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Can we talk about bits?

F

Faster horses

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
30,503
Location
NE WY at the foot of the Big Horn mountains
I think different bits are interesting. Here are a couple that
we like.

This is a broken mouthpiece, and I really like the way the
shanks curves back away from the horses mouth. Plus, I think
it's pretty:

035-3.jpg


Then this one I saw on a horse at a Mormon rodeo. I asked the
guy about it and he said he made it. So I asked him to make one for
us and he only charged $20. This bit is so comfortable that a lot
of horses really like it. It is made with 'sweet iron'.

037-2.jpg


And I doubt not many cowboys/ropers have seen this bit.
It's an English bit called a "Kimberwick." Mr. FH has modified
it so that harness reins can be used on it. It's a great bit for a young
horse as the shanks can pull straight out to the side if you need to
help start a young horses nose. It has a little curb action so
that helps the transistion from snaffle to curb bit.
This bit is very mild.


036-3.jpg


We have others of course, but these were some out of the ordinary.
Ok, lets see your bits!!!
 
Here are a few bits,couple in there are handmade by Texas bit maker,caint remember his name but they are marked "Roy" I got some fancy bits somewhere if I can find em I will take a pic and post it.
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IMG_1816.jpg

IMG_1830_2.jpg

IMG_1815.jpg

good luck
 
the_jersey_lilly_2000 said:
...the bits are only as severe as the hands holdin the reins are.
Click to expand...

Thats the truth. Ive seen people cut horses mouth with a copper snaffle with 4 inch shanks. jersey, looks like yall have a nice collection of barrel racing bits. Ill try to put up pics of my roping bits later on.
 
Faster horses said:
Yes, I agree to a point.

A long shanked bit is more severe...more
leverage...and not everyone has soft hands. Took me a long time to learn what
'soft hands' really are. What I learned is how fast you release pressure.
Pat Parelli says "humans hands open slowly and close quickly"...just the
opposite of what is neededl They need to open quickly and close slowly.

Another thing that is important to look for is the 'purchase'...the distance
between the mouthpiece and where the headstall hooks on to the bit.
That's one reason I think that our $20 bit is liked by a lot of horses...
it has a long purchase. Short distance in that area makes a bit prone
to pinch.

I like Lily's 'Little Wonder Bit". I think they are good for a lot of horses.
JL seems to use a lot of sliding gags, and I don't know much about them, but I do know those can be severe or not,
depending on the person using them, as she said.
Our daughter barrel raced and she had a grandson of Leo who
had a lot of run. She tried a Lynn McKenzie combination and it was too
much bit for him.

I'm like katrina, I see quite a few horses that are over-bitted.
Thanks for your nice comment, katrina. You can sure tell alot about
what's going on with horses by looking in their tack room.

Solid bits are more severe than broken bits. We have a friend
that's an excellent horsman and he maintains that bits need to be
broken somewhere. In the mouthpiece or on the shank; but somewhere.

FWIW
Click to expand...
[/quote]
 
I like that first bit, katrina. I like the mouthpiece a lot.

That bosal seems to be a bit of an 'easy stop' with that piece of board
on the back. I'm curious as to why it is set up that way.

And I didn't know for the longest time, that floppy or soft bosals
are better for young horses.

This is fun!! I hope we get to see more bits.
 
I have my brother's old stud turned gelding. And the first bit is for him.. He needs just a little more than say a regular snaffle. I ride mostly with my feet and weight so lots of times what I have for a bridle really is only for emergencys or if a horse gets out of position and I need more of a correction... Say like sorting or cutting out of postioning sometimes needs to be corrected quicker than with just a que...

The bosel I have rode for years colts with.. The board again is for emergencys... I don't know how many times going down a sandhill I've been tried... Just gives me a little more leverage... Horses seem to get real lazy with me and sometimes I need just alittle reminder that's all..
 
Nice ones wyo rancher... I really like the first one. Where did you get it and is it stamped with a maker?
And the second one is that a roller??
Tell us why you like them... This is soo much fun. I love bits...
 
The first bit has a BB stamped on it. I kinda "borrowed" it from my brother several years ago :wink: :lol: . I do like it.

The second bit has a Billy Allen mouthpiece. It was recommended as a good transition bit, but I like how my horse works in it, and he doesn't seem worried with it like he does a curb. I'll probably just keep him in it. That is a roller over the middle joint which limits movement, but it does have a little flex.
 
Oh, I really like a Billy Allen...we used to call them Billy Allen
Reining bits and you're right, horses like them. They kind of lay
on their tongue, but have a bit of a curve to them.
Your shanks and mouthpiece look a bit differernt than what I"m
used to, but now I can see the resemblance.
Kewl!
 

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