, shallow mouths. The double jointed bit doesn't have that same action. The double jointed bit won't give the same nutcracker action as the single jointed one either.

Copper mouthpieces are fine--I have several copper bits, ordinary jointed snaffle and french link--as long as your horse doesn't grind on the bit at all. If a horse has any inclination to pull the bit into his teeth and chew on it, a copper mouthpiece gets chewed up very quickly. So, I don't use the copper mouth bits until I know the horse isn't going to chew it up--I use the stainless steel bits most often--my SS french link bits have the copper link and really I find that is enough copper.

One thing that I really dislike about so many mini bits--the have bulges on the bars of the mouthpiece. Some people don't seem to care, a few even think those bulges are a good thing, but I simply will not buy a bit that has those bulges. IMO that is a sign of a poorly made bit and it is not what I want. When you use one of those bits, when you use the lines all pressure is centered on those bulges. So, instead of an even distribution of pressure the horse feels pressure under those two little spots. That is not what I want.

 

[Sandee]

I can't say that I "prefer" any particular bit as I prefer the bit that my horse works in best. I have one that wants NO pressure on his tongue so those french links are no good for him. He works best in a low port correction bit or he'll do good in an expensive Mylar mullen because it is NOT flat/ straight like many mullen mouths. I have an old man that just insists on the bit fitting proper and then he doesn't care what kind of bit. For instance when we started and were dumb he came to us with a 4 1/2" pony snaffle half cheek. The horse HATED that bit. When we changed him over to a 3 3/4" snaffle for a mini he turned into a sweet old man.

My mare will drive with anything but seems to prefer the mullen mouth. You can tell one way what they like as they will often drop their jaw and leave their mouths open when they have a bit they don't like. Or in the case of the old man raise such a fit when you try to put the bit on them that it becomes a rodeo.

 

[Leeana]

For my trail / simple pleasure driving horse I found she really likes and is comfortable in a french link no pinch bit, I think i got it from iowa valley carriage. It does have copper, in the middle about a 1" piece, however, the horses teeth cannot get to it.

We had always used simple half cheek snaffle bits, but after reading and learning some more I did not like what I was seeing. She is kind of a pushover of a mare, she really won't tell you if anything is wrong. She has a very very cold blooded attitude. My biggest thing was her being comfortable in harness since our driving is mostly for her to have fun, and myself as well.

 

[brasstackminis]

Most of my horses are driven in simple half cheek snaffle bits. I ride my big horses in plain loose ring snaffles. I seldom need anything different. I have a very sensitive horse who seems to do better in a 3 piece snaffle, but he has his days where he freaks himself out standing there so who really knows! LOL I have tried 3 piece snaffles in the past on other horses and either found them to not make a difference or to make the horse irritated. I believe it was that they were just well trained and used to what they were started in.

As for the 2 piece snaffle poking the palate of the horse it is all about angles... If your horse raises his head so that he breaks the straight line from bit to terret (hand when riding) then the bit is turned in his mouth and will poke his palate. That is why it drives me crazy to see riders with their hands low, trying to pull the horse's head down. That just jabs them on the top of their mouth and makes them want to keep their head up in the air!

That is the same reason I do not agree with the use of a running martingale.

If you ever get a chance to play with a rein board, the bit becomes demystified! But to kind of get an idea, you can have a friend hold the reins in different locations as you hold the bit in your closed hand. When doing this keep in mind that if your horse changes where his head is, his teeth and bars move...so when he raises his head his jaw no longer points at an angle towards the ground. It is more straight ahead. I am having a hard time explaining it....I am a visual person and I can't find a picture I like...

 

[hobbyhorse23]

What's the advantage of using a half-cheek as opposed to a full or no cheek? I have also read that if "using a single jointed bit, when the rein action is applied, the single joint may be pressed against the roof of the horses mouth, and the two halves of the mouthpiece may press into the bars." However, the double jointed bit never does this. What's your feelings on that? What about copper as opposed to stainless steel?

Full cheeks can get caught on your clothing, other parts of the harness, a pair partner's harness, etc., and are frankly dangerous around that many straps without the proper keepers. A regular snaffle with no "spoons" at all can get pulled through the horse's mouth. The half-cheek is a compromise that applies gentle pressure to the outside of the mouth as a full-cheek does but won't get stuck on so many things. It's a good basic driving bit!

In general I think many horses will work perfectly happily in a single-jointed snaffle but few of the mini ones are made well or comfortably so they cause problems related more to the design than to the single joint. Some horses though, like my Kody, have a very low palate and for them that bit will never really be comfortable. He works well in a French link or a low port Myler mullen, anything that lays softly in his mouth and doesn't poke him unexpectedly.

I don't personally like all-copper bits as they are easily chewed and get rough quickly. Mine have all been stainless steel with little copper inlays and that works well for us. Copper can help a dry-mouthed horse learn to salivate and thus work the bit, but for most animals proper work alone will do that nicely. To me the job of a bit is to communicate clearly but otherwise leave the horse alone, not causing discomfort or irritation in any way, so I look for one that conforms to the shape of my horse's mouth.

Leia

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I may need to look into the mullen for my new girl. She might prefer it over the french link. (If anyone asks what I collect, I may end up saying "bits" instead of sewing buttons!)

I've been using the copper link french link for several years and they are holding up well. No rough spots, but I can see where that could happen.