Choosing the right bit for a horse depends on the development of the animal and the rider, says one of Canada’s top horsemen.
Jonathan Field of Abbotsford, B.C., told a workshop at the Western Canada Farm Progress Show that there is a universal misconception about bits.
“The idea is that bits are for brakes.”
Field said many people blame the horse if it is out of control, and they pull on the reins and use the bit to assert dominance.
“There’s no bit in the world that gets a horse to calm his emotions.”
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However, he said bits are a communication tool.
Choosing the appropriate bit begins while the horse is being trained. Riders first need to gain control with a halter and then a hackamore, he said.
A bit could be used after that, he added, although some people never use one at all.
Field favours Myler bits that exert varying degrees of pressure on the tongue. He said tongue pressure is the most invasive and the bits he uses have ports to allow relief.
Field uses three versions of the same bit, beginning with one that offers just 0.6 centimetres of relief on the horse’s tongue. The second bit has more space and the third even more.
As the horse and rider learn to work together, the need for pressure decreases.
He told the workshop about a horse that had significant calluses around the mouth caused by a bit. The sensitivity in the mouth had been lost and the bit was essentially of no use.
“I want that future sensitivity.”
He said the level of communication required between horse and rider depends on the horse’s purpose. For example, dressage requires a highly engaged horse.
Riders should also consider what bits have previously been used on a horse, the shape of the horse’s mouth and dental condition.
