Tales from the Horse's Mouth: Part One - Page 2
© Sally White
Sometimes it can seem impossible to decide between the many conflicting opinions on this subject, but there are a few rules of thumb to follow which can make it easier.
At this stage, when you will not be using the bit for riding the horse, the basic rule is - the kinder, the better. Straight-bar bits are more gentle than jointed bits; you can experience this for yourself by putting a bit over your forearm, attaching two reins to it and getting a friend to pull back. You'll find a jointed bit can be really painful if enough force is applied!
Another rule of thumb is that coated or non-metal bits (such as nylon, rubber or plastic) are better than metal, which tends to be too unforgiving and heavy for a young horse's mouth.
Snaffles - bits with rings rather than levers - are far more gentle than curbs, which should never be used on young horses, whether for mouthing or riding. Snaffle bits come in loose ring, eggbutt or d-ring designs. Larger rings make it more difficult for the horse to pull the bit through his mouth: and fixed rings (eggbutt or d-ring) avoid the problem occasionally caused by loose rings where the bit rings catch on a horse's lips.
Rubber bits are very kind, but many young horses love to chew these and they may not last very long! Rubber bits also tend to be thick, and sit less happily in a young horse's mouth. A two-year-old's teeth are very short in comparison to a full-grown horse's, and may not meet properly over a thick mouthpiece. If your horse has particularly short teeth, it may be necessary to use a really thin bit, such as a bradoon, to begin with, so that he doesn't get uncomfortable: but such a bit should never be used to ride with, as thin bits are far harsher in action than thicker ones. As your horse's teeth grow, and certainly before you start to ride him, you can move to a snaffle bit with a thicker mouthpiece.
Nylon can be just as easily marked and damaged as rubber, so I tend to opt for plastic or plastic-coated bits. My personal favourite is a very gentle bit coated in plastic flavoured with apple: known as Happy-Mouth bits. These are widely available in a number of designs (see my article So Much to Buy, So Little Time for stockists). I prefer the straight-bar eggbutt, although I have used the jointed eggbutt without any problems, too - this has the advantage that the horse can stay with the same bit when he is ridden, and keeps a nice, soft snaffle mouth as long as the rider's hands stay gentle.
