What Type of Bit Do You Use?

[jilllovesgus]

I was going to make this a poll, but there are WAY more than 10 choices I wanted to give. (: Just wondering what all you guys use... (and since this is in the H/J category, I am only talking about english bits).

I have a:
- copper full-cheek snaffle
- dee ring dr. bristol
- dee ring dr. bristol happy mouth
- waterford

I have also used a three ring happy mouth elevator with Gus, which he actually liked. (: Yaaaay. I want to try him in a hackamore too and see how he goes.

[Manda]

I currently use a rubber racing dee with Wes, just so I can be gentle on his mouth right now, and he responds well to it. I have a JP Korsteel Dee as well and will either switch to that, or get a full cheek snaffle once he's ready to graduate from the baby bit :]

[lillbits369]

-Kimberwick
-Kimberwick with a port
-egg butt snaffle
-eggbutt dr. bristol
-D ring snaffle
-pelham


thats for english i have like ten more for western

[ashleygoesrawr]

with tristan i use a knife-edge dee ring [of course it isn't actually sharp haha i don't know why they call it something so sharp-sounding] and he's happy with it. we could probably go to a simple dee ring haha but oh well.

with silky i used a happy mouth pelham with a chain [and two reins], then a broken rubber pelham with a chain, and finally we got her down to a twisted full-cheek snaffle.

[cursivenight]

Ringo is currently in a jointed full cheek snaffle bit. I'm going to get him one with a slow twist though.

[thegrayhorse]

I use a pelham with Airborn. We've tried a couple of bits but this is one he seems to listen & respect the most. Everything else, he just drags me around with. But I'd like to bring him down to a slightly milder bit evantually.

[Rous]

A hackamore sometimes... Jake's usually in a d ring snaffle :)

[DixieGirl]

What I use on both of my mares would be a Tom Thumb with copper rollers. But I ride western so, english and western are totally differnt. :)

[dianaaa]

I use a Kimberwick. I HATE it. I really want to get Mickey in a snaffle, like maybe a full cheek or D ring. I love D rings. But of course I'd have to get a slow twist, corkscrew, waterford or Dr. Bristol because he's strong. Any suggestions?

[JustLikeMagic_Mich31]

I use a Metal Pelhem (he hates the rubber ones) for lessons and hunter shows (and jumper depending on how hyper he is but i try not to)
full cheek waterford for jumper ring
loose ring rubber snaffle for draw reigns
and a regular loose ring snaffle for playing around in

[silverleprichuan]

I use a Kimberwick. I HATE it. I really want to get Mickey in a snaffle, like maybe a full cheek or D ring. I love D rings. But of course I'd have to get a slow twist, corkscrew, waterford or Dr. Bristol because he's strong. Any suggestions?


If he is strong and pulls then you need to work on transitions until he understands and respects your aids. A hard bit will mask the issues and they will get worse with time.
If you are dead-set about using a harsh snaffle instead of proper training then you should look into a Dr. Bristol or a waterford. In a waterford you can NEVER "see-saw" on your horses mouth.

[silverleprichuan]

with tristan i use a knife-edge dee ring [of course it isn't actually sharp haha i don't know why they call it something so sharp-sounding] and he's happy with it. we could probably go to a simple dee ring haha but oh well.

with silky i used a happy mouth pelham with a chain [and two reins], then a broken rubber pelham with a chain, and finally we got her down to a twisted full-cheek snaffle.


A knife edged snaffle has a smaller surface area over the bars and thus is very sharp for the horse. It's like having someone wrap a piece of ribbon around your finger and pulling back versus have someone wrap a piece of wire around your finger and pulling back. You might not be able to see a difference but I'm sure your horse can.

A twisted snaffle is not "nicer" than a pelham. With a pelham you can ride off of a smooth snaffle and use the curb rein only when necessary. A twisted snaffle is constantly placing pressure over the bars and tongue which the horse cannot escape and thus the horse is punished even when he is behaving.

[zansgoodnews]

Well, currently Maybelline has been transfered into a double bridle, which has the curb w/chain and the bradoon. My other mare uses either a full cheek w/rollers or a full cheek slow twist. My gelding uses a D-ring snaffle. I have my two-year-old in a regular snaffle. Maybelline only uses the double bridle when we are training but if I am riding her for fun I use whatever I can first, lol....

[Missy]

rubber pelham with the double reins and chain

[MarshmellowManda]

Marshal has a French Link Egg Butt Snaffle.
He loves it. I got him another one but the link in the center is a bit longer and he doesn't like it as much as the shorter one so its back to the old banged up one.

[moniexponie]

Broc goes in a Pelham with the curb chain right now - the Pelham is a lot thicker than I would have liked, yet he respects my aids more in that one than in the thinner one. lol

I also have a D ring, and D ring with a slow twist and a full cheek double twist. (<-- I was so so so so set against using one of these. But my trainer suggested it for just one lesson, as he was pulling and has these huge fat lips, which my trainer says makes his mouth hard. lol It really worked, just giving me something to work with. Now it is all packed away so I don't ever have to see it again. lmao)

[Stauffer]

i use sidepulls usually...

but my SSH pony likes her snaffle best...it's a no pinch O-ring french link snaffle.

[mandyicequeen14]

im a western rider, but i just use a reg. snaffle, i dono if there is such a thing as a western snaffle. i dont use hard core bits cuz i heard that you can break your horses jaw with it :eek:

[Raggle]

I use a plain jane Tom Thumb on my girl right now. :)

[HappyHorse13]

Well, the one lesson mare I used to ride, Cheyenne, she rode in a D-Ring Snaffle. She def. needed a stronger bit, she was a big girl and wouldn't listen, even the advanced rider couldn't get her to, my trainer told me.

I love D-Ring Snaffles. The horse I want, he rides and jumps in one :D.

[Manda]

I just switched Wes over to the JP Korsteel racing dee, and he's going very nicely in it. I thought he may have a conniption because he can now feel the metal in his mouth, rather than the soft rubber, but the transition seems to have gone smoothly. I really want to get him a JP Korsteel full cheek snaffle now.