Seven Pillars of Bitting

By Gabriel Denison

Resistance . Refusal. Head shaking. Open mouth. Indications of poor balance. You could misinterpret your horse's behavior as a training problem, when in reality, his problem lies in his mouth.

Bits and bridles work on or around the seven points of pressure on the horse's head: the tongue, corners of the mouth, bars of the mouth, teeth, palate, chin, and poll. Although English riders tend to use direct contact bits, and Western riders typically use curbed or leverage bits, the points of bit wisdom are the same. Snaffle or curb, English or Western, incorrect bitting and it's painful results are universal to all horses, no matter the discipline or good intentions of the rider.

There are three basic families of bits: 1) Direct Contact Bits, comprised mostly of the Snaffles, 2) Leverage, or Indirect Contact Bits, Comprised of shanked bits, both English and Western deriving pressure from weight/pounds added per shank inch, and 3) Pelhams, bits that offer direct and indirect contact, and are usually ridden with a double set of reins.

To achieve the desired result of communication from your hands to the horse, a bit must sit comfortably in your horse's mouth. Everyone is familiar with the “three wrinkle rule,” - tighten the headstall until the horse has three wrinkles at the corners of his mouth - but even the most experienced horseman is not sure where this rule of thumb originated.

Leslie Desmond, lifelong trainer in Novato, Colorado says “Nix” on the three-wrinkle rule. Leslie has studied horsemanship with the most noted trainers of our time, and recently co-authored a book with the “Father of Natural Horsemanship” Bill Dorrance, entitled “True Horsemanship Through Feel.”

According to Leslie, each horse should be bitted individually, and the mildest bit possible should be used.

“Twisted wires, jaw breakers, palate stickers and gags are nothing more than emergency brakes for the ignorant, the desperate and the misinformed rider,” says Leslie regarding harsh bits, wasting no words to convey her opinion. “Many people believe if their horses are not responding, they should get a harsher bit, but that's incorrect. Another myth is bit rotation. Changing bits to ‘get your horse's attention' or ‘keep them guessing' is also wrong.”

“Problems indicate your horse is not receiving your messages…and may be in pain.” It is important to realize that any bit can be severe in the wrong hands.

Carol Goostree of Verden, Oklahoma, a designer of barrel racing bits, explains, “Novice riders tend to balance themselves through their arms, making their mount's mouth sore in the corners and causing calluses. This will cause a deadening of the mouth. Angry riders can pull forcefully on the reins and cause acute injuries. Either way, the horse begin to fight the bit and lose focus on his job: communicating with the rider.”

The lines of communication must remain open from the hands to the mouth, the hands request and direct, the horse receives, carrying out the direction. Bits are not objects of punishment or control, but tools of interaction. If a horse does not understand the signal, he may need education. If he refuses the signal, he may be suffering from one of the three hidden fiends of bitting: dental problems, poor bit quality and ill-fitting bits. These unseen imps erode our horse's obedience, and our riding pleasure.

The first of the trio, dental problems, can be easily diagnosed and fixed by a quick but comprehensive vet check. Young as well as old horses can develop sharp points on the teeth, hooks, waves and wolf teeth.

Many riders may not be aware how poor bit quality affects your horse and yourself. However, fine bits are like fine jewelry. They should be smooth, seamless and well fitted. Much of the time, what you invest in your bits will be exactly what you receive.

Hold the prospective bit in your palm. This simulates what your horse will experience, as bits tend to roll into the position they will assume in your horses mouth. Check the joints of the bit. If they are loose, they can pinch tongues, lips, and corners of the mouth, causing nagging irritation or constant pain. Check for weak places in the metal – cheap casting jobs will leave bubbles that can break down, irritating your horse's mouth, and weakening the structure of the bit.

If your bit is rubber, highly recommended for young horses, the rubber should be replaced every couple of years. Broken or chewed rubber can chafe the bars of the mouth, with disastrous results.

Many riders prefer to use copper in their bitting program. Although copper is soft, and may need to be replaced under constant use, there is no arguing the increased comfort copper offers from it's advanced heat conduction as opposed to stainless steel. It warms quickly in your horse's mouth, increases salivation and encourages your mount to stay light on the bit. Green horses tend to accept copper more quickly, as it feels less alien than steel.

To measure your horse for his new bit, Janie Laneson, a Bend dweller specializing in Natural Horsemanship, is not recommend using a thin dowel slipped into his mouth at home, across the bars of mouth where the bit will rest. She says, “ Mark on each side of the mouth approximately a ¼ of an inch from where the corners of the lips rest. Take your dowel with you to the tack store as your guide.”

Remember, you and your horse should be relaxed and in constant communication through the seven pressure points, gently utilized with well-fitted headgear.