# What bits do you use?



## eqkidd (Jul 16, 2011)

What bit(s) do you use on your horse?
Explain what you like/don't like about the bit. 
What bits have you used?

On my show horse currently, I use a smooth snaffle at home, a square snaffle for pleasure, and a Pelham snaffle for equitation.

I have used a slow twist, eggbutt snaffle, twisted wire, kimberwicke, and a Myler.

The eggbutt made him loose hair and some skin. >.<
He HATED the slow twist and twisted wire. 
The kimberwicke was too much and at the time my hands weren't steady enough.
And the Myler was good, but he likes the square snaffle better.

He is extremely soft mouthed and I have to be so light with him.


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## PaintLover17 (Jan 3, 2011)

I used to have a loose ring single jointed snaffle, but it pinched my mare's cheeks and she hated it. Now I use a D-ring double jointed snaffle with a copper roller that she loves. Whenever she's angry at me for making her work I can hear the roller whizzing around inside her mouth!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Strange (Jan 11, 2009)

Generally just a loose-ring french link snaffle. Depends on the horse. On some I ride in a loose ring nathe, there's one or two that use a level 1 loose ring myler for jumping, one goes in a hackamore and is slowly being transitioned to a gag for jumping.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

When I first got Cin I had to start all over from scratch with him so for the first month we did ground work only. At that point I used my very old and trusty loose ring sweet iron on him because he was mainly just carrying it around getting used to something in his mouth. Then I switched to the same Fulmer I have always used on horses most of my life. When we started working with a Dressage trainer she talked me into buying one of those very expensive Sprengers and because we were still trying to get him to accept the bit I opted for the WH though it wasn't show legal. He did okaaaaay in it. For our first show I had to get something "legal" and didn't want to spring for another Sprenger so I bought a Korsteel Oval mouth copper loose ring snaffle because it was cheaper than the Sprenger RS my trainer wanted me to get but very similar. Well, that bit is MAGIC, he loves it!!! I sold the Sprenger wh on Ebay and got Cinny some boots with the money I got for it  We use this bit for EVERYTHING and I'm opting to buy a second one just so I don't mess up my bridles by taking it on and off to go with whichever bridle I use (we use it for WP, Dressage, trail, everything).


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Cinnys, I tried that same Korsteel bit this week and my horse hates it. Need a 5 1/2" bit? Not sure if I can return it yet.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Cinnys Whinny said:


> When I first got Cin I had to start all over from scratch with him so for the first month we did ground work only. At that point I used my very old and trusty loose ring sweet iron on him because he was mainly just carrying it around getting used to something in his mouth. Then I switched to the same Fulmer I have always used on horses most of my life. When we started working with a Dressage trainer she talked me into buying one of those very expensive Sprengers and because we were still trying to get him to accept the bit I opted for the WH though it wasn't show legal. He did okaaaaay in it. For our first show I had to get something "legal" and didn't want to spring for another Sprenger so I bought a* Korsteel Oval mouth copper loose ring snaffle* because it was cheaper than the Sprenger RS my trainer wanted me to get but very similar. Well, that bit is MAGIC, he loves it!!! I sold the Sprenger wh on Ebay and got Cinny some boots with the money I got for it  We use this bit for EVERYTHING and I'm opting to buy a second one just so I don't mess up my bridles by taking it on and off to go with whichever bridle I use (we use it for WP, Dressage, trail, everything).


 
What is "oval mouth"? is this a single jointed bit? Have a picture?

I use my KK ultra loose ring(like a french link with a kind of bead in the middle rather than a lozenge), and an eggbutt, copper mouthed single jointed snaffle.
That's all.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Tiny, is that bead smaller than the lozenge?


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> What is "oval mouth"? is this a single jointed bit? Have a picture?
> 
> I use my KK ultra loose ring(like a french link with a kind of bead in the middle rather than a lozenge), and an eggbutt, copper mouthed single jointed snaffle.
> That's all.


This is the bit he loves...
JP Korsteel Oval Mouth Copper Loose Ring Snaffle Bit < Loose Ring Snaffle Bits|Dover Saddlery .

It seems to me it is more a lozenge. I think Cinny prefers copper flavor to Aurigan. I guess he isn't your hoity toity sort of horse with expensive taste ha ha ha.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

that is almost exactly the same bit as the KK Ultra. The ultra has a smaller losenge and it's rotated at about a 30 degree angle. Both are good bits overall.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

This one is equally round not slightly flat... that and that it's not Aurigan were the only differences I find in it. Well, that and Cin likes this one better ha ha. He actually grabs for it when I try to bridle him where he would clamp shut when I had the Aurigan.


