What are diffrent bits used for? *read details*

Question

So, their are many diffent bits...but what exactly makes them diffrent? (I am not talking about looks, or the fact that a loose ring snaffle is a very mild bit, etc.) I mean like what does each bit do when you, let's say, pull back? PLease tell me the diffrence between these common bits..and ANY OTHER BITS YOU CAN THINK OF...thanks.

Loose Ring Snaffle

D-Ring snaffle

Full Cheek Snaffle

Kimberwick

Waterford

ANY OTHERS :) thanks

Answer 1

Bits have two main parts:  the mouth piece and the shank/ring piece.

Snaffles lay calmly in the mouth until the reins are pulled.  First, a very gentle pressure will just pull them against the lips.  The hinge allows the rider to work each side of the mouth independently. With more pull, the bit will bend sharply in the center, pressing up on the roof of the mouth in the center and coming together at the rings.  Used correctly, the pressure at the sides will come down on the bars and exert pressure there.  If one side is pulled more than the other, pressure will first be exerted on the corner of the mouth and bar on that side; as more pull is exerted pressure will come against the far side of the mouth.

D rings and full cheek rings add to the lateral pressure of the additional pull in turning.  I'll get to leverage in a sec.

All snaffles have that basic action.  A French link adds a 2nd joint, which lessens the action on the roof of the mouth and eases the nutcracker effect on the sides of the mouth.  A Dr. Bristol looks alot like the French link, but the little link is tilted so it doesn't lie flat but adds a bit of extra "bite" to the cuing.

An unjointed bit without a port can be straight or mullen (curved to match the tongue).  These bits are not as subtle as the snaffle, as it is difficult to be so gentle as to independently cue one side of the mouth.  Pull slightly to one side, and the horse will immediately feel it on both sides.  THese bits put most of the pressure on the tongue and bars.

A ported bit has a numger of purposes.  Most people think of it as a correction bit, as it can be used severely to apply active pressure on the roof of a horse's mouth.  It is actually intended to provide extra room for the horse's tongue, and be a PASSIVE encouragement for good head set.  If the horse has his head set correctly, the bit is shaped to his mouth and perfectly balanced to hang in the most comfortable position.  Whether he raises or lowers his head, the weight of the shanks and reins keeps the port in the same position, so that he feels pressure on his tongue when his head goes up or on the roof of his mouth when his head goes down, which encourages him to carry himself correctly without the rider doing it.

These are used with shanked bits, whether the Kimberwick(Uxeter) or pelham or fullbridle bit for English or the many varieties of Western curb shanks.

One sacrifices the independent action of the snaffle to get the self carriage of the curb.  It's a tradeoff.

When pressure is placed on the curb shank, the mouthpiece is the fulcrum of a lever betwen the cheekpieces of the bridle and the reins.  THe mouthpiece is first pulled back in the mouth, then more pressure pulls it up.  The curb chain keeps the action on the bars, and sends the pressure then up into the cheekpieces of the bridle, exerting pressure on the poll.  This leveraging action can be quite harsh.

Steering with a shanked bit is not as subtle.  The pelham, kimberwicke, and reining type bits have jointed shanks so that pressure can be exerted on one side of the mouth more easily, but western curbs with fixed shanks are suitable for only neckreining.

A full cheek bit, with keepers attaching the cheek piece of the bit to the cheek piece of the bridle, provide that same leverage effect.  As the leveraging mechanism is much shorter, the pressure is more subtle, but can be quite effective.

A full bridle, with bit (the curb) and bradoon (the snaffle), provides all the action of each bit independently of each other.  Modern riders tend to ride "on the bradoon," relying on the snaffle and using the curb only when necessary for extreme collection.  The pelham, while double reined like a full bridle, does not provide this independent action and is vastly less subtle.

Other mouthpieces are variations on the theme...  rollers, waterford joints, twisted wires, double twisted wires, and so on.  I could write and encyclopedia, but I've probably bored you enough already!

Oh, well.  Here's a great website, that even has animated diagrams of how the bits work in the mouth:

http://www.sustainabledressage.com/tack/...

I don't agree with everything they say, but the diagrams are excellent!

Answer 2

1. The loose ring snaffle is a commonly used bit for breaking and training.

The primary action is pressure on the bars of the horse's mouth, and with the jointed mouthpiece there will be some action on the tongue and roof of the mouth.

2.This bit is commonly used on both English riding and race horses.

The straight bars on the Ds help prevent the bit from pulling through the mouth. The jointed mouthpiece has a nutcracker effect on the bars, tongue and palate. This bit is very similar in function to a jointed full-cheek snaffle.

