The Best Bits for Green Horses

Having the perfect bit can feel like a dream. As if you had put magic in your horse’s mouth, suddenly they are responding with eagerness, turning your ride into a complete dream. But having the wrong bit can feel like a nightmare – your horse can refuse to listen, throw its head, and act out.

Choosing the correct bit can be overwhelming.. There’s tons of variations and materials to choose from, and there’s a lot of pressure to get it right. It’s a very sensitive area of the horse, we want to be careful what we put in that sensitive area. And sometimes it takes trial and error to figure out what kind of bit makes our horse happy, resulting in a tack room full of bits, with a lot of money spent.

We want to avoid that as much as possible, so we try to select a bit based on the way our horse is acting. Choosing a bit can be both a science and an art: if your horse is doing a certain behavior, it may mean a particular bit will help. But since we’re talking about a live animal and not a robot, sometimes it doesn’t always play out the way we think it will. 

It’s also important to keep in mind that sometimes the problem isn’t with the bit. The problem could be that your horse doesn’t understand rein aids. Before spending money trying different bits, back up and see if your horse actually understands what its being asked. 

How to pick the right bit for your green horse?

When choosing a bit for a horse, there’s numerous factors to think about (which is why it can be so overwhelming!). The training level of the horse, the skill of the rider, and the personality of the horse all come into play. The horse’s mouth is sensitive, which is why it falls upon us to choose a bit with care. Bits that overwhelm or scare a horse are never okay. 

Bits for green horses are especially important since they are still learning. If a horse has a bad experience, it can stick with them for a lifetime. 

When in doubt, always ask your trainer. The person who knows your goals, knows your riding ability, and knows your horse, is always going to have good insight for what would work best. However, we as horsemen should still understand why certain bits work for different things – it’s our part of our responsibility to our horse.

Overall Picks

There’s so many different combinations of cheek pieces and mouth pieces that you can practically have a bit for every possible situation. But to narrow down the choices, here’s a quick rundown of my picks. Scroll down for the specifics on each bit. 

Best for a young horse’s first bit: Solid Rubber Mouth Loose ring

Best for a horse that leans on the bit: NS Team up Loose Ring

Best for Reinforcing turn aids: Korsteel French Link Full Cheek Snaffle

Best for all purpose horse starting: Myler Medium Dee Low Port Comfort Snaffle

Best to encourage salivation: Herm Sprenger Copper Plus Double Joint Eggbutt

Best for Horses with Allergies and/or sensitivities: Acavallo Sensitive Bit

Now let’s go over each type of bit and why you would use it. 

Loose Ring Snaffle

The loose rings on these types of bits can rotate freely around. When the rider uses the reins, the rings can turn, giving more play and finesse to their aids. 

Pros:

• Good for horses who lean on the bit, as the bit is so mobile in the mouth. 
• When the horse is in good contact, the bit is held in place, and very fine movements from the rider will transmit to the horse. 

Cons:

• Loose rings can have a lot of movement, which can be distracting or uncomfortable for a horse, causing head tossing.
• Riders who cannot keep good contact may come off very noisy to the horse, potentially upsetting them.
• Poorly made bits can pinch at the mouth

Full Cheek Snaffle

This bit has long bars on the cheek pieces. So long, in fact, that you should generally use a little strap to keep the bars in place on the bridle. 

Pros:

• Side bars help a horse learn to give to pressure, as they apply pressure to the opposite side of the face. This is frequently referred to as lateral movement. 
• The bars help keep the bit steady in the horse’s mouth, it will not move back and forth. 
• Good for riders who don’t have steady hands as less movement makes it to the horse’s mouth.

Cons:

• Needs additional tack to ensure safe use. 
• Subtle rein aids may not be as clear to the horse. 

D-Ring Snaffle Bit

As it says in the name, the cheek pieces of this bit are shaped like D’s, creating mini bars that are against the cheek. 

Pros: 

• Offers similar lateral movement to the full cheek, without the complications of having a big bar on the face.
• Keeps the bit steady in the mouth, which makes it more forgiving for green riders and comfortable for the horse. 

Cons: 

• Subtle rein aids may not be as clear to the horse. 

Eggbutt Snaffle

The eggbutt snaffle is named from being kind of egg shaped, and also butting up against the mouthpiece. We horse people are very clever with our names. 

Pros: 

• Fixed cheek piece, so there is no movement on the cheeks. 
• Mouthpiece is held steady in the horse’s mouth. 
• Good for less experienced riders as less movement is translated in to the mouth. 

Cons: 

• Horses can lean on the bit much easier. 
• Harder for the rider to give subtle cues and loosen up the horse laterally. 

Bit choice is important, and it can be tough to know exactly what your horse needs. Ultimately, for a young horse, go as simple as you can, unless a problem shows up. Simplicity and good training will ultimately provide the best start for your horse. But understanding the why of bits will help you and your horse along your journey, and make for a happy horse.