Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Western riding, you typically use one hand to communicate with your horse. Using a ruler, measure the space between the cheek pieces.

Double bits commonly are used with two reins, and in several English disciplines.

Usually, a bit is a piece of either metal or synthetic material that rests in this teeth-less space and puts pressure on the back of the mouth and the tongue of the horse. When getting our horses ready to ride, I choose the bits to use for each horse and rider. If I happen to have one I will use it, but see no real advantage, and at times a horse who constantly fusses with one may be a bit of a nuisance. Shorter shanks are milder than longer shanks because they offer less leverage. He has an eggbutt snaffle, but when in open field or doing jumping he gets strong and doesn't always listen to me. There are also different materials used for the bit. See our article about the best bits for quarter horses for more information. This information is for educational purposes only. Depending on the style of bit, the horse feels pressure on their lower jaw, tongue, and roof of their mouth, chin or poll when the rider uses the reins. Full cheek cheekpieces need “keepers” to hold the bit in the correct and effective position in the mouth. It definitely depends on your quarter horse’s training, the discipline you want to show in, and your own ability as a rider. Last Updated: June 8, 2020 A bit that’s too small might pinch the corners of your horse’s mouth, and a bit that’s too large won’t be effective. An optional roller in the middle of the port helps keep the horse’s jaw loose by letting him roll his tongue around. But this article gives you a solid introduction to the most common English and Western bits and their uses. You can add a leather strap known as a “Pelham converter,” however, to use it with single reins.

Horses can become spooked, irrational, and defiant, and a curb bit simply offers more control and safety in these difficult moments. You often hear the words “sweet iron” used as the most desirable material for bits.It is very important that trail riders cue their horses with bumps or pulses from early training onward as this allows the rider to communicate and correct the horse with firm bumps, then lighten up with soft pulses as the horse understands and provides the desired response. For other disciplines, you will need to compete with a bit — but you may still benefit from the training. Consult your veterinarian.

If you have an all-around horse and want to go from one discipline to the next without fussing with a different bit, try a snaffle. The bit you choose for trail riding may not be as important as how you use it, and your horse’s training and disposition. Gaited horses can be ridden in many different types of bits, but choosing the best one depends on several different factors.

A hackamore is a type of bitless bridle that exerts pressure on the nose through modified shanks, but other bitless bridles exist that simply attach the reins to a regular noseband instead of to a bit. They may have a curb strap under them to prevent slippage, but the strap is only there for that reason. Bitless riding or driving is done through the reins alone. Click to see top-rated bit guards at Amazon. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d4\/Choose-a-Bit-for-a-Horse-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Choose-a-Bit-for-a-Horse-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d4\/Choose-a-Bit-for-a-Horse-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid86907-v4-728px-Choose-a-Bit-for-a-Horse-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"