The bit is an item of a horse’s tack. It usually refers to the assembly of components that contacts and controls the horse’s mouth, and includes the shanks, rings, cheek pads and Mullen. Sometimes the word bit is being used to refer to the Mullen, the piece that fits inside the horse’s mouth.

A very common type of bit is a snaffle, but what are some types of bits that should bite the dust?

One type of bit that I personally believe should no longer be used are twisted wire bits. These bits have twisted wire across the mouthpiece that are extremely harsh on a horse’s mouth. They also put increased pressure on the tongue and corners of the mouth. These types of bits can cause not only pain and discomfort in the horse’s mouth but they can also cause injuries.

I personally ride in a snaffle, hackamore or bitless and there have been times where people have said to me, ” Well you ride in a hackamore, so you are abusing your horse!” or ” A snaffle bit is so harsh!” and half of the time these people don’t  even know that much about horses. A hackamore is a type of bitless bridle which works by applying pressure to the nose, poll and chin groove. Unlike a traditional bridle with a bit, there is no pressure or leverage on the mouth. A bitless bridle is exactly what it sounds like, a bridle without a bit. A snaffle bit is the most common type of bit used while riding horses. It consists of a bit mouthpiece with a ring on each side and acts with direct pressure to the horse’s mouth.

Overall I think many bits can be abusive but that doesn’t mean all bits are bad. My opinion is just to stay away from twisted wire bits.

Works Cited

Happy Horse Tack Shop. www.happyhorsetack.com/blogs/happy-horse-tack-shop-expertise/bit-basics/#:~:text=A%20twisted%20wire%20bit%20has,mouth%20pieces%20with%20offset%20breaks. Accessed 9 Feb. 2024.

Skinner, Graham. “What Is a hackamore bridle: everything you need to know.” Strathorn, 19 Aug. 2023, www.strathornfarm.co.uk/equipment/what-is-a-hackamore-bridle/. Accessed 9 Feb. 2024.

The spruce pets. www.thesprucepets.com/how-snaffle-bits-work-1886099. Accessed 9 Feb. 2024.