Horses: what bits do you use and why?

Question

just name the bit and why you use it please, i want to see what other people use for their horses and why they choose what they did, be it your trainer picked it out or you dont like bits and use a bitless bridle.

and you can included every bit youve used if you feel like it or just one. thanks for answering

Answer 1

for my dead broke quarter horse that i used to use for english (he's retired now), i used a twisted wire snaffle. i used this because he had a VERY light mouth, and i did equitation with him, so i wanted something that would transmit the smallest tiny cues to him. i have very soft hands, so it worked out well. when i would ride him for pleasure, i would use a halter and leadrope, or my Arab's hack. on my OTTB, i use a snaffle kimberwicke, because she still associates a regular snaffle with racing (shes only been off the track for a few months, but is already winning hunter classes), and she runs through bits when she gets excited. i was looking for an intermediate bit that is not too harsh but can offer a bit of control when i needed it, and the kimberwicke fits the bill. on my arab that i use for contesting and drill team (and jumping pretty soon), i use a Little S Hackamore. hes a rescue, and when i got him, he was only broke to the saddle (no brakes or power steering lol). i started teaching him the steering in a rope halter with gaming reins clipped to the sides, and then graduated him to the little s. now i am working on transferring his skills to a snaffle so i can eventually do jumping, western riding, and reining with him. he definately has the talent. but i will always use the hack for gaming and drill team. i have always used bits with broken mouthpeices; i like the feel of the snaffle and i like how i can pick up one shoulder individually and flex the neck. i like to ride in a hack whenever possible, but with my TB, she doesnt know the difference between riding for fun and riding to train, so it doesnt work out too well. =]

Answer 2

Reining bit for a 10 yr old reining horse

Pelham for English TB

Bosal for 2 yr. old Paint and QH

Answer 3

Here are a few I use. I use my Bosal for training.

http://www.quickbits.net/index.htm- Vosal. I use this one the most. I have 29 horses & this one is great!

http://www.smithbrothers.com/francois-ga...

http://www.smithbrothers.com/reinsman-c-...

http://www.smithbrothers.com/black-train...

Answer 4

I use a Happy Mouth Baucher Bit on my Dressage horse. He has had bad bitting expereinces in the past and he seems really responsive and excepting of this bit, plus its legal in the ring.

I use a  D Ring Snaffle on my WP horse. Its simple and easy for him to take until we move up to a curb.

Answer 5

I use a hackamore (sp), my pony hates bits and works horribly with them but in the hackamore he's great and we never have any problems

Answer 6

i like the kimberwicke or a full cheek snaffle.

i started out with the kimberwicke b/c my trainer taught me about it first and i liked it. now i'd use b/c after all my reading i still like it over other bits because you have 3 different choices on how you use the bit.

Answer 7

I use a corkscrew bit

My horse is a little strong in the mouth at times but is generally a pretty quite time so the bit alows me to use stronger ads when nessesary but it is still not too harsh on him.

Answer 8

used a tom thumb on the club horses.  used snaffles on mine.  i changed to an old hackamore i found at a flea market.  horse responded better with it than the bits.

Answer 9

I use a rubber racing Dee ring on my 4 yr old, this is because he is still young and this is his first bit he has had ever in his mouth. And I use a loose ring snaffle on my 7 yr old because he was an ex racer and his previous owner told me that he likes snaffles.

Answer 10

I use Myler and Tom Balding bits exclusively. I like the comfort snaffle with a roller and D rings with hooks to start my colts and move up to a 7" shank with the same mouth after they start lateral work. I like the comfort snaffle because it allows the horse to feel from which side the pressure is coming from without the whole bit moving in his mouth. WIth a shank it also allows you to keep a little of that snaffle flexibility for leg work and bending with barely any pressure on the mouth. For finished horses I move on to the Tom Balding broken correction bits with a roller (for the reiners) or the medium port curb for the pleasure horses.  

Answer 11

D-ring

Full Cheek

Loose ring(w/bit guards)

...these are all happy mouth and french linked

Answer 12

O-ring snaffles with copper or sweet iron mouth peices

Tom Thumbs(aka Argentinian shanked snaffle, aka Parelli engagning bit) with either copper or sweet iron.

I need and work with very little leverage, I like working a lite mouth.

Answer 13

I use a full cheek snaffel with a simple noseband during my hunter work, when jumping and when conditioning. My trainer recommended it when I didnt want to work him in a rubber pelham anymore. He goes well in the full cheek and it looks good on him.

I use a thick loose ring snaffel with a flash when doing long work on the flat or doing dressage.When he gets bored, he opens him mouth and hangs on the bit so thats why he has the flash. I dont have it very tight but it still keeps him from hanging on it. The loose ring was a suggestion from my favorite dressage trainer. Im not sure why I decided to try a bit change but I am glad I did. He works better on the flat now than he has in a long time. I dont use it jumping because my hunter trainer has issues with the flash and he works perfectly in the full cheek.

I have also used:

D-ring snaffel

rubber D-ring snaffel (not my horse)

rubber pelham

some sort of pelham with a solid mouth piece (not my horse)

tom thumb (not my horse or bit)

western curb

hakamore (sp?) not a bit but I liked it

D-ring with copper rollers (not my horse)

D-ring with a funky mouthpiece (not my horse)

I think that is all the bits I have used but my favorite is a simple halter and lead line.

Answer 14

tender touch- trails and soft on mouth

jr cow-horse sweet iron- barrel racing keeps him from prancing,bucking rearing, keeps him focused  

Answer 15

i ride with a D ring single jointed Happy mouth snaffle.

My trainer origionally had him in a dr. Bristol D ring happy mouth because it was there when she went to buy a bit for him (he was being "used" as a western pleasure horse)  but when i bought him i went to my own bit, and they didn't have a Dr. Bristol so i got i regular snaffle and hes gone it it since. [=  haha. great way to pick out bits huh?

Answer 16

Full cheek snaffle with half moon- needed a non pinching snaffle that didn't close up too much on the bars. I experimented until I found this one that the horse liked.

Myler level one D ring with ported mullen mouth.  Needed something that didn't collapse or pinch and still rotated freely ( hateful horse that didn't like anything else!)

Plain Hunter Dee-  simple and uncomplicated, this horse would ride in anything!

Answer 17

I use a Happy Mouth Bit because my Tennessee Walker hated bits untill we got it. It is apple flavored and really works

Answer 18

For my 10 year old Appendix Quarter Horse mare, I use a slow twist bit.  My trainer recommended this type of bit for us with the reasoning that if my horse were ever to need some dicipline to correct something, we could move up to a harsher bit.  The slow twist is more gentle and a very effective bit.  We use it in both our jumping classes and flatwork.  

I have also used kimberwick's before with chains.  They were harsher and required gentle handling on a docile horse but were very functionable.  That I just used because it was given to me, lol.  

Answer 19

I use a Klaus Balkenhol bradoon.  My TB mare has a low pallet and the smaller bit fits better in her mouth.  She has a sensitive mouth and before I used this bit I could only ride her in a side pull.  I ride dressage and my trainer recommended I try this particular bit...