# Harnessing up-------------BITS



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I am not a bit expert by any means far from it. I try and learn every chance I get. Whenever there is a lecture on bits I try to attend. When I went to the ADS meeting in WI this year I attended the lecture on bits, and what the lecturer said in concise language was, try a lot of different bits and use what works best.


Here are a few of mine I have used. I will start with my newest bit.
The most expensive bit I have ever bought.
Hand made in America, and so beautifly crafted and beautiful I want Pilgrim to go around with his mouth open so everyone can see my new bit. Just Joking....partly.

It is a mullen mouth, 45 degree, swivel cheek, short shanked Liverpool.

This mullen mouth is special because it does not start rising immediately from the shank. Instead it goes in about 2/3 inch on each side then starts the mullen part of the mouth piece. In other words it goes though the horse’s teeth then starts to rise over the tongue. The other plus is it does not go straight up instead it rises at a 45 degree angle, making it less tongue pressure when contact is on the bit. It also has flat curb chain attachments, kind of a pain untill you get used to the trick to hookup the curb but once you get it it is good.

Isn't it beautiful??


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Oh yes it's very pretty.

That's how I feel about my bit collection...At the barn, I am so guilty of leaving my show bag open like LOOK AT ALL THE PRETTY SHINY BITS I HAVE~ :lol:


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

There are a few different placements of the reins on my new bit as well as several driving bits.

Of course they go in order of most mild to more severe rein attachments.


Photo one: the reins on the plain or smooth cheek

Photo two: the reins are on the rough cheek

Photo three: the reins are on the upper bar

Photo four: the reins are on the bottom bar, but since this is a short shanked Liverpool this slot is equivalent to the middle bar of longer shanked liver pools.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

On the newer bits like my new one there is hardly any difference between the rough cheek and the upper bar, so usually if you need a little extra control you just use the upper bar slot, as the rough cheek is obsolete. In the older bits there was a definite difference between the two, so it depends on your bit which you would use.


If you use the rough cheek make sure you go around the entire cheek piece to the rough cheek like in photo one and two.

If you just go around the post to the rough cheek, like in photo three and four. When you put contact on the bit you will push the round part of the bit into the horses cheek just by the pressure of the reins.

PHOTO 3 AND 4 IS NOT CORRECT


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

This bit is a 4" swivel cheek, straight bar, Liverpool. I bought it at a used tack sale, my *guess* it is on the newer side, because of the high placement of the upper bar slot. This bit is smooth on both sides of the mouth piece. You will see some are not smooth on both sides. 

Obviously this is a pony or mini bit.

It is different than my new bit in the fact that it has an upper, middle and bottom bar.

Of course there is a saying in the driving community...... If your horse needs to use the bottom bar on your driving bit, you should not be driving that horse.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Of course you can drive in any bit.

I have tried all of the following bits to see how they worked, some are more "correct" driving bits tham the others. I only used the snaffle parts of these bits even if they had a curb to them.

I wanted to try different mouth pieces untill I decided what worked best , and forked out more money on a bit my horse did not like.

Here are a few I have used, snaffles only.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

This was my boy Sam's, 6 1/2" stainless, swivel cheek, Buxton bar bit.
I only used this bit for parades, around the estate I used half cheek snaffle.

This bit is used mainly for draft horses on a hitch, or with multiples, I used it for show.
The "bar" is at the bottom of the bit and is there to keep one horse from pulling the bridle off, or getting his bit in the lines of his partner.

Side note: Supposedly the term reins are proper on light horses and the term lines are correct on heavy horses.

Again there are several slots of varying degrees of severity to put your lines on this bit, from the snaffle to a severe curb. Also you can turn the bit over and have the rough side of the straight bar mouthpiece on the horses tongue, and have 4 more slots to put the lines. So technically there are 8 bits in one.

PLEASE DON"T USE THE ROUGH SIDE OF THE MOUTHPIECE, (rough side down against the tongue). Just because it is there doesn't mean it should be used. If you need that severe of a bit you need to go back to some serious training.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

More examples of the Buxton bar bit different line attachments, going from mild, (Snaffle), to more severe, (curb).


