Reeve and Sharon Biggs, authors of The Original Horse Bible: The Definitive Source for All Things Horse “research has shown that pressure of the horse’s palate (roof of the mouth) is one of the most common causes of bit problems”, and that “Horses that toss their heads, lean or place their tongues over the Bit are often trying to relieve the pressure on their palates”. What this means is that the horse is not going as willingly forward into the bridle as it might, because at any point when the rider puts pressure on the reins, the feeling of discomfort inside the mouth often results in the horse trying to open the mouth raise their head or drop back ‘behind the vertical’ - all forms of bit evasion (trying to avoid the Bit), and thus a ‘backwards contact’. But even when a horse in this style of bit is on a contact (or ‘on the Bit’), this is actually what’s often called a ‘backwards contact’. Some people find their horse tends to go ok in their old style, single-joint Bit. Gets faster when you apply rein pressure.Finds it hard to maintain a contact/stay on the Bit.Rushes through your stop or turning aid.Here’s a quick checklist to see if this may a problem your horse is suffering from: Overall, this causes a very ‘backwards style’ of pressure and discomfort. While all this is going on, the actual joint of the Bit pokes upwards and may hit into the sensitive roof of your horse’s mouth. As the Bit squeezes backwards, it proceeds to pinch the horse’s tongue between the arms. You may have heard the reference of a Bit having a nutcracker action, which is apparently not a good thing, but what does this actually mean? Well, when you pull on the reins attached to a ‘traditional’ old style, single-joint bit, the arms (sides) of the bit are pulled back, exerting uncomfortable pressure onto the sensitive bars (bare gum area, where the bit sits) of your horse’s mouth. So what’s the big deal with a single-joint Bit? Museum collections contain simple, single-jointed snaffles made of bronze that look like they could be found in tack stores today.” Emily Esterson author of The Ultimate Book of Horse Bits: What They Are, What They Do, and How They Work, tells how “Early Indo-Aryans, Mongols and Chinese were the first serious inventors of bits, the designs of which remain in use today. Research suggests the single-joint snaffle was first being used centuries ago, so it could be safe to say that what was once the top of the range could quite possibly be now considered outdated. So makes sense the same would be true of horse bits too, right?īe honest, hand’s up who is still using an old style single-joint bit on their horse. We see it across all industries, from computers to footwear, and sportswear to saddles. Let’s face it, everything evolves over time, as new and improved designs and concepts are thought up and expanded on they replace the old, work better, are more comfortable and ultimately get better results. This is information all the top riders and experts already know and swear by, and can ultimately help you to improve your relationship with your horse too. In a moment I’m going to let you know about some very basic, but super important bit-ing information, that if you don’t know already, will change your view on the common single-joint snaffle bit forever. We only wanted to do the best by our horse and these ‘traditional’ single-joint Bits were the mildest Bits to use, or so we thought. We all started out our riding days using a good old loose ring, D-ring, or eggbutt single-joint snaffle, the thicker the better. 2 leverage options: choose to set reins at middle of ring for less leverage, or at fixed point at bottom of ring for more leverage.Īvaliable NOW is size 4.5", 5", 5.5" and 6"įor starters, they're not as kind as you think.When used with a double jointed mouthpiece, the mouthpiece offers a higher level of comfort for the horse's mouth, as it helps to reduce pinching of the lips and bars and any unwelcome 'nutcracker' action. It uses the idea of a three-ring gag, but minimizes the leverage, making it a great intermediate Bit. This Bit can be a good option for horses that object to the leverage of a three-ring gag type Bit, but need a touch more braking power than a regular snaffle offers. The Beval BIt (or bevel) is a modified loose-ring snaffle Bit that allows the rider to apply a moderate degree of leverage with the reins, and has 2 strength options.Ī relatively new Bit design, the Beval snaffle, is sometimes called a "wonder Bit”.
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