# *Good Tom Thumb Articles*



## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Calling all TT lovers: 

Trouble with Tom Thumb
Tom Thumb Bit
Today's Horse - The Trouble with Tom Thumb

Love them now? :wink: They really aren't as good as you think. I used to use one too. Found out all this horrible stuff about them and I will never use one again.


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## sheena (May 21, 2009)

HATE them!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I am not a fan of them and would never use one myself. However, as with many controversial bits, this one is VERY misunderstood. It was designed for a soft hand and a finished horse. The whole purpose is so that the horse can feel even the slightest flick of one rein on only that side of the mouth instead of the whole mouth moving and in congruence, moving the other side of the bit as happens with a solid mouth bit. It has the potential to be very harsh given the nutcracker effect of the single jointed snaffle along with the shanked curb leverage. However, most people think of this as a colt training bit just because of the snaffle mouth. Bits like this can be incredibly confusing to a young horse especially when a correction is made with just one rein. Though I don't personally care for the bit, I see no problem with people using it so long as they respect it and have a very soft touch on a well trained horse. The only time I have ever seen this bit be cruel is in untrained hands so it technically is not the bit, it is the person operating it that has a serious problem.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

^^ It gives unclear directions NO MATTER how you use it. It exerts pressure on the opposite side of the horse's mouth.
I agree with you though. They are the most misunderstood bit out there.


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

It seems like my horse responds to it wonderfully compared to my eggbutt snaffle i have. But i use the eggbutt snaffle for english and jumping, but i use the tom-thumb for gaming.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> ^^ It gives unclear directions NO MATTER how you use it. It exerts pressure on the opposite side of the horse's mouth.


I don't understand how it could do this, could you explain?


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

sunny06 said:


> ^^ It gives unclear directions NO MATTER how you use it. It exerts pressure on the opposite side of the horse's mouth.


That is not what makes it so confusing to a young horse. Every bit exerts pressure on the opposite side of the mouth when direct reining, that is how a simple snaffle works and why it is so effective. What makes it so bad with a TT is that when you pick up on, lets say, the left rein, the joint in the mouth flexes and the bottom of the left shank moves straight out to the side while the top of the left purchase pokes the horse in the left side of the face. The bit also tightens against the right side of the mouth as well so in effect, with direct reining, the horse is getting cues to turn left and right at the same time. If you use it while neck reining, this is avoided but it can still be harsh when you pick up both reins to stop. That is why neck reining and light hands are so important to be able to get along with this bit.


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## vivache (Jun 14, 2009)

I used to use one-- until I realized that Razz wasn't responding to turns not because he's a butthead.. but because he didn't know what to do. And he's the type of horse that just stops when he is confused-- so we didn't get very far! I tried him in a full cheek snaffle-- he was perfect.


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## Catalyst (Aug 12, 2008)

morganshow11 said:


> *It seems like my horse responds to it wonderfully compared to my eggbutt snaffle i have.* But i use the eggbutt snaffle for english and jumping, but i use the tom-thumb for gaming.


That is most likely because instead of going back to the basics and fixing any holes in your horse's training, you simply went to a different bit. A different bit alone does not always help when it comes to training issues.


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## masatisan (Jan 12, 2009)

My horse spent three years in a TT, ridden by beginners, on a trail string. Why? Because he was hard to handle, young, and he needed to work to earn his keep. The result? A horse with severe bit evasion issues, who hangs his mouth open, and bucks (head-between-the-legs-bronco-style) when he is bossed around or handled to roughly.

Luckily his problems were solved by getting rid of the TT and getting him on something strong and clear yet not harsh. So I tried "dr. Cook" And found that Caleb reacted very badly to the tight noseband. So I put him on an english hackamore he responds very well to it and he never acts up like he used to on the TT.


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## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

i still use my tt.my horses never try to evade the bit and they respond,my horses need a tt bit,i tried a snaffle and i couldnt turn or stop them.my horses are hardheaded.tt do have their advantages,thats all i use at my barn exept a reg. snaffle for one of my more responsive horses.


