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(c) 2010 http://AllHorseTalk.com – this is a video all about feeding your horse a tidbit. With your host Alita (Bunny) Hendricks. For information and updates on more videos, audio interviews, articles, meetups and more, visit http://AllHorseTalk.com
Duration : 1 min 8 sec
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I recently purchased a plain snaffle bit for horse. When i attached it on to bridle, I noticed it has a slight bend (to go over tongue?) So should it appear Curve up or curve down when I hold up the bridle? The curve up part of the bit is thicker. I am assuming the rounded, indented thinner part of the metal is what goes against the horse’s lips? I am used to shank snaffles and curb bits!
if you’re holding the bridle in the same direction it will be sitting on the horse’s head you want the curve comming toward you (does that make any sense?!) you always want the curve of the bit pointing toward the horse’s chest (same thing if you’re using shanks or curb bits). the curve of the bit needs to sit against the lips and the arched side needs to point out toward the nose when it’s in the horse’s mouth…
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I just got a new horse that is fighting me with her bit. I have started her with a low port bit. She takes the bit but is extremely fussy (bucks and spins) when I ride her. I have also tried a D ring snaffle as well as a hackamore and got the same result. I think a lot of this is her hard headedness. She has been out to pasture for the last year. She is a retired barrel horse. I lunge her and exercise her before we head out for our ride, but we fight a little before she gets going. She is wonderful once we get going, but wonder if our adjustment period will just take a while. Any advice you can give will be appreciated!
In a situation like this you need to go back to the beginning. Your first call of action is to get her back and teeth checked so you can rule out pain as the cause of her bad behaviour. So long as they are ok yu need to go back to basic schooling, almost to the point of re-breaking.
Re-mouth her with a rubber or other mild bit. One of the ponies we bought came with a pelham a standing martingale and a reputation for bucking and bolting, I put her in a happy mouth straight bar snaffle and re-backed her and now my 9 yr old son rides her, she was never a strong horse, she just used to fight her bit. Be cautious of getting into the strong horse/ sever bit circle, most horse can go well in a mild bit so long as they are schooled properly.
Spend some time lunging and long reining with yr new milder bit before you start riding again, let her drop a little fitness so she isn’t jumping out of her skin and ready to fight. (so check your feeding regime as well).
Get her comfortable leading, lunging etc before riding , then ride sedately in an enclosed area until she is listening to you before trail riding again.
I wish you all the best with yr horse and am sure that with patience you can develop a real partnership 
Good luck xx
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My horse can be very strong and can take off when hacking and when schooling (i don’t jump him).
He came in a dutch gag which he was ridden on the 2nd to last hole. I have started schooling in a french link snaffle which he goes better in. however he is still very strong and evades the bit.
He carried his head way to high as he is a welsh d cross. I know the dutch gag isnt a very good bit for this is it?
Which ones would you recomend?
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Please Dont Tell Me To Re School Him. He Is The Most Responsive Horse I Have Ever Ridden. I Am Riding Him To The Best Of My Ability.
He Is Also Not In Pain. His Tack Is All Very Well Fitted Good Quality And He Is Fed On A Small Amount Off Happy Hoof After He Is Ridden. But He Could Live Off Air And Still Have As Much Energy As 6 Stallions 
I have a young TB. He is also strong out hacking but i do jump him. He raced and doesn’t always understand what i’m asking of him in the school. I worked on schooling and flatwork with him although i do jump. It didn’t help with him being strong out hacking or holding his head ridiculously high.
I took the advice of a friend…i tried her hanging snaffle for a couple of weeks and the improvement was amazing! You see, it has the same sort of action as a gag (as it puts pressure on the poll and encourages the head down) but isn’t as harsh as the gag whilst he cant run away from it out hacking. He is so much more controlled. I went out and bought my own hanging snafffle and wouldn’t ever change it now. i think you would also benefit from this.
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ok so the horse i am leasing, Dee needs a new bit. dee has a regular dee ring snaffle but she hates it. we thought we she was a walking horse(but later figured out that she dosent gait one bit) so we used walking horse bit and she like it more but not the best. my trainer suggested a curb type bit and since im learning huntseat a pelham bit. but now my question what type of mouthpeice? if she dosent like the snaffle does that mean she dosent like a jointed bit> or that maybe she would like a low prot bit or mullen mouth? i dont have the resourses to buy a ton of bits, is ther any way i would know?
also she needs a 4 1/2 size if that helps any
This shouldn’t be about whether or not your mare likes her bit- it’s about what WORKS and is appropriate and SAFE for both you and her. Her liking it or not is immaterial- YOU are the one calling the shots here, pal.Horses are not people- and their likes and dislikes are generally ignored in cases like this one. I think you need to have the vet come and examine your mare’s mouth for dental issues before you go any further with this- it’s estimated that at least HALF of all training problems are related to mouth issues in horses. It sounds to me as if your mare also has developed an ATTITUDE problem- and the only reason your trainer thinks she needs a new bit is because YOU haven’t learned how to work with her and solve problems using the bit you currently have. Get the mare’s mouth checked, that’s the first step. If she checks out medically, then you need to work on your RIDING SKILLS, and learn how to stop and control your mare without needing to haul on her face.
Different bits work in different ways. Bits like snaffles are direct pressure bits- that means they put pressure on the corners and sides of the horse’s mouth. Snaffle bits normally only have one set of reins, and are considered to be the mildest of all the bits with one or two exceptions. Curb and pelham bits are LEVERAGE bits. These bits work by putting pressure on the top of the horse’s HEAD ( also called the poll) in addition to the bars of the mouth. They are much more severe than snaffles, and must be used with great care. Most curb and pelham bits have double reins, although it’s possible to buy a bit converter for the pelhams which will let you use a single set of reins. Since you are just starting out in hunt seat, you aren’t ready for double reins yet, and if you get a pelham, you’ll need to get a converter strap as well. Most of the pelhams and curbs are also straight bar bits, with the exception of Kimberwickes, which come in a jointed form as well as a straight one. Kimberwicke bits are a good bridge bit between a snaffle and a curb- and they combine attributes of both. You might want to consider getting one of these and trying it out.
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