Could some describe the different type of bits

[tifflunn]

I was wondering if someone could describe the bits they use and why?

 

[MiLo Minis]

Tiffany the subject of bits and bitting is one of the most complicated subjects there is. Although there are basically only 2 types of bits - curb and snaffle - there are thousands of bits out there and each and every one has a use and a reason although some of them should NEVER see the inside of a horse's mouth

You will also get every reason in the book from "it came with my bridle" to long involved discourses on picking up shoulders or straightening a crooked neck. etc, etc. I suggest that if you are really interested in learning about bits you do some reading and some examining of the actual working parts of both the bit and the horse. If you want to drop over some day I would be happy to show you a fairly large array of bits and explain the differences between them and uses of them.

 

[tifflunn]

Thank You Lori- and I might take you up on your offer through the winter. But Since we have a driving forum and bits are so important I was hoping some people could start with some of there bits and there reasons why they choose that paticular bit- we need to start some where

 

[targetsmom]

I'll start... First of all I have many, many years of riding experience which means I have also tried a lot of bits over the years. So when I started driving just a couple years ago I had an idea of what I liked and didn't like. For example, I don't like regular single jointed snafle bits which seem to come with every driving bridle. For riding I use either a Kimbewick (not allowed in driving) or a French link snaffle.

I currently have 4 minis that I am driving (out of 8 total, and one is a foal!) so I have 4 bridles for them. That way they can stay adjusted and each can have his or her own bit. Two of them have mullen mouth bits (curved bar with no joint) which is the first bit I try on everyone. Two of them have Myler bits (the $150 ones): one is a comfort snaffle and the other is a mullen mouth. I got 2 different kinds so I could see the difference in how they worked - which I don't see yet, but maybe someday I will!! The comfort snaffle is currently being used on our little stallion and the mullen mouth Myler is the one I use on the black and white mare in most of my photos. The stallion took awhile to get used to any bit, but seems happy with the comfort snaffle. The mare seems to be able to flex better in the Myler, but maybe that would have come with the other bit too??? Anyway, so far I am happy with the bits except as the newest mare gets more experience I will change her from the plain mullen mouth to one of the Myler bits. But as long as it "ain't broke, I don't fix it"!!!

 

[rosaroca]

The majority of Miniature harnesses come with a standard snaffle bit. In my opinion, most Miniature Horses' mouths are too shallow for a snaffle, which "breaks" in the middle with rein pressure is applied. This forces the hinge of the bit up into the roof of the horse's mouth, causing discomfort that's anywhere from mile to extreme, depending on how hard the reins are pulled.

Almost all of my horses start training in a french link bit. This has a flat bar in the center and the hinges are on either side of it. WHen rein pressure is applied, the bar pushes down on the tongue instead of the hinge pushing upward in the mouth. A great many horses seem very comfortable in this type of bit.

Another bit that I use from time to time is a mullen. This can be a bit more severe and I don't recommend it to anyone who doesn't have light hands. Because there's no "give" or hinge in this bit, when the reins are pulled the entire bit presses down on the tongue and then onto the bars of the mouth. Used correctly, it can be a very effective bit, but it can also bruise the bars if pulled on too hard.

Myler has several bits that have good, comfortable mouthpieces. Their "comfort snaffle" doesn't hinge as severely as a standard snaffle, so it doesn't poke the roof of the mouth as much. They also have other mouthpieces which are more suited to "finished" driving horses, who are well educated enough to know how to give to bit pressure and not pull against it. I would not recommend Myler's ported mouthpieces for any horse just starting into training or even for a still green horse. Most Miniature horses don't have a thick enough tongue to support a high port, so these bits tend to work mostly off the very sensitive and easily-damaged bars in the horse's mouth.

Just my two cents worth.

Pat

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I use a sweet iron snaffle on my gelding, and a plain regular snaffle on my mare. I tried the French link on both- both HATED it. I had a Myler on my gelding- he hated it! :arg! Just give them a plain ol' snaffle any day...