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## DejaVu (Jul 6, 2011)

I think I've finally found the bits that work for my gelding. It only took...Hmmm. Four years of experimenting to figure out what he's best in.

For western- Dogbone futurity.
English- Dee single joint, and soon I'm trying a D ring french link.

He moves nicely in the single joint, but he's an angel in his dogbone curb, so I'm going to see if he'll work as nicely in a FL snaffle.


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## jody111 (May 14, 2008)

I use a KK on my baby for everything, on my older mare I use a frenchlink for most stuff and a fulmer waterford for jumping


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## Horsesdontlie (Mar 11, 2011)

I am almost always moving Jake around in different bits. He gets used to one and then starts to ignore it. I don't have to move up in power, I just have to change the feeling of the bit. So for schooling english I move between three snaffles : Double jointed loose O-ring (french link), a single jointed D-ring, and a slow/large twisted full cheek when he needs a little more. Right now he is a happy camper in his D-ring, we will see how long that lasts, its normally about 3-6 months.

Then for my show coming up I will be in a three ring elevator bit with no chain. Probably on the first hole. He loves sliding gags, and they work wonders when he is used to a snaffle. It has the extra give when I put tension that gives him a some play. It also helps give me lift for turning, and the possibility of a little extra edge if needed during a show. (He has only shown barrels, I'm expecting him to be HOT HOT HOT for the first few classes)

----

Now for western I typically switch between the tom thumb and the wonderbit. Honestly I don't like how he works in a tom thumb, but when he is taking advantage of the wonderbit I will go to the tom thumb for about a month to freshen him up. Then he will be a dream back in the wonderbit. I don't do snaffle work western because I want to retain my loose rein western work and my contact english work, and want him to respond differently.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I interchangeably use a jointed eggbutt and a jointed loose-ring on the Thoroughbreds.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Sprenger KK loose ring, Myler comfort level 1, or recently I have discovered the Stubben EZ Control (hate the name!) for youngsters since it doesn't collapse and turns into a mullen mouth. Basically double-jointed snaffles. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

When I bought my horse, she was in an Argentine snaffle with copper. She didn't complain about it (and she gave at the poll very nicely). She was being ridden Western on trails when she was in the Argentine, but I switched her to English, with the direct reining and contact. We started jumping and flat work, so I switched her to a D ring snaffle with copper. She has a beautiful soft mouth; _very_ responsive. I'm lucky I found something she liked so quickly!


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## PaintedHeart (May 24, 2011)

I currently ride my gelding in a loose ring french link snaffle, and he seems to work really well in it.


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## huntrjumprjenn (Jul 26, 2011)

eqkidd,
I would not recommend using a different bit for each different style of riding. It is very confusing to a horse to have such drastic changes in his mouth so frequently. If you feel that you use a stronger bit because you need him to listen to your aids more in "work" mode than in "pleasure" mode, then it would be an adjustment in the riding and training more than in the equipment. 
My horse used to go around in a copper double twist because he got too pully to the jumps. My new trainer took us down to a Korsteel slow twist and took us back to basics for months; now my horse can poke around a 3'6" course with no problem in his slow twist and is SO much happier. Hope this helps!


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## eqkidd (Jul 16, 2011)

huntrjumprjenn said:


> eqkidd,
> I would not recommend using a different bit for each different style of riding. It is very confusing to a horse to have such drastic changes in his mouth so frequently. If you feel that you use a stronger bit because you need him to listen to your aids more in "work" mode than in "pleasure" mode, then it would be an adjustment in the riding and training more than in the equipment.
> My horse used to go around in a copper double twist because he got too pully to the jumps. My new trainer took us down to a Korsteel slow twist and took us back to basics for months; now my horse can poke around a 3'6" course with no problem in his slow twist and is SO much happier. Hope this helps!


I'll just put it this way because I had a whole thing typed out but then decided not to post it... A bit is only as strong as the riders hands. :wink:


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## huntrjumprjenn (Jul 26, 2011)

Right, but instead of using a stronger bit to manhandle a horse into responding, he should be brought back to the basics in order to listen to your aids. Yes, it takes months of hard, slow work, but it is worth it in the end, for the horse's sake as well as the rider's. My Olympic trainer who has produced countless horses for over 60 years has never used a bit stronger than a slow twist. This in itself speaks for how versatile this type of bit is, whether it be an Open Jumper or a Grand Prix Dressage horse.


