I came across an interesting comment on a Reata Ranch Facebook (Facebook.com/reataranchadventure) post recently. The post was a short video of my first ride with Rufus (a horse considered highly dangerous, unpredictable, and untrainable) in the Arizona desert. It was a wonderful and successful ride where Rufus began learning to navigate the rocky, treacherous terrain with a human on his back. All the while, Rufus was directed and cued by me, his trainer, which added challenge to his navigation. I felt on “cloud 9” as we traversed the beautiful desert for a couple hours. I used a snaffle bit on this ride. The interesting post by a follower read “NEVER USE BITS.” In this simple introductory blog regarding head tack and horse control, I will address the use of headwear in controlling a horse while riding, including some types of headwear and bits and the pros and cons of using bits in riding horses.

While I fundamentally disagree with the opinion that bits should never be used in riding horses, I do agree that bits can be misused and can cause difficulty and problems with a horse. If used incorrectly, even the least severe bit can hurt a horse’s mouth. In order to avoid creating this problem, it requires knowledge and understanding of horse behavior and of the tack being used to control that behavior. It also requires lots and lots of practice and good feel and timing in order to safely utilize tools such as bits during riding.

Bits have been used as a means to control horse movement for thousands of years. The first known metal bits in history date back to the 14th to 8th Centuries BC in ancient Mesopotamia, now modern-day Iran. However, other bits of differing materials such as horn, bone, wood, sinew, rawhide, and rope were used prior to that. While bridles with bits are generally used and accepted among most of the horse world, there are other ways of riding a horse.

Free Riding – The most difficult way of riding a horse is free riding – riding without use of any headgear and manipulating the horse with cues from the hands and legs generally. Some free riders will use a single rope around the horses lower neck/shoulders area for addition cueing.

Halter – Halter riding requires a horse to be trained to respond softly to cueing through some sort of rope or reins attached to a halter. The halter typically is used as a means of controlling the horse on the ground, i.