There is a huge range of bits available, which can be quite confusing, but there are a few first principles that can help you choose a suitable bit for your horse. This article seeks to explain the fundamentals, so you can evaluate the different bits available and work out what best suits your horse.

Whether you are training racehorses, dressage horses or leisure horses, the main strategy we use is the application of pressure – and when the horse does what we want by yielding to the pressure, we release the pressure. This Pressure/Release training is also called negative reinforcement, because we take something away to reinforce the correct response, and to therefore teach the horse what we want. We can put pressure on with our legs, with our hands via the reins and the bit, or we can use our core muscles or aids such as the whip.

The most skilled riders are able to use light aids (pressure) with exquisite timing to help the horse understand what is wanted. Bits are simply a way of applying pressure so that we can remove the pressure (release) when we get the response we want. If we want the horse to stop from a rein aid, we put pressure on the rein; and when he slows down, we ease the pressure to teach him to yield to it.

So, a bit is really just a means of applying pressure so that we can get a reaction and release the pressure. There are essentially three types of bits defined by where pressure is applied:

SNAFFLE BITS
Snaffle bits apply pressure mainly on the corners of the lips. They are the simplest. They have a ring that the cheekpiece and the rein attach to, and a mouthpiece that may have a joint, or two joints. The mouthpiece may have a solid, usually curved, mouth, or be made of a flexible material. In general, the fatter the mouthpiece the larger area the pressure is distributed over – hence the gentler the bit. A bit with two joints and a smooth, central lozenge will be gentler, as there is not the nutcracker action of the single-jointed bit, which can squeeze the sides of the horse’s mouth if pulled hard. There are now an unlimited number of variations of rings and mouthpieces.

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Eggbutt snaffles have a smooth side on the ring to avoid pinching, in contrast to the basic loose ring bit.
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D-ring bits have a straight side in the ring, which can give better turning and less risk of a bit pulling through the mouth. FM bits have a longer sidepiece with can be tethered to the bridle’s cheekpiece to help hold the bit up in the mouth, which can be helpful for the horse with a busy mouth.
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The Baucher (hanging snaffle) has an arm that the cheekpiece connects to, stopping the bit from falling down into the mouth as far as a regular snaffle. This is great for young horses or horses that may get the tongue over the bit. I especially like this bit when introducing a bit to untrained horses.

The French snaffle (now often known as KK, for dressage rider Kyra Kyrkland) has two joints with a round lozenge. There are now developments to give more stability such as lozenges that lock, or lozenges that move, encouraging tongue movement.

Dr Bristol also has two joints, but the plate is flat and puts pressure on the tongue, so is considered potentially quite severe. It may look like a soft French snaffle to inexperienced eyes but has a very different effect.
Waterford has several joints. Although this can be severe, some horses are really happy in this.

Most manufacturers also make flexible plastic bits with a cable core. Do not buy cheap versions of these bits as they have been known to break. Generally, these are best for horses that are naturally responsive to the bit. Sometimes we want a horse to take a more positive contact with the bit; not exactly leaning on the bit, but seeking the contact. A soft plastic mouthpiece or a fat alloy mouthpiece may be helpful.

Verbindend is a modern design with curved bars and a double joint, which is effective in discouraging leaning on the bit. This is another subtle difference that makes a big difference in the response to the bit.

The mouthpiece may be made of an alloy containing copper, said to make the mouth moist. There are bits with copper rollers that are a little sharper than a plain mouthpiece, but sometimes accepted very well by a horse that wants to play with the bit with his tongue. Twisted mouthpiece bits also discourage leaning on the bit. The ‘W’ bit has two mouthpieces of different lengths, and is one of the sharpest of the snaffles; not very popular today when there are such a lot of options.

These last few “more severe” snaffles I find can be helpful to use for a short time to help a horse make an adjustment and understand what you want. You may not want to use them all the time. These bits are naturally sharper than the traditional fat snaffle, but if the horse accepts the bit readily and responds to a lighter aid, then the sharper bit may in fact be used more softly than the gentler bit. It all depends on how the rider uses the bit, that is, on the softness of the hands.

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