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The bit, bridle and reins function together to give control of the horse's head to the rider. The bit applies pressure to the horse's mouth, and reinforces the other control signals from the rider's legs and weight distribution. A well schooled horse needs little pressure on the bit from a skilled rider.
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]
A Liverpool bit Liverpool bit with reins attached in the middle slot. A Liverpool bit is a type of bit mainly used on driving horses. The Liverpool is characterized by its circular ring and the straight side piece with three slots, offering several positions for attaching reins. Different positions change the severity of the bit through its ...
Horses that tend to be lazy or behind their rider's leg will also become more so if ridden in double bridle before they are consistently forward. Overuse of the curb will cause the horse to go behind the bit, open his mouth, draw his tongue back in his mouth to escape the pressure, or damage the tongue. [1]
This latter method is only possible because bit keepers ensure the bit stays in a fixed position in the horse's mouth, and thus bits that do not use bit keepers (e.g., a D-ring or eggbutt) do not have this milder option. This bit can put pressure on the tongue, although it also adds pressure to the bars and lips of the mouth.
The problem with ramps is that they prevent the horse from freely chewing side-to-side. This causes improper and over wear of the molars. It will also, along with an underbite, cause severe discomfort when a bit is placed in the horses mouth. To solve the problem, the dominant tooth must be reduced to allow the opposing one to recover. [2]
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.
The gag bit is a type of bit for a horse with sliding cheekpieces of rolled leather or chord that run through the bit rings, providing leverage that pulls the bit up into the corners of the horse's mouth. It is considered a severe bit used to provide more braking power. [1]: 129 Some styles of gag bit are integral to a special bridle, known as ...