# Best bit for starting a young horse?



## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

I've been riding my filly in a rope halter for a while, but I would like to start her working in a bit now. What is the best/gentlest/clearest bit to start a young horse in? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

This will elicit a plethora of answers, lollol

Keep in mind I grew up in the 1960’s, on the farm, and have always been a trail rider. Bit choices were few and far between.

We started granddad’s horses to both ride and drive.

They were started with long-lining (ground driving) until granddad felt they were strong enough for my cousin and I to get on them - she weighed ~60# and I was around 80# 

We long-lined them in driving bits that were plain snaffle bits. They had to learn “go, whoa, back, gee & haw” ——- yes they learned gee & haw

When granddad deemed them ready to have someone on their back (we started ALL of them bareback) their riding bridles were not the same as their driving bridles. The riding bridles had low port curb bits.

That’s it - low port curb bits with 4” shanks. 

Low port curb bits are all I have ever put in any horse’s mouth that I have owned. 

The only thing I ever changed, at the sage advice of a smart Amishman, was to change to longer swivel shanks on my Arab/Saddlebred. I raised that horse from birth and was bemoaning his head tossing at the Amish tack shop one Saturday morning.

The Amishman was so sure the longer & swivel shanked Walking Horse bit would work, he told me to bring it back if it didn’t— and I could pay for it on my next visit, if it did. 

That low port bit/swivel shanks was a magic bullet for my Arab/Saddlebred. That was sometime in the early 70’s and I still have that bit and head stall.

So there’s my thought - a simple low port curb with short shanks and leave well enough alone if the horse likes it


----------



## ClearDonkey (Nov 27, 2016)

I prefer a French link or lozenge mouth snaffle, with full-cheeks - it translates well from a rope halter with the cheek pressure.


----------



## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

I like a D-ring snaffle with a 3 piece bit, the center being a copper sweet roller. I only use it long enough that the horse is comfortable and used to it. Then I go bitless with either a bitless side pull or a loping Bosal.


----------



## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

Dee ring snaffle with copper mouth peice.


----------



## Morgan.taylor (Sep 1, 2020)

i do like to see one started in a loping hack or bosal but as for a bit I like to stick with a snaffle. I currently have a lozenge, a lifesaver with copper rings, single joint and a lozenge thick twisted wire. I just play with which mouthpiece each prefers. At the moment my filly uses the lozenge.


----------



## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

I started my mare on a D-ring copper snaffle. She didn't like the nut-cracker effect, so I moved her to a french link. She still rides in a french link.


----------



## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

For a long time I started youngsters in a jointed rubber snaffle than later I started using the Myler snaffles and found that the horses went better in them.


----------



## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Three-piece loose-ring snaffle, with a lozenge in the middle. My horse is still in that bit four years later.


----------



## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

The advice that I got was to use a heavier bit because it will help in communication with a young horse. I bought my filly a heavier, d ring, copper french link snaffle and she goes better than the lighter two piece that I originally started with her. 

All horses are going to be different as to how much room that they have in their mouth and what is comfortable for them. One of my mares does not like snaffles too much at all and prefers a low port curb.


----------



## jgnmoose (May 27, 2015)

JoBlueQuarter said:


> I've been riding my filly in a rope halter for a while, but I would like to start her working in a bit now. What is the best/gentlest/clearest bit to start a young horse in? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.


I used to say a loose ring snaffle was the best all around starter bit. That is basically true in my opinion for a bunch of directions you can take a horse.

However if you think your end goal is a western curb bit in a discipline that requires one, then I think this is one of the better designs I've seen. 
https://www.thedisciplinedride.com/store/missing-link-snaffle


----------



## Kaifyre (Jun 16, 2016)

I have always been of the opinion that the best bit for any horse is the bit the horse goes best in. ; )

To train a horse to accept a bit I always start with a D ring snaffle. I prefer a curved mouthpiece with some copper or sweet iron inlay but I've also got a plain stainless steel one I use sometimes.

I find that the vast majority of horses go well in either the above setup or a 3 piece D ring snaffle, as an introductory bit anyway. I don't tend to ride in a snaffle for a long time before we move up to a shanked bit, or a bitless setup if I feel the horse goes better in it. I feel it is important for every horse to learn to pack a bit and be respectful of it during training, but that doesn't mean the horse always has to be ridden in one. 

I have an entire wall in my tack room devoted to 'troubleshooting' bits that I won't go into here, but for breaking colts 99% of the time one of the above snaffles is sufficient. I do however feel that it is important to start with a direct pull type bit for your horse's first bitting experience, not a shanked bit, as the feel of the bit will be foreign enough without the added potential miscommunication of the curb action (though personally I prefer a shanked bit to a snaffle hands down, but that's another discussion entirely). I'm not saying this will never work, but in my experience it doesn't work as well as starting from an 'easy' bit.

-- Kai


----------



## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions! Lots to think about. A friend of mine has lent me a couple three piece snaffles to try. I'm going to experiment for a while. Thanks again.


----------