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*driveing*

hiya my exercise waggonett is comeing along fine ill have to get some pictures of it and i have drove him once in my sulky ill have to take some pictures of him as well.
weathers been foggy here and rain as well so not much has been done.
i have orderd new parts and fixing hydrolic disc brakes as well and alterd the chassis as well so the front wheels have 180.o turn so i have got to go to the steel stockest as well and get some inch angle iron so we have a locking box to put food rugs ect in so we are going to use that space.
i have a supplys here for every one and thay ship world wide if you google pony and carrage ltd i also brought a pair of led candles as well so thay will be intresting to see as well.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Michaelvanessa I can't wait to see some photos of your new horse and wagonette!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

This is Sam the Clydesdales' bit I use for driving around the estate.

It is a 6 1/2" single jointed, half cheek snaffle.

The buxton bar bit is overkill around the farm.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

This was Seamus the Clyde’s show bit.

A 6" straight bar, swivel cheek, brass, Buxton bar bit.
It also has some play in the mouthpiece, the mouthpiece can move up and down a little bit on the shank of the bit.

This bit also has a smooth mouth and a rough mouth as well as 4 places to put the lines with each. In essence 8 bits in one, but of course you would not use more than half of them.:lol: 

It needs some serious cleaning!


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*carrage supplys*

here is a carrage supplys in devon england thay also do internatial postage here is the webb site www.ponyandcarrage.co.uk.
or google pony and carrage ltd.
i hope this helps.


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## BigGreyHorse (Sep 28, 2009)

New bit is beautiful! What made you choose that particular bit?


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

BigGreyHorse said:


> New bit is beautiful! What made you choose that particular bit?


 

I had bought this butterfly bit in June this year, I have seen lots of people use this style for years. I purchased the bit with the three loops on the shank, thinking it looked a little better with the longer shanks on such a big horse like P, but then I did not like using it every day because I felt it was big and heavy.

Well it seems that the butterfly bit is used on multiples to keep the horses from getting into their partners reins. And a single horse with shaft tips has a chance of getting the bottom loop on the bit caught on the shaft tips, it is amazing what a horse can get into, can you imagine that catastrophe.


The above and the fact that P every once in a while got his tongue over the butterfly bit.

I had heard about my new bit style when at the American Driving Society's meeting in WI.

So I went to the National Drive in KY. The Bowman’s who make bits were there as a vendor, and I was able to talk to them about the bit and they told me how they made it. Also a big plus was that the Bowman’s let me try out the bit before I paid for it.
I took a lesson with the new bit and the clinition and P and I seemed to like it. I know it is not going to solve all my problems, but is sure is beautiful to look at.



This is a 5 1/2" Mullen mouth butterfly bit. 
Used on multiples or with short shafts, like on a marathon vehicle.
Can have 2 or 3 loops, and any type of mouth piece.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Agh, I wish you knew where that straight bar Liverpool was from, Taffy! I've been looking for one to purchase for my mare for ages. No one seems to sell quality ones for whatever reason >.>

Your new bit is beautiful. It is very obviously carefully crafted and I'll bet that it will last atleast a few generations.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*carriage supplys.*

howdy again miss clayton.
his email was on the blink and he has sorted it out.
www.ponyandcarriage.co.uk
[email protected]
[email protected]

thease are the sites on his page.
as i said thank you.
and to the droping of the i i apolagise.
and to all the drivers here thank you and happy driveing.
miss clayton thanks for you wonderful pictures of your tack and horses and for shareing them with the other drivers on here.
many thanks mv.
i will say this although vanessa has gone its also funny that the letters mv are my actual birth name.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Thanks for the info MV Happy driving to you too!


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## G8tdh0rse (Aug 14, 2012)

Thank you for the talk about bits. I am using a mullen mouth pelham right now but she doesn't seem to like it.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

G8tdh0rse said:


> Thank you for the talk about bits. I am using a mullen mouth pelham right now but she doesn't seem to like it.


Are you using the snaffle part of the Pelham and not the curb? When I drove in my Mullen mouth Pelham, I used the snaffle and just left the curb alone, nothing in the rein slot. 

If you were just using the snaffle part, you might try a broken snaffle or a double jointed snaffle, with a loose ring, a "D", full or half cheek, . I think the double jointed is the most mild.


