FAQ about horse bits

1. Tongue issues: What to do when the horse puts its tongue over the bit?

This is a serious problem because the horse has usually lost confidence in the rider’s hand. It can also happen that the horse pushes its tongue through the incisors when riding with a bit. Sticking out at the side with a nervous chewing mouth is also typical. In the worst case, the horse may bite its tongue, causing blood to drip from the mouth or mix with the saliva foam.

Tongue issues are only a symptom of a deeper problem: Either the horse has health problems, which is why the bit makes the horse uncomfortable, or the rider is too hard and inattentive in giving the aid. Particularly sensitive horses react to the slightest pull of the reins by sticking out their tongues. However, this should not be taken as an excuse not to investigate the cause.

First, health and anatomical problems (wolf teeth, hooks of the front molars) are ruled out and a hard rider’s hand is eliminated as the trigger of the tongue issues. Then the correct buckling of the bridle and the fit of the bit are examined. The guidelines for a correctly buckled bridle can be found in our bridle guide. You can read about the correct buckling of a bit into the bridle in FAQ 5.

If the tongue problem cannot be eliminated even after intensive research into the cause, you can introduce your horse to bitless riding as an alternative. We also recommend that you consult an expert.

2. The horse leans on the bit – which bit is the right one?

If the horse leans on the bit, it is difficult to control and stop. This can be dangerous, especially when hacking or jumping. In acute cases, the following applies: sit firmly, shift the weight backwards and impulsively push with the legs until the horse shifts his weight from the forehand more to the hindquarters. As soon as you have regained some control, ride smaller and smaller circles to take away the horse’s urge to run.

In the long run, the horse should become more supple by shortening and giving in on the reins, and training should include many changes of rein and tempo, transitions, changes between left and right flexion in serpentines and polework in trot. Avoid continuous pulling on the bit!

Much more important than changing the bit is correction through proper training, where the horse improves its self-carriage. Nevertheless, a mullen mouth bit can be useful for correction. Remember that with a mullen mouth bit it is not possible to give one-sided rein aids. If the horse leans on the bit, the pressure will quickly increase with a mullen mouth bit, which will force the horse to bend in the poll.

A gag bit can also be an option. With a gag bit, where a rope is pulled vertically through the bit rings, the pressure on the mouth corners and the poll is increased.

With a 3-ring bit, you can vary between different ways of buckling in the reins to get the horse to shift its weight away from the bit, depending on the training goal.

3. What to do if the horse refuses the bit?

If the horse refuses the bit, a thorough investigation of the cause must be carried out. The horse’s signals must be taken seriously, as anatomical health problems can be the cause (hooks, wolf teeth) as well as the rider’s handling of the bit. In some cases it can also be a sort of game for the horse to refuse the bit once it has learned to avoid having a bridle put on by pulling up its head.

First rule out hooks and sharp edges in the mouth.
Check the position and buckling of the bit (see FAQ 5).
Check your handling of the bit while riding.
If these are not the triggers, slowly introduce the horse to the bit with lots of praise.

The experience must manifest itself positively in the horse’s mind, for example by smearing the bit with applesauce and rewarding every step in the right direction. Be gentle when putting on the bridle so that the ears are not bent or the corners of the mouth are not pinched, which can lead to a strong defensive reaction in the horse.

4. How can I clean the bit?

After riding, stainless steel and plastic bits can be easily washed with water to remove food residues and saliva. The bit is then dried. Stubborn dirt can be removed by soaking the bit in a commercial bit cleaner or a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. After soaking for five minutes, rinse the bit thoroughly with water and then dry it.

Lemon juice is also a natural alternative that can be used to remove even superficial rust. Be careful with plastic bits and sweet iron: citric acid will damage the materials.

For copper bits you should rather use a special polish for bits. Cleaners for bits give the bit a new shine and are completely non-toxic for the horse.

Squeaking bit rings can be treated with a little olive oil.

An absolute no-go: cleaning the snaffle bit with steel wool or a wire brush. The resulting grooves and nicks on the bit can injure the horse’s tongue and mucous membranes.

