[gypsy84]

What is your favourite bit for starting a young horse, and why?

I am working with some green horses and have received differing opinions on my bit choice (full cheek rubber snaffle) and would like to hear some more opinions. What do you use when starting a horse under saddle?

[Lou3]

I dont see any problems with the bit you intend to use, although personally i prefer a simple happy mouth eggbutt snaffle.

[AllAroundRdr]

It really is going to depend on the horse. Having various bits at hand to try is always your best option. Some horses do better in single jointed bits, others in double jointed bits, some in rubber mouth, others in hollow mouth...

All my horses get bitted up in loose rings from the start, and I change accordingly.

It's such trial & error

What I keep on training headstalls:
Single jointed Loose/O-Ring
Single jointed Dee Ring
Full Cheek
Dee Ring French Link
Hollow Mouth Loose Ring
Loose Ring Oval Mouth


And I keep a roll of Sealtex on hand for wrapping bits if need be (I'm not a fan of rubber mouth bits)

[Brina]

I always liked the regular French link, but you can get a Happy Mouth version as well.

[Buckshot]

Honestly, it depends on the horse. I've found a D Ring French Link works really well.

[WashingtonBay]

There's some meaningful difference between the two and three-piece mouthpieces, but honestly, I think the differences in a starter bit matter more to us than they do the horse.

Use what you like the look of. The horse doesn't have an opinion yet. He'll form one as much on how it's used as what shape it is. Keep it simple. :~)

[barrelchick4393]

I have a 7 year old t/b that was a race horse originally, then became a pasture ornament for a few years, then went to barrel training and was ridden in a hackamore, so he was kind of starting out with a bit again when i picked up english with him and i used a D-ring on him and it worked wonderfully. He is a little high strung so if your working with a really calm horse i'd consider an egg-butt probably, but i really like the D-ring for my gelding =]

[raceTHEwind13]

I always start in a loose snaffle and work my way up from there, don't be afraid to pick and choose different bits, you never know which one might be the better one.

[Rhythm 'n Blues]

I have a regular ol' run of the mill single jointed eggbutt snaffle that is what I put on them for the 1st few times they have a bridle on. That usually occurs in a stall. Then I'll start lunging with that on and see their reaction. If they seem to gap their mouths open then I switch to my French Link right away. I have yet to get a horse that needed another bit change from there - I mean after they are trained for quite some time I might want some more refinement and switch over to a loose ring or a German Silver french link - that's as far as I've needed to go.

Currently my little man in training has a D-ring French Link just because that is what I had laying around that was his size - he really likes it and holds onto it after our rides all the time

[Dawn]

The big drawback to rubber bits are that they are very drying to the mouth. That's the exact opposite of what you want, especially with a horse just learning how to carry a bit. They are also typically too fat for a horse (especially a young one who is likely still growing) to comfortably carry in their mouths.

I personally like to start a horse out in either a full cheek or d-ring double jointed bit with some copper on it. Then go from there based on what they tell me.