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## SaleeColashlas (Jul 14, 2009)

I dont think Tom-Thumbs are bad unless it is used in the wrong hands. Tom-thumbs should not be used by direct reining, but by neck reining
Since the TT has a broken mouth peice and leaver the bit can squeeze the jaw with is known as the nutcracker.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

chika1235 said:


> i still use my tt.my horses never try to evade the bit and they respond,my horses need a tt bit,i tried a snaffle and i couldnt turn or stop them.my horses are hardheaded.*tt do have their advantages*,thats all i use at my barn exept a reg. snaffle for one of my more responsive horses.


Oh? And what would _that_ be?


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I used a TT on my old Arab pony. She went perfectly in it and I have no problems. I prefer other bits, but I have seen that it isn't always harsh and confusing.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

It's a bit of a worry (excuse the pun!) if you can ONLY ride your horse in a TT. That's no hardheadedness, thats incomplete training.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

^^ Creates holes as well. Won't help fill those holes.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

^^ Completely agree with Wild_Spot and Sunny^^ Training issue, not bit issue.


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## jody111 (May 14, 2008)

when I read this I was like what the...... Tom thubs arent harsh bits - the ones we use here in NZ are no harsher that a standard snaffle so am guessing that it is a different bit that we call a tom thumb

this is what I would call a tom thumb:










or


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

^^ No we are talking about this:

Used Horse Tack - Western 5" Tom Thumb Bit - eBay (item 180382705371 end time Jul-21-09 05:18:57 PDT)


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

A TT in Australia and NZ as well as England, is a different bit then the TT in the US.








The TT in the US is basically a relatively short shanked, unbalanced leverage bit that is, many times, mistakenly called a "cowboy snaffle".


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

^^ Should be called a 'death snaffle'.


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## jody111 (May 14, 2008)

Ohh okay yeah i can see why you guys wouldnt like that.... Ive seen other post saying TT were nasty and I was like hmmm but seeing the bit that you guys call a TT it makes sense.....


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Maybe just to clarify in other posts in the future, the one with shanks should be called the American Tom Thumb or the ATT. Just to keep confusion to a minimum.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Good idea smrobs (what are you doing up so late or so early?)


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

I agree, we should probably start doing that


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Haha, I can't seem to make myself go to sleep.  But it's okay, I work nights anyway.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Say, anyone like Mullen pelhams? I was going to buy one, but wasn't sure if a ported Kimblewick or mullen mouth pelham was the way to go..


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Sunny, so many people will tell you what they like rather then what the horse likes. There are a lot of bits that I really like the appearance of but they don't work for my horse. 

If you need to make a change, see if you can borrow one of each to try. I have a barn full of different bits that I've collected over the years but ultimately only use two bits.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

^^ Don't have access. 

I just want to hear how other's horses have done with them.


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## Catalyst (Aug 12, 2008)

jody111 said:


> when I read this I was like what the...... Tom thubs arent harsh bits - the ones we use here in NZ are no harsher that a standard snaffle so am guessing that it is a different bit that we call a tom thumb
> 
> this is what I would call a tom thumb:
> 
> ...



The first one is a Fulmer snaffle. They are both snaffles. Neither of these are tom thumb bits. They are not curb bits.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Thats because Tom Thumbs in NZ aren't curbs


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

*sigh* Catalyst, in Australia and NZ these bits are known as tom thumb snaffles. That is why a lot of AUS/NZ people get confused when people talk about how harch one can be; These bits are often used for young children and breaking in over here.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

^^ Why does AU/NZ do that, anyway? Did they have the name first or us?


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

No idea. As far as I know that snaffle has always been called a tom thumb here, but no idea of the origin. I might google it :]


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

^^ Yeah, it'd be interesting to find out..


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

^^ I hope you have better luck than I did. I couldn't find anything about the origins. Every page I found was describing what it was and the differences between the English, the Australian, and the American versions. :?


