Horse Bit Severity Chart

CULTURED COWBOY PRESENTS

An Introduction to Bits

Imagine a monkey perched on your back with two cords tied to a rusty screwdriver stuck between your teeth. Chrome plated bits, like screwdrivers, will rust and chrome plating will chip off inside a horses mouth. These bits, though inexpensive, will cost you time and ease of riding. Even if your horse performs acceptably with a chrome bit, imagine what could be accomplished if the horse was more comfortable.

The bit is a critical point of contact between horse and rider. For best results, it should taste OK and have no rough surfaces on the mouthpiece. The bit should be felt by the horse for direction from the rider, without hampering the desired performance of the horse.

Stainless steel will not chip or pit, has very little taste. Sweet or black iron will rust a little for a sweet taste, but will not chip. Copper tastes sweet; causing a horse's mouth to salivate, which allows the mouth to stay soft and usable to the rider. But, there are questions about the use of copper with pregnant mares. Rubber is the softest, is not very tasty at first, but taste improves with use.

A rider should begin with bits of lesser severity and gradually use bits of greater leverage and contact until one is found to control the horse with the least possible discipline in his mouth.

A snaffle bit is a bit designed to be used with direct contact from the rider. Reins attach directly to mouthpiece ( no shanks). Snaffles may have broken or solid mouthpieces.

A curb bit uses leverage contact from the rider. Reins attach to a point on a side shank, lower than the mouthpiece. Curb bits work best with a curb strap or chain attached. Curb bits may have solid or broken mouthpieces. Curb chain pressure varies from one bit to another. It sets the timing of a bit. Loose curb chain - slow timing. Tight curb chain - faster timing. Curb action includes pressure on poll.

Bosals and mechanical hackamores work on the nose and curb of the horse. Bosals use a direct contact like a snaffle. Mechanical hacks use leveraged contact.

Cheeks are the sides of the bit. (Includes both purchase and shank)
Purchase is the part of the bit above the mouthpiece. With a long purchase, the bit will act quicker in a horse's mouth when the rider pulls the reins. With a shorter purchase, the bit is slower to react

Shank is the part of the bit below the mouthpiece. It will give you leverage on the mouthpiece. The shorter the shank, the less control - the longer the shank, the more control.

Mouthpiece is the part of the bit that goes in the horse's mouth.

Types of mouthpieces are:

Snaffle- broken in the middle and one of the most common mouthpieces.
Three-Piece Snaffle- broken in two places so as to work more on the outside corners of the bars and add some tongue pressure.
Double Twisted Iron Snaffle- made up of two small snaffles which are broken off-center from each other
Chain Mouthpiece- works lightly on the bars, corners of the lips while adding some tongue pressure.
Solid Mouthpiece- any mouthpiece that is not broken.

Bars are the portion of each side of the mouthpiece that rests on the horse's bars (gum area between front and back teeth)
Port is the center portion of the mouthpiece. Both the height and width are important in creating the amount of tongue pressure or tongue relief

Mullen Relief is a forward curve added to the mouthpiece that gives even pressure across the bars and tongue.
Timing is the amount of time required from the point when the reins are pulled until the bit has done as much as it can do.
The 'Feel of the Bit' is not only what the horse feels when the rider pulls on the reins, but, also what the rider feels, for example, suppleness or stiffness.
Poll is the top of the head behind the ears joining the neck

Click Your Favorite Bit Type To View Our Selections.

Argentine	Easy	Popular Western Imported Bits	Barrel Racing Bits
C Bits & Cutters	Gag	Pro Cutters	Roping Bits
Cowboy Shanks	Hackamores	Snaffles
Cowhorse	Offset Dee	Wonder
D&L Reiner	Popular Imported English Bits

Introduction to Bits | General Rules for Choosing a Bit | Try Something New

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Horse Bit Severity Chart

Among the most severe types of snaffles, twisted bits are the most common in use today, particularly in hunter/jumper riding. The degree of severity depends on how tight the twist is and how narrow the bit. Selecting the right bit for your horse can be overwhelming. To help you differentiate between D-rings and eggbutts, Waterfords and Weymouths, we’ve prepared a bit guide that reveals information about the most common styles of snaffle bits, curb bits, and other leverage bits, as well as some of the more creative ones. Pelham bits encourage the horse to soften its pressure on the bit and seek the rider’s guidance from the hand. Horse Bit Guide: Gag Bits. Gag bits are kind of a happy medium between curb bits and pelham bits, in terms of severity. Gag bits appear to look like snaffle bits.

Horse Bit Severity Chart

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