Bits - Overview

There are thousands of bits on the market. Which one should you use? I cannot go into huge details here, but will give a brief overview.


The first consideration is bit size. The size of a bit is the distance lip-to-lip where the bit sits. Most horses can wear a 5 to 5 1/2 inch bit. Others may take larger or smaller. A too-large bit will shift and bang the horse’s mouth. A too-small bit will pinch the cheeks.

Generally, horses are started in a simple loose-ring or d-ring snaffle. This bit provides a 1 to 1 ratio of the pull you put on the reins to the pressure put on the mouth. A single joint in the center of the mouthpiece puts pressure on the bars. This does not automatically make it a gentle bit. With hard pressure, the bit scissors in the center, and pokes the roof of the mouth. There are also dozens of different mouthpieces. Generally, the thinner the mouthpiece, the more severe the bit. Add-ons like twists also increase the severity.


Once a shank is introduced, the leverage increases. ( I also want to point out that no bit with a shank is EVER a snaffle. A snaffle is ONLY a bit WITHOUT any leverage. So many people, even catalogues, get this wrong.)The length of the bit from the mouthpiece down is the shank. The length from the mouthpiece up affects poll pressure. The longer these are, the more pressure they exert. Things like added sliding gag action, thin rope nose pieces, and severe chin straps add to the pressure.

The straighter the shank, the less pre-signal. Pre-signal allows the horse to know a command is coming, before mouth pressure engages. (Horses that look like they are “reading the mind” of the rider are often working off of pre-signal – among other things.) Ports provide tongue relief. However, tall ports can put pressure on the roof of the mouth. These should only be used on properly-trained horses and riders with excellent hands.

One of the most mis-understood and mis-used bits is the Tom Thumb. The confusing signals it sends do the exact opposite of what a “training” bit or “colt” bit should. Plenty of explanations of this are out there.


Bitting is a science in itself, but nowadays I have seen way too many people using harsher and harsher bits. The barrel racing circuit is overrun with harsh chain-gag-shank combos that rely on pain to force the horse into submission. Well-known clinicians are pandering crazy twisted-wire mouthpieces that would slice a tongue off in the wrong hands. Don’t even get me started on the “mule bits”, or people who “need” huge shanks to get their horses to gait. You can get gait out of a loose rein with a snaffle.

One recent statement that really annoys me is put out by the AQHA for their trail riding program. One of their recommendations is that you outfit your horse in a stronger bit than you use in the arena – supposedly for more control. Excuse me? How about TRAINING the horse for control – not intimidating it with a stronger bit? A one-rein stop or other techniques work really well for emergencies, and do not require stronger bits.


ANY bit can be nasty in the wrong hands. However, the goal should be to TRAIN the horse to listen to soft and light cues in a mild bit – only moving “up” in bit to further refine the horse, not intimidate it.