I have found though, that many of the snaffles are too thick for my guys' mouths. Some of them seemed as thick as a big horse bit! They do super with a thin bit, and I am gentle with my hands, so they go very well in it.

Lucy

 

[MiLo Minis]

Okay I will tell you about my favorite Miniature Horse bits.

My most favorite is a french link snaffle with a copper link in the middle. The copper gives it a sweet taste that helps keep a horse's mouth moist and comfortable. I prefer to only have the link made of copper rather than the entire mouthpiece as copper is very soft. Green horses, particularly stallions quite often have a tendency to chew on the bit and that can give a soft copper bit some VERY sharp points that will cut the tongue and gums. The french link allows the bit to lay better in the horse's mouth without putting undo pressure in any spot. The fact that it breaks in 3 allows for more sensitive rein instructions as only one side works with each rein. My other favorite is a very thin, very curved sweet iron mullenmouth snaffle. It fits better than most mullen's in a Miniature Horse's mouth. Most Minis from what I have seen have a very shallow palette and a thicker bit becomes difficult for them to close their mouth over comfortably. Going around with a slightly opened mouth dries them out and makes them uncomfortable and fussy. Some horses that find a french link to be too loose and moveable in their mouth prefer this solid feeling bit and will pick it up better. I like this mullen because it gives tongue room more so than some flatter, straighter mullens. The problem with a mullen is that when you work one rein you are actually affecting both sides of the mouth as moving one rein tips the bit up on the other side and it sometimes confuses the horse, especially a green one.

Over the years riding and driving I have picked up a fairly large collection of bits, some of which have only seen one use, some NONE, for one reason or another and some are well used.

I haven't yet found a Mini that is truly comfortable in a plain jointed snaffle. There is so little room in their mouth that a jointed snaffle pinches their tongue and hits the roof with every rein action to a certain extent no matter how good your hands are. Some horses are more accepting of this than others but I haven't found any that are truly happy.

I find the Myler bits are quite often too strong for a green horse because of the way they are hung on the bridle giving them a bit of curb action creating a tendency to get behind the bit. I also find that horses dislike the loose feel of most of them in their mouth. Once a horse is more experienced they are quite often more happier with them but personally I find the expense of them not worth it. I have always been able to find a less expensive but well made bit that keeps the horse happy.

Kimberwicke's are actually only illegal in breed ring driving. They do have their use but do require skilled hands as they can be quite severe even though they have been commonly used for years as children's pony bits.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

where do you guys buy your bits? I am still shopping around and really need to order some but am trying to find the best prices for the bits that I am looking for.

 

[RhineStone]

I am a "bit" of a bit connoisseur. My husband has finally relented about my bit collection!

We get the majority of our bits from Iowa Valley Carriage. One item that I totally recommend is the Bit Fit. It is a wonderful tool to measure horses' mouths, including their cheeks.

Recently (in the last 7 yrs. or so), I have found out more about the conformation of a horse's mouth. Horses' mouths come in as many different configurations as their legs or backs. Depending on how a mouth is formed will somewhat dictate what style bit they prefer, which is why there are so many bits and why no bit is the "magic" bit.

