[i_luv_ponyz]

Hi, don't laugh, but how do you know if a bit is too short? My instructor said that my bit is almost too short and I should watch it to make sure that it doesn't pinch, and maybe buy a new one sometime, but we got the bit from her previous owner and she had had it for a really long time. It is a 5" (I think) loose ring snaffle. Thanx!

[PeggySue]

Fitting A Bit here this might help you decide

[Baby Horse]

if there is 2 wrinkles on each side you will be ok also if u ut your hands by the cheak pieces and put them in the briddle between the horses jaw ad your hand with the briddle on the other side if it fits 4 fingers on each side you are ok to

[idlewild]

That page PeggySue posted I agree with for the most part... exept the part about the width of the bit.

If you are fitting a snaffle bit and you have 1/2" to 1" of bit on each side that is going to cause a very severe nutcracker action and will cause the bit to 1) dig into the sensitive roof of the horse's mouth and 2) put alot of bar preassure on the sides of the horse's mouth, very uncomfortable.

A correctly sized bit should allow NO MORE than 1/4" on each side. Or... if you pull the bit to one side of the mouth you should have no more than 1/2" of bit outside of the mouth.
A bit is to narrow if there is little to NO room between the rings of the bit and the corners of the mouth.
Make sense?

See, when a snaffle is correctly sized for the horse's mouth it does not perform the nutcracker action (or, at least, not at the severity of an oversized bit), instead the bit will lay flat in the horse's mouth and action upon the tounge, bars, and lips of the mouth when pressure is applied (versus applying pressure to the roof and bars of the mouth only when a too large bit is used).

[harli36]

The two wrinkle rule is to see if the height of the bit is properly adjusted not the width of the bit. (and even then the two wrinkle rule is not always true because different horses have different size lips)


The bit should be 1/2 inch wider then the horses mouth. So there should be about a quarter inch on either side. If you are using a loose ring and it's *just* big enough to allow for 1/4" on either side then it's better to eer on the side of safety and get another 1/4 size up.

[DiamondRio]

If you are using a loose ring it should have two wrinkles as apposed to when you are using a pelham or kimberwick which shouldnt have as many wrinkles on the side of the face. With loose rings if your bit isnt quite long enough (like harli explained above with the 1/2" on each side) and you dont want to buy a new bit you can purchase some really inexpensive bit guards and slip them on to keep the bit from pinching the corners of the lips.

[harli36]

Actually if her bit is "almost too short" then bit guards are only going to make it shorter and more uncomfortable for the horse.

[JBandRio]

As stated a couple of times before, the "wrinkles" rule is for the vertical adjustment - how how or low the bit sits in the mouth. Whether that is 1 wrinkle, 3, or 0, is a horse preference. It somewhat depends on where the teeth are as well.

The width is what the thread is about. The inside edge of the cheek piece should not be changing the landscape of the horse's lip when just resting there. If it's too narrow, it will be smooshing in the corner if his mouth. If it's too big, there will be room to stick something between the relaxed corner and the cheek piece.

[RockHorseRanch]

Let's have pictures! Of the bit in the mouth. from side and front.

[Dawn]

With loose rings, you tend to need one about 1/4" wider than other types of cheek pieces. So while she might normally wear a 5" bit, the loose ring might be too small. Pictures would be nice.