A simple horse bit guide: The 16 top horse bits for English and western riding. The world of horse bits is vast and entire books have been written about the topic. This article serves as a simplified guide to teach you all about the most common bits found in both English and Western disciplines.

Contrary to popular belief the bit isn’t designed to actually control the horse, it is, in the simplest of terms designed to communicate the rider’s wishes to the horse. The idea is that the bit applies subtle pressure to the bars of the mouth which are made of sensitive cartilage.

Jun 21, 2023 · A horse bit is a piece of tack that sits on the area of the horse’s mouth that lacks teeth. It can be made of metal or synthetic materials and is attached to the bridle and reins. Riders use the bit to control the direction and speed of the horse.

How Do Horse Bits Work? Horse bits rest inside the horse’s mouth between a natural gap in the horse’s teeth, called the “bar.” A rider moves the bit by moving the reins. Depending on the bit’s design, rein movement will apply pressure to the horse’s lower jaw, sides of the mouth, tongue, or roof of the mouth.

Nov 15, 2023 · You only need to walk into a tack shop and look at the "bit wall" to know that there are hundreds of types of bits for horses with unique variations designed to produce nuanced effects while riding.

Aug 8, 2022 · There are many types of horse bits out there, each with a different purpose and severity. However, determining the severity of a horse bit is not an exact science. There are many factors that influence how harsh a bit is, such as the hands of the rider and the properties of …

Aug 18, 2021 · Check the common types of English and Western bits. Here, you'll find a horse bit severity chart to pick the best horse bit for your needs.

Jan 27, 2025 · Before you put a bit in your horse’s mouth, you need to understand how it works. So we’ve put together this handy A-Z guide to bits to help you recognise all the different types and learn the action and affect they have on a horse’s mouth. What is a bit? A bit goes inside the horse’s mouth and sits in the space between their front and back teeth.

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.

Check out our comprehensive guide to some of the most common types of horse bits and what they may be used for, and utilize our horse bit severity chart to see what might be the right fit for your mount.