CHHorseTrainingTips

How To Get A Better Stop And Soften Your Hard Mouthed/ Strong/ Hot Horse Now that we have an understanding of bit function lets talk about related topics. Below you will start to learn to soften your hard mouthed/ strong horse up and how bitting up may not be the solution. Attached are numbered pictures to go along with my explanations. I apologize for the quality of some pictures as some were video stills. In some, yes I may be in shorts. When it is over 100 degrees, my goal is to stay comfortable. All too often I see posts where frustrated owners talk about how their horse runs through their bit, how they have tried multiple bits to get their horse to stop and they aren't getting the results you want. The truth is, a bit is not a solution. It is a tool that you can use to teach your horse to respond better to. When you use stronger and stronger bits, the teaching aspect has fallen to the side and you are instead using intimidation. It's a common thing, after all it...

More Than a Bit About Bits  Snaffle Bits  A snaffle bit is a bit that works on the direct amount of pressure you apply. If you use one pound of pressure that is what your horse will feel. The thing that determines what a snaffle bit is the cheekpiece, not the mouthpiece. Although it is a common misconception that a snaffle is a bit that is single jointed, that is not the case as you will learn below.  A loose ring/ O ring snaffle is a snaffle with a lot of movement. The mouthpiece can move around the ring of the bit as well as your rein. A loose ring may not be ideal for a sensitive horse because of the movement. However this is a common choice for a horse that leans because the movement along the ring makes it harder for a horse to lean on a riders hands.  Commonly called an eggbutt, this cheek piece is actually a fixed ring. Eggbutt refers to the shape of the mouthpiece, how it is widest the attachment to the cheeks. A D ring is even more stable and can also ...