Horse Bits

Making sure you’ve chosen the right sized bit for your horse is vital. If the bit is too large it can rattle around in your horse’s mouth creating sores, cuts, serious damage to the lips and a slew of dental problems. Conversely if the bit is too small it will create both pressure and pinch points that are not only extremely uncomfortable but could also lead to cuts, infections and long term damage. In addition, an ill-fitting bit will not transmit commands effectively which could lead to serious safety issues for both horse and rider.

 Learn to Read Your Horse

Since your horse can’t turn to you and say “This bit is a little loose” they have to communicate their discomfort in other ways, so it’s important you stay aware of signals your horse may be trying to send. Sometimes these signals may take the form of bit evasions both subtle and obvious. Other times you may notice your horse is having a hard time relaxing or (s)he may simply appear sluggish. Don’t ignore the signs. If your horse is trying to tell you something, you need to listen.

At some point in your riding career you may find yourself questioning why- why do I ride and what do I want to get out of this lifestyle? If you haven’t given up on your vision of receiving a shiny award while atop your horse, chances are that you will begin to evaluate how to improve your skills and overcome your challenges, hopefully with some goals in mind. Whatever these goals may be, getting a hold of the right tools, such as the horse bit, can set you on your journey to success!

Why are Horse Bits Important?

Horse bits are important because they help a rider cultivate what may be the most essential riding goal of all, a graceful union between two creatures in which the wants of the other are both understood and respected. Some people are for horse bits and some against them but if you find yourself wondering which side you identify with, here are some of the benefits of using a horse bit.

The Horse Can Understand What the Rider Wants

The pressure or leverage in the mouth controlled by the bit is the horse’s signal to pay attention to you. Whether you want them to go left, right or prepare for a jump the horse and you can connect with movement directly through the bit. Working with a bit will build up the confidence of your horse and they can trust that your decisions are what’s best for the both of you.

Improved Posture and Physical Ability

With fantastic posture comes fabulous balance and if you are aching for your horse to improve in these areas, a bit could soothe your yearning. Get that posture on point with a bit and watch your troubles with your horse’s funky trot or canter fade into the back of your mind. Let the bit guide your horse until they feel just as comfortable as you.

Improve the Temperament of Your Horse

Different bits produce different effects in the temperament of your horse. If your horse is high strung and feisty a stiff bit can help you get them under control. If your horse responds better to a gentler approach, a mild bit can help gain their focus.

Achieve the Style of Riding that you Want

Different types of bits are useful in achieving the type of riding you are striving for. In Western, you can use a gentle bit to obtain an extended neck and relaxed jog. If you prefer Dressage you can use a tight bit to achieve that lovely curved neck posture.

Do you own a horse? Do you want to control him by using bits? Are you already planning to buy horse bits for your horse? Have you searched enough to buy the same?

If yes, then you can go ahead and buy the best horse bits for your four legged lover. Who does not like to work hard to make his horse appear beautiful and combination bits charming? After all, he is someone who can impress the girls that you get home. Who knows – your crush might take a horse ride with you, if you have properly the horse bit that shines enough to attract her!

Horse bits can help you in a lot of ways. Whether you want to get into a race with the other players or wish to direct your horse to different places – only a horse bit can help you with the same. Even if you want to look like a handsome Prince Charming riding the horse in your farm, you need to fix the bit in the mouth of your horse.

But wait a minute… buying the bits can be a little tricky. After all, you can’t trust all the companies like you can trust the Myler bits. Following are the five important things that you need to remember before buying the bit for your horse:

Measure the Mouth of Your Horse–Funny, but true – you can’t buy the bit without measuring the mouth of your horse. You may think that this is not required, but unless you don’t measure his mouth, you would not know if the bit that you are planning to buy for him is going to fit him or not. Although all the horses look alike, there’s a lot of difference in their sizes or ‘measurements.

Select a Reputed Manufacturing Company –Even if the bits are just for your ‘horse’, he is a living being, too. Just like you prefer branded clothes, watches, accessories, etc.; make him shine by using the best branded stuff for him as well. Read about Myler bits or other companies that are popular into the manufacturing of such bits.

Choose the Color – While some of the bits are in metallic shade, there are others that come in different shades or colors. I have personally seen a lot of horse with green, blue and even red colored bits decently fixed in their mouths. Such colors not only make you feel fresh, but also make your horse happy, because you add some ‘color’ to his life!

Choose the Types of Bits You Wish to Buy – There are different types of bits available in the market for your horse. If you wish to buy more than one, you can go for different kinds of the same to bring in some variety to your horse’s life!

If you have a horse, you surely know what a bit is. It is that thing which allows the rider to communicate with the animal and lead him to the places or destinations where he wishes to be. Without the horse bits, no horse can understand what the rider is trying to tell him or where he wishes to take him. No matter how many times you say HALT, the horse would not stop, unless you pull the bit a little to indicate that the place where you wish to stop has come.

Horse bits are available in different colors, sizes, shapes and even quality. While some of the horse riders prefer branded and expensive bits for their horses, there are others that prefer to keep the bits as simple as possible. They believe that these bits are not for show-off, but just to guide the animals where they wish to go and where they wish to stop or begin the journey.

Whether the riders use the combination bits or any other type of bits, they have to take care of one thing – the comfort of the animal. When it comes to fixing the bit in the mouth of the animal, you should only trust the ones that are professional and well experienced in doing so. There are many videos on YouTube and several pictures on different search engines where the pains of the horses can be felt whenever the riders guide them to do something.

Combination bits and all the other kinds of bits have been created to ease and smoothen the relationship between the rider and his horse. If the horse is in pain, he would not like the person who is riding him. There are chances that he would throw him off and run away from the location.

But how do you know whether the horse is in pain? Don’t worry – I am here to give you the following five signs that depict the fact that the bit hurts your horse every time you use it to guide him:

The horse ‘shrieks’ in a different tone altogether to depict his pain, whenever the bit is moved. This is no fun shriek. If he does this all the time you halt him or stop him, you need to check whether he is in pain.

If the horse is bleeding from his mouth, you need to get the bit checked. There are chances that the horse would not show any sign because some of these animals know how to bear the pain.

If you never measured the mouth of your horse before fixing the bit, I am sure that he is in pain. This is the biggest mistake bit fixers do!

Watch the temperament of your innocent horse. If you think he gets frustrated or angry whenever you ride him, check the bit.