5. How is the bit buckled correctly in the bridle?

A bit can only fulfill its purpose in combination with a correct buckling. It should be buckled neither too high nor too low, i.e. in the edentulous area of the lower jaw. There should be a distance of one to two fingers to the cheek teeth so that the bit does not knock painfully against the teeth when the reins are shortened. As soon as you slip the bridle over the ears, you can see whether the cheek pieces are too tight or too loose. Seen from the outside, the bit does not pull the corners of the mouth upwards, there should be a maximum of two folds in the corner of the mouth.

Bridle in combination with double and single jointed bits:
The cheek piece is too loose if an influence via the reins is not possible and the horse plays with the bit continuously. The bit may hit against the wolf teeth.
Cheek pieces are buckled too tight when the horse „grins“ and there are more than two folds in the corner of the mouth. When the reins are shortened, the bit is pulled out of the mouth and pressure is exerted on the lip and the molar tooth. Again, proper aids cannot be given because the horse is in pain.

Wemouth bridle in combination with weymouth bit and bradoon:
The bradoon, which has the same type and width as a standard bit, is buckled at the same height as the standard bit without a weymouth bit. The weymouth bit is always selected one centimetre smaller than the bradoon bit, so that the weymouth shanks lie close to the lips. The weymouth bit is buckled underneath the bradoon bit at the level of the curb groove so that the bradoon and the weymouth bit do not touch or lie on top of each other.

You can read about how to correctly buckle a bridle in general in our guide to bridles here.

6. Which bit is suitable for young horses?

For young horses a single jointed loose ring bit with continuous rings is suitable. With this bit the horse has the possibility to escape the pressure by tongue play if it becomes too much for them. The movable rings also absorb a lot of the rider’s hand. If the young horse finds it difficult to accept the shortened inner rein in a turn and falls over the outside shoulder, a full cheek snaffle bit can be used instead of the continuous rings. This way it is easier to close the horse up.

We have summarised further information on the effect of the individual types of bit in the chapter „Types of horse bit and their effect“.

7. Are thin bits severe?

Basically, a bit is only as severe as the rider’s hand. A rough rider’s hand can turn even the „gentlest“ bit into a weapon against the horse. At the same time, the bit itself has an influence on how severe it is. With a thin bit, the contact surface is narrower than with a thick one, so that more pressure can be exerted on the tongue with less rein effort.

The type of bit with regard to the severeness of the bit is to be evaluated even more strictly than its thickness. A bit with shanks exerts more pressure on the horse’s mouth, lower jaw and poll when the reins are lightly pulled than a loose ring bit does when reins are pulled with the same power.

If you want to protect your horse and use a bit that is not so severe, you should not necessarily use a thicker bit, as the space in the horse’s mouth is limited. We have explained the effect and therefore the severeness of the individual bits in detail in chapter „Types of horse bit and their effect“.

8. Which bits are hypoallergenic?

Direct contact with metals can cause allergies, especially if nickel is present, keyword: contact allergy. However, research has shown that the nickel contained in both conventional and sweet iron bits is so well bound that only minimal amounts are released through the horse’s saliva, so that these do not lead to an allergic reaction. However, if you want to be on the safe side, stainless steel bits are generally a good choice. Nickel is chemically bound in the alloy and is not released.

If you want to exclude nickel completely, we recommend the Felix Bühler TITANIUM LINE bit, which does not contain this component.

In our online shop you will also find GOLD MEDAL bits, which are nickel-free and therefore hypoallergenic due to their special alloy. Plastic bits, such as the bits from APPLE MOUTH, are also generally hypoallergenic.

9. How often should I replace a horse’s bit?

When the bit needs to be replaced depends on the wear of the surfaces. Accordingly, the bit should be replaced as required, when there are grooves and sharp edges in the material that could injure the horse’s tongue and mucous membranes. Stainless steel bits therefore last for several years. Copper, on the other hand, is a very soft material, which is why it may be necessary to replace it sooner. Depending on the horse’s chewing activity, plastic bits can be damaged after only one use or can also be used for a longer period of time.

10. How much does a snaffle bit cost?

The price of a snaffle bit depends on its material, alloy and any innovative shape. A single or double jointed snaffle bit can be purchased for as little as £30. If it is a new type of material that is particularly resistant, hypoallergenic and light, the prices can also range from £150 to £200.

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