On a double jointed snaffle, I, personally, like the middle section of the mouthpiece to be rounded or oval, not flat. Sometimes the flat ones are at the wrong angle to lay flat on the horses tongue, and the narrow or sharp edge is against the tongue., and it is hard to tell when ordering off a cataloge, so I just get the rounded ones.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Anatomy of the bit.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Sometimes on a bit, I do not know if it is more prevalent on a driving bit, but sometimes the purchase part of the bit is too tight on a horse’s cheek.

I don't notice it as much or ever on my riding bits, but I usually ride in a simple snaffle and I also think the leather on a driving bridle is heavier/ thicker than a riding bridle, thus causing the problem.

If it looks as if your bit is too tight on your horses cheeks you can, not use it, sell it, or CAREFULLY bend it outwards in a vice. Not responsible if it breaks in the vice, I would never do this with an expensive bit. I do have one bit that works with one bridle but is too tight with another.

This Buxton bar bit is nice as it is built to be wider at the purchase than the shanks; the "bar" is shorter thus opening up the area between the purchases.












Same with this kimberwick bit.













This Liverpool is the narrow bit, see how it goes straight up and it can hit 
the horse’s cheek. This bit needs bending in the vice. Be careful to bend the correct way to use the smooth mouth mouthpiece, because if you bend the purchase outward the bit will no longer be able to be reversed to the rough mouth, (good thing IMHO), because the purchases will be bent inward if you reverse the bit. I hope this makes sense.


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## G8tdh0rse (Aug 14, 2012)

I'll check that out. Thanks for the advice. It may be that she just doesn't like bits, I ride her bitless in a rope riding bridle. 
I went to a driving event. Marathon and saw the carts and obstacles. The people were very nice to explain it all. They had a supplier there and I got a driving whip and a rack to hang my harness so it doesn't get all bent out of shape hanging on hooks and nails. MY goodness harness can get expensive. They had a beautiful one there but it was $1500 for a single horse harness!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I am so glad you got to go to an event. Did you go to the one in OK last weekend? Driving people are so nice, most want to help you be safe and to succeed in your driving endeavors. Congratulations on a new driving whip too.
Did you stay for the marathon?

I know some of that stuff is outrageously expensive, my first harness was a used, made in India one, $100. Then I bought one at an auction, $225, and then I bought one from the local Amish man, $400. In 1992 I bought a used Smucker's deluxe harness for $500, then I saved and saved, in 2008 my mom gave me a new Smucker's Super Deluxe bridle for X mas, $400, I bought the rest of the harness in 2009 in the deluxe style, new $900. Mom wanted to spurge on the bridle, because that is what most people see first and remember most, Smart!

I think Smucker's Harness is the best buy for the money. It does not mean I wouldn't get a Freedman's or a Hunt's or a Bowmann's harness if I won the lottery.

Like everything it takes time to move up in equipment. All my harnesses are sold or worn out except both of the Smucker's , the one I bought used is now my everyday harness.


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## G8tdh0rse (Aug 14, 2012)

Yes I went to the one in OK. I really only got to see the Marathon as the other events were on other days. Everything from tiny minis to charging Fresians went through the obstacles. I chatted with the bystanders and found out about the levels. I will definately come to another event. I got lots of great advice to especially from the harness lady.


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## Lady 16 (Oct 14, 2012)

*bits*

Yes those bits at the Kentucky Drive were gorgeous. Hope they get the mini ones made.:lol:


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## FlyingDraft (Oct 6, 2012)

Thanks, Taffy! This post is timely, as I am starting to look for a bit specifically for driving our Link. Right now, I think I'm going to try a simple two slot Liverpool Mullen mouth. He drives well in a full cheek snaffle, but I would like something a little bit more appropriate to driving. Our used tack store has some fantastic Buxton bits, but they seem a little too big of a step up from the full cheek.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I agree with you. Your guy looks like he doesn't need a great big heavy buxton.
I think I mullen mouth liverpool would be good for your draft, maybe even get a liverpool with 2 rein slots in stead of three, either one would be fine for pleasure driving around the farm or going in local driving classes.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Lady 16 said:


> Yes those bits at the Kentucky Drive were gorgeous. Hope they get the mini ones made.:lol:


They say the mini bits will be out soon.
"Sid The Wonder Mini" should like it.

We need a photo of "Sid The Wonder Mini"


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## G8tdh0rse (Aug 14, 2012)

I got at 4 3/4's snaffle with the tabs that hang down. It is not as beautiful as Taffy's bit but it seems to be nice and smooth and of good quality.


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