I have a mini gelding with a fleshy, thick tongue and lips (that sticks out between his teeth), and a very low palate (I can't get a finger in between his bit and the roof of his mouth. Consequently, he CAN'T STAND a jointed mouthpiece, as they pinch his fat lips against his teeth, bump the roof of his mouth, and squeeze his big fat tongue. I have tried a single jointed, big french link, little french link, Myler knockoff, etc. He is quieter and peaceful in a solid, leverage bit on a mild curb setting. Out of desperation, I used my big horse's 5" low port Kimberwicke, and my fussy horse totally calmed down and quit chomping. So then I used a 4" mullen Liverpool (figuring that I couldn't logically show in a 5" bit), and he was better, then I tried a 4" low port Liverpool and he was better yet, but not great. This year, a friend gave me a 4 1/2" Arch Butterfly and he found his happy bit! He was light, responsive, calm, didn't argue for bridling, etc.! This all happened over the course of two years. One thing that I learned over the experience is don't discount the width of the face when measuring, which is why the bit fit works so great. I know that Alax doesn't like snaffle bits, but he also appreciates the wider bits. I did have a judge comment on the width of the Butterfly, but then said (before I could say anything) that he seemed to be going along fine in it. We won all three of our Turnout classes this year, so if you find the "right" bit, a good judge should recognize this. It's just too bad that AMHR doesn't recognize these issues and allow leverage bits. We just show ADS shows and CDEs right now, so it isn't a big deal for us. (I should try a snaffle again, now that his mouth and training are further along to see if he will still be fussy.)

Our other minis go well on just a plain mullen snaffle. We have one gelding that is a little stronger, especially in cones, and therefore he goes well in a jointed snaffle.

I highly recommend putting the bit in your horse's mouth, getting down on your knees and looking and feeling how the bit operates in your horse's mouth. I learned a lot from that experience, just watch out for the teeth!

 

[tifflunn]

Thank You- Excellent starting points

 

[maggiemae]

Where did you find the Bit Fit? I can't seem to find it online. Thanks in advance.

 

[RhineStone]

Bit Fit is also from Iowa Valley Carriage. I did not find it on her website, though. Mine was around $20. Do a search for BitFit Measurement Tool.

 

[maggiemae]

Where did you find the Bit Fit? I can't seem to find it online. Thanks in advance.

Never mind - I just found it. Sorry

 

[Krazee bout Kasspur]

Interesting article about the Bit Fit product. Can the same measurement be obtained by the string in the mouth method, or is the Bit Fit much more accurate?

 

[MiLo Minis]

I personally find a pencil and a magic marker every bit as accurate and a whole lot less expensive!

Take an ordinary yellow pencil, stick it in their mouth where the bit would sit, take a magic marker and make a mark on the pencil at the corner of the mouth on either side. Measure the distance between the marks on the inside. Depending on what type of bit you are using - loose ring, no pinch, etc - you can add 1/8" or more and purchase a bit that size.

 

[RhineStone]

I have used the pencil method, too. It works, but what I like about the BitFit is that it also measures the horse's cheeks. This is especially important if your horse widens out fast above the mouth, and you are using a bit that has a "purchase", the part above the mouthpiece usually on a leverage (curb, et al) bit. The horse's mouth may be one size, but the cheeks may dictate using a larger bit. You can widen the purchase, but if not careful, you could break it, too.

(I'm not a BitFit stockholder, I just really like the product.

I can see that if you only have one horse, it wouldn't be necessary, but we have multiple, including young stock, and we help other people with their horses, too, so we use it quite a bit.

 

[Minimor]

A good bit should be wider at the top anyway--not sure if they bother with that in the Mini bits (I really haven't looked at anything other than snaffles in the Mini size bits but will have to take notice of that)--when I bought big horse bits I always looked for that.

I'm mention (again!) my biggest pet peeve in Mini bits--the bulges in the mouthpiece. I honestly don't know why it's so hard for bit manufacturers to make Mini bits with smooth bars. So many of them have those bulges in the mouthpiece--if you look closely at the photos on some sellers' websites you can SEE the bulges. I guess many people don't care about that because the bits seem to be popular, but that's not what I want in a bit & I won't buy them. A bit with those bulges concentrates the pressure on just two spots in the horse's mouth--the spots under those bulges. I want a bit that distributes the pressure more evenly, which is why I don't want bulges on the bars.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I agree with you Holly. I think rather than "wasting" their money making a whole new mold they are just cutting them down to size for Minis and as most people seem happy with that they haven't seen a need to change. Mylers don't do that but then with their ridiculous price they don't have to!