3. This is a very commonly used English snaffle bit for schooling and general riding.

The mechanism of the bit is similar to other jointed English snaffles in that the mouthpiece puts pressure on the bars of the mouth, and if jointed the tongue and roof of the mouth. Using the keeper to keep the cheek pieces vertical also acts to exert a slight downward pressure on the crown of the bridle.

4. This is a bit commonly used in general riding and provides more curb action to a horse that may be a strong puller or needs slight curb action to lower its head. It is quite common to see ponies wearing these bits. A Kimberwick is a curb (leverage) bit. The further the reins slide down the D ring, the more leverage is applied. On the Uxeter Kimberwick the reins can be attached through the slots. The lower slot will have more curb action than the upper slot. The curb chain or straps prevents the bit from rotating too far in the horse’s mouth. When the reins are pulled back the bit applies pressure to the bars of the mouth, the chin and the poll. If there is a port, there may be pressure on the roof of the mouth.This is a bit commonly used in general riding and provides more aids to a horse that may be a strong puller or needs slight curb action to lower its head.

5. the waterford mouthpiece is generally used on horses who have a tendancy to lean, the reason being is that the multiple links mean the horse can't take a hold like it could on a straight bar bit. also the fact that the bit very rarely falls on exactly the same part of the mouth twice means it can also be good on a strong horse (leaning and strong going hand in hand!) The waterford is often considered a very harsh bit which like any bit it can easily be in the wrong hands.

6. Pelham bit: The Pelham provides a somewhat muted effect of the bridoon/Weymouth combination. With curb rein the rider is able to lower the head and this is useful when schooling and encouraging proper head carriage. Activating the curb rein puts pressure on the bars of the mouth, chin, poll and if there is a port, the roof of the mouth.

With the snaffle rein the rider is able to lift the horse's head. As will all English snaffles the pressure will be on the bars of the mouth. For general riding, the rider would be most likely to ride on the snaffle rein, using only the curb rein when necessary. This requires steady knowledgeable hands.

Sometimes, if a horse is a hard puller, the curb and snaffle rings will be connected by a leather adapter so that only one rein is connected to the center of the adapter. These activate both snaffle and curb actions. When using two reins the rider can position the horse's head.  

Answer 3

Allrighty...

There are 3 different types of bit categories.

The first is Snaffle such as your egg butt, full cheek loose ring, waterford(those  are all names for the cheeck peice or side of the bit depending on the acttion they perform) and double jointed bits & mullen mouths are called direct pressure bits. That means if you pull 1 lb. of pressure the horse feel 1 lb. of pressure.

Full cheeck & D-ring- Are used for horse that don't like to turn. The cheeck peice adds pressure on the side of their face encouraging them to turn.

Egg butt does slightly the same just at a milder effect.

Then you have the mouth peices in this catagory.

They apply pressure in certain areas. The snaffle bits apply pressure on the tonge, the roof ot the mouth, the bars and the corners of the lips.

If you have a single jionted snaffle it does what is called the not cracker effect where it pinches the tounge when you pull. That is why some peole perfer the double jointed and mullen mouths becaus ethey do not pinch the tounge. A waterford is also a snaffle and because of all it's jts it does not allow the horse to grab the bit and pull through.

Your next type is called the curb type. This includes your kimberwicke, elavator (bubble bit), gaga and those western bits. This add a new point of pressure when you add a curb chain. The the chin and with the leverage they apply poll pressure. If you use the chin strap it encouarges them to put their head down (like western bits and kimberwickes) but if you use no curb strap (it is called manythings sorry) they our encouraged to raise their head like with gags, and bubble bits. These types of bit are more sevre then the snaffle bits and you are most wise to stay out of this catagroy inless told to by a very knowledgable person. To many peole try to fix horses by going toa stronger bit when they should be going the other way. These are called leverage bits because when you pull back with one lb of pressure it is multiplied into about 5 lb. of prussre. The longer the shanks (sides) the more pressure is added and the more svre the bit.

The last type is called the combantion bit. This is your double bridle which uses to bits, a curb (weymouth) and snaffle (brigadoon) cobined this allows you more acttion and a more commands to ask your horse. This bridle is only used in upper level dressage. The only other bit in this group is called the Phelem. it is a combo of snaffle bit and curb bit but people tend to put bit converters on it which makes it the same thing as a kimberwicke so why bother.

Almost all these bits can have any of the above mentioned mouth peices but curb bits for better results tend to have what is called a port. they have a lift or rise in the middle of the mouth peice which applies pressure to the roof.

wooo any other questions

Answer 4

I use a running gag on my TB because he has no mouth. When you pull back on the reins it applys pressure to the poll as well as the mouth. You can still adjust this bit to use as an ordinary snaffle just detach the reins from the rings on the cheek straps and attach them as normal to the bit. Try this site for gag bits.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gag_bit