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Weird..


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Just thought I'd tell everybody: I got the pelham!


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## jody111 (May 14, 2008)

Catalyst said:


> The first one is a Fulmer snaffle. They are both snaffles. Neither of these are tom thumb bits. They are not curb bits.


they are that in NZ (remember Im in a different country ) - thats what we call them here and aussie I think (dont quote me on that one though) - i have never seen what you guys call a TT used over here - for us a fulmer snaffle has alot longer sides....

Alot of ponies atpony club use what we call a TT

hang on will find a website from a tackshop over here

Loose ring tomthumb
https://www.stirrups.co.nz/site/product.php?productid=487&cat=9&page=2&js=y

thiws site has both the Fulmer and the tomthumbs

AMS Saddlery


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## jody111 (May 14, 2008)

whoops should click on last page - LOL didnt realise that everyone else had replied - no ide on the origin either..... 

its weird the way they are so different in our countries


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## TroubledTB (Jun 26, 2009)

What makes me upset is they lable it as a snaffle, a snaffle is any bit with direct rein pressure. Seems to me the western people made the mistake in the name, not the english. I was attacked and confused over stating that I used the English TT, because the western people named their bit wrong. My TT has a snaffle rein, I wouldn't stick something with a three inch curb and no snaffle rein in my horses mouth! Period!


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

I have a bunch of horse tack magizines and there is TT's for sale and it says "Tom-Thumb Snaffle bit for sale.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

morganshow11 said:


> I have a bunch of horse tack magizines and there is TT's for sale and it says "Tom-Thumb Snaffle bit for sale.


Hence the confusion. It's an incorrect label if you are talking about the TT people here in the states are used to.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

^^ Yes, TOTAL mislabelling.

Why do they do that! Ugh! See? People are going to get misinformed, and then they teach other people, who will teach others, and so on! It's like a virus, lol


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I am willing to bet that the first person who called it that (possibly a man named Tom Thumb) was uneducated about bits and called anything with a broken mouth a "snaffle" regardless whether it had shanks or not. I guess the name just stuck. What bugs the crap out of me is that it is also called the "cowboy" snaffle and I have never seen an actual cowboy that used it on their horses. LOL


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

smrobs said:


> I am willing to bet that the first person who called it that (possibly a man named Tom Thumb) was uneducated about bits and called anything with a broken mouth a "snaffle" regardless whether it had shanks or not. I guess the name just stuck. What bugs the crap out of me is that* it is also called the "cowboy" snaffle and I have never seen an actual cowboy that used it on their horses*. LOL


... and you never will. It is an unbalanced bit and not one that a horseman would ever use yet you see so many "Western" riders use them. I would bet it's still one of the best selling bits out there for the uneducated and tack shops still steer them towards the bit. It goes to show you that you can't rely on someone just because they work at a tack shop.


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## eventnwithwinston (Feb 15, 2009)

Okay. I think we have already discussed how confusing TT's can be because they are a different bit in different countries...

But lets not also forget that in the US they are also diff. bits in different disciplines. The western version is the one shown earlier (the one they are talking about here) that is a curb bit. The english version is the same thing as a pelham-- just a pelham with the SHORT shanks.

I don't ride western so I dont know much about the severity of their TT but I do ride english and know that ours is merely a leverage bit... which can be used fine if used correctly.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> The english version is the same thing as a pelham-- just a pelham with the SHORT shanks.


Really? I've never heard of any bit other than the western curb and the AUS/NZ snaffle called a TT. Pictures?


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

English 'Tom Thumb': Aka Jointed Pelham
Korsteel Tom Thumb Jointed Rubber Pelham from SmartPak Equine


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Great. Now we have three bits called a TT, just to make it easier for everyone :]


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## eventnwithwinston (Feb 15, 2009)

ahaha. But just to be clear its not JUST the short shanked jointed ones. Its all the short shanked pelhams. Ill find a picture of a regular one and a very exaggerated TT to show yall the difference.


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