Bit and contact problems

I think bits are the subject that most people have questions about. When you buy a bridle, it’s mainly a matter of making choices. What’s available, and do I want leather or synthetic? Questions about driving bits usually come up because there are problems with the horse and people don’t know how to solve them. Often, people don’t know what’s available and how a bit works. I then ask the following questions: What kind of bit do you currently have? What does the horse or pony not do or do? And what would you like it to do or not do? You then usually hear about problems such as the horse rummaging around with its tongue, not wanting to be compliant, shaking its head, or some other form of protest.
The story is actually quite straightforward. The bit should rest on the tongue and the layers. However, people often don’t know how a bit should lie in the mouth. I also like to know whether the horse has been to the equine dentist. The horse’s teeth must be in good condition. Have the wolf teeth been removed? Does it have any hooks? This must be ruled out, just as there must be no medical problems with the back or neck.

Bit with tongue freedom

When I ask, most people have no idea how thick their horse’s tongue is. Many horses have thick tongues. Since the bit should rest on the tongue and the layers, in such cases you should not use a straight bar, but a curved bar, bent forward or upward depending on the strength of the contact. If the horse has a very thick tongue, you can use a tongue-free bit. However, I would not recommend this straight away. If the tongue is not very thick, this type of bit will rest too much on the layers and cause too much pressure, which may result in sores.

Liverpool bit versus B-bar

The effect of the driving bit also depends greatly on the driver’s hand. I think that determines more than half of it. The other factors are, of course, the bit itself, the horse, and how you adjust the bit. How tight is the curb chain and how high do you place the bit in the mouth? The standard advice for the curb chain is that it is positioned correctly when the shanks form a 45-degree angle with the mouth. I prefer to use a Liverpool bit rather than a B-bar or butterfly bit. With a B-bar, the first rein hole is level with the mouthpiece and you have no leverage. That is why you put the rein in the second hole, but then the leverage is immediately very large. With a Liverpool, the distance from the first rein hole to the mouthpiece is shorter and you have less leverage. A driving bit is effective because of this leverage. That bit of control is important because when driving, you lack the aids you have when riding a horse. Communication is mostly through your hands and voice and most horses need to be able to be driven on the first rein hole. So I prefer a Liverpool bit, and there you also have more choice.

Thickness of the driving bit

The thickness of the bit’s mouthpiece is more complicated. Some say that a thin bit is sharper and that a thick bit is gentler. But if thick means more weight, the question is whether that is gentler. There are also bits that are hollow on the inside, but they feel thicker. Sometimes it really is a matter of trial and error. This is less of an issue for recreational drivers, who demand less from their horses. As you progress in dressage, everything becomes more precise, as communication with your horse is mainly through your hands.

I always say, “Just look in your horse’s mouth more often.” And let someone else take a look if you can’t figure it out yourself.

Juliette Post | De Menner