Western Bit Mouth Piece Types

The use of bits is not a new practice. The evidence of wear from bits has been found in horse remains that date back to 4000 B.C. in Turkey. Metal bit use was a touch newer, dating back to 1500 B.C. in the Near East. The bits themselves evolved to the Western and English bits that are used today. Western bits can be broken down into more than type of mouth piece. Knowing what these mouth pieces are can help you choose the best one for your horses.

  1. Snaffle

    • The snaffle bit is one of the Western bits that has two types of mouth piece types. The first is a straight bar snaffle, which is just as it sounds: a straight bar. The second is the jointed mouth piece. The thickness of the bits can vary, from being thinner down the length of the mouth piece to being wider at the outer ends and narrower at the joint. The ends of the snaffle can vary as well. The snaffle can have rings that attach to the outer ends of the bit where the reins fasten; it can have "D" rings, which resemble the capital letter "D" on the bit's ends; or it can have a combination of a bar or vertical pieces at the ends of the mouth piece and a ring for the reins.

    Curb

    • The curb bit has a variety of mouth pieces, just like the snaffle. The curb can have a straight bar for a mouth piece, or a bar that has a hump or an upside-down "U" in the middle of the bit. The "U" of the bit can be pronounced or modest. One of the features that distinguishes the curb bit from the snaffle is where the reins attach. Unlike the snaffle, which has rings attached directly to the mouthpiece of the bit, the curb bit has shanks that extend below the bit. The shanks help to transform the bit into a lever, thereby allowing the rider to apply more pressure to the horse's mouth. A chin strap is necessary to make sure that the bit stays in the proper position, thus ensuring the pressure is applied most effectively.

    Spade Bit

    • One last mouth piece type is the spade, which closely resembles a traditional curb bit. The spade bit has shank pieces attached to the outer ends of the mouth pieces; however, the mouthpiece itself is jointed in two places on either side of the spade, the floating piece in the middle of the mouthpiece. The purpose of the bit is to, according to Jack Young, disperse "the pressure over a larger area of the horse's mouth, rather than concentrating it in one smaller area." Because of the design, it is not necessary to apply the same amount of pressure to the bit as with other bits. A little pressure is as effective as twice the pressure with a snaffle bit. This bit is meant for horses of advanced riders.