Your Horse And Snaffle Bits
Snaffle bits are non-leverage bits, which means when pulling the reins there’s no amplified pressure, it’s a straight one-to-one pull. Snaffle bits are often considered to be the least severe forms of bits and are traditionally used in starting young horses as well as even in the fine tuning and training of advanced horses. When training or driving a horse, in order to get them to turn or stop, it requires direct pull to get them to bend their head and neck in the proper direction so the use of a direct pull reining device such as a snaffle is ideal.
There are many types of snaffle bits available, these are a few of the more common found:
The O-ring snaffle: is a jointed or broken snaffle bit on which the rings are free sliding. The loose ring prevents the horse from grabbing hold of the bit. If the horse attempts to grab the bit, it spin, which makes it difficult to get hold of. This isn’t a very popular choice because they can have tendency to pinch and even cut a horse’s mouth.
The eggbutt snaffle: is similar to the O-ring, but the rings are fixed on a hinge which prevents the bit to freely move. The eggbutt was designed because of the tendency of the loose ring bit to pinch or cut the horse’s mouth.
The D-ring snaffle: is similar in design to the eggbutt, the main difference is that it provides more clearance between the ring connection and the horse’s lips, making it even safer and more comfortable for the horse. D-rings are a popular choice for many trainers in starting colts, as well as for driving.
The full cheek snaffle: has extended arms above and below the mouthpiece on either side of the lips of the horse with a ring attached to it. The cheeks have a lateral guiding effect, and also prevents the bit from sliding through the mouth. The full cheek is often used with bit keepers to prevent the cheeks from getting caught on anything, and to keep the bit in the correct position inside the horse’s mouth.
Snaffle Bit mouthpieces are also available in many different styles, and most are primarily based on these common styles.
Jointed: applies pressure to the tongue, lips, and bars with a “nutcracker” action. This is the most common mouthpiece found on a snaffle.
Mullen: made of hard rubber or a metal half-moon, it places even pressure on the mouthpiece, lips, and bars. Considered a very mild mouthpiece.
French: a double-jointed mouthpiece with a bone-shaped link in the middle. It reduces the nutcracker action and encourages the horse to relax.
Roller: tends to make a horse relax their mouth and activate the tongue, encouraging salivation and acceptance of the bit. Also provides a distraction for tense or nervous horses.
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Tags: horses
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