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A horse wearing an English bridle with a snaffle bit, the end of which can be seen just sticking out of the mouth. The bit is not the metal ring. Horse skull showing the large gap between the front teeth and the back teeth. The bit sits in this gap, and extends beyond from side to side. The bit is an item of a horse's tack.
When riding and driving, the horse is required to wear a bit in its mouth, connected to reins.The bit is often invasive for the animal. [6] The setup of the bit and the forces exerted by the reins play a crucial role in the oral health and comfort of ridden or harnessed horses. [7]
Bit burr. Resembling a bit guard is a bit burr (sometimes burr bit, also bubble cheeker in Australia), which has teeth laid against the horse's cheek. The burr bit was for a time widely used on coach horses in New York City, until the use was stopped in part through the efforts of Henry Bergh circa 1879. [1]
If a rider believes such a bit would benefit his horse, he should first look at the animal's training and his own skills. Many problems can be resolved through proper training, rather than harsher bitting. Usually, it is the less-skilled riders who find the need to use harsher bits, because they can't control their horses in anything else.
Horses naturally open their mouths to relieve the pain when a bit – a metal bar placed over the tongue – causes too much pressure, experts say. But dressage competitors lose points if their ...
A snaffle bit is the most common type of bit used while riding horses. It consists of a mouthpiece and two rings. The mouthpieces may be jointed. A snaffle gives direct pressure on the horse's mouth and has no leveraging shank. A bridle utilizing only a snaffle bit is often called a "snaffle bridle", particularly in English riding.
Horse showing severe discomfort with this bit. The main cause of tongue injuries in horses is the use of the bit during riding, whether due to the actions of the rider's hands or to unsuitable equipment. [3] A minority of tongue injuries can result from contact with sharp molars, necessitating intervention by an equine dentist. [44]
A curb bit works on several parts of a horse's head and mouth. The bit mouthpiece acts on the bars, tongue and roof of the mouth. The shanks add leverage and place pressure on the poll via the crownpiece of the bridle, to the chin groove via the curb chain, and, especially with a "loose jaw" shank, may act on the sides of the mouth and jaw.