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## countercanter (May 18, 2011)

I use a KK Ultra Dee ring...I have yet to encounter a horse that doesn't like a KK Ultra bit...they're fantastic.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I use an eggbutt snaffle with a lozenge. Monty loves it. I have tried soooo many bits with him. Kimblewick (because I felt like I needed more control), single jointed sweet iron snaffle, thick loose ring snaffle with a lozenge, rubber loose ring snaffle... there are more but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

Sometimes I do feel like I need more control so I briefly considered trying a pelham with double reins & riding on the snaffle rein 99% of the time, using the curb rein only when Monty wouldn't listen. Only trouble with that is that the pelham is not dressage legal and so I would have to go back to the snaffle for that phase of eventing... and dressage/flatwork is when he's the hottest. Or I'm at my most nervous, or whatever it is.


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## eqkidd (Jul 16, 2011)

huntrjumprjenn said:


> Right, but instead of using a stronger bit to manhandle a horse into responding, he should be brought back to the basics in order to listen to your aids. Yes, it takes months of hard, slow work, but it is worth it in the end, for the horse's sake as well as the rider's. My Olympic trainer who has produced countless horses for over 60 years has never used a bit stronger than a slow twist. This in itself speaks for how versatile this type of bit is, whether it be an Open Jumper or a Grand Prix Dressage horse.


I know my horse and what we need to work on, but thanks for the advice...


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## huntrjumprjenn (Jul 26, 2011)

eqkidd said:


> I know my horse and what we need to work on, but thanks for the advice...


Not sure why you would post on HF if you've got it all under control? If you aren't willing to look past the obvious and try to find the root of why something is the way it is, you're really hindering yourself as a rider as well as your horse. But since you already knew that, can't wait to see you in 2012's Olympic Games!


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Cinnys Whinny said:


> When I first got Cin I had to start all over from scratch with him so for the first month we did ground work only. At that point I used my very old and trusty loose ring sweet iron on him because he was mainly just carrying it around getting used to something in his mouth. Then I switched to the same Fulmer I have always used on horses most of my life. When we started working with a Dressage trainer she talked me into buying one of those very expensive Sprengers and because we were still trying to get him to accept the bit I opted for the WH though it wasn't show legal. He did okaaaaay in it. For our first show I had to get something "legal" and didn't want to spring for another Sprenger *so I bought a Korsteel Oval mouth copper loose ring snaffle because it was cheaper than the Sprenger RS my trainer wanted me to get but very similar. Well, that bit is MAGIC, he loves it!!!* I sold the Sprenger wh on Ebay and got Cinny some boots with the money I got for it  We use this bit for EVERYTHING and I'm opting to buy a second one just so I don't mess up my bridles by taking it on and off to go with whichever bridle I use (we use it for WP, Dressage, trail, everything).


_I have had GREAT success with the Korsteel Oval Mouth bits, though mine have always been the eggbutt snaffles version. My gelding hated jointed bits with a passion, put him in one of them after being recommended by my instructor and he was a completely different horse. He used to play with the middle and make it squeak all the time (had a habit of doing that with any bit)... it was when he didn't do that you knew something was up :wink:

My green mare started out in a full cheek eggbutt, but took a liking to my other mare's tom thumb because of the bars being shorter (she's very sensitive about her mouth and head from being abused when younger). Now she despises that (she's at the stage where she feels the bars and goes "MUMMM I KNOW HOW TO TURN ALREADY!") so just bought her an Oval Mouth that arrived yesterday.

Have gotten a few friends onto them too... cannot recommend them enough with all the success stories I've heard._


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## eqkidd (Jul 16, 2011)

huntrjumprjenn said:


> Not sure why you would post on HF if you've got it all under control? If you aren't willing to look past the obvious and try to find the root of why something is the way it is, you're really hindering yourself as a rider as well as your horse. But since you already knew that, can't wait to see you in 2012's Olympic Games!


Clearly you do not understand. I was not posting this topic for 'help,' but rather to discuss bits. If I needed help, I would post a topic asking or ask a proffesional. You just came along assuming that my horse can't accept more than one bit and that he needs to be brought back down to the 'basics.' 
You have no idea who I am or what me and my horse are capable of doing. It's...funny, in a way.
If you want, you can PM, and we can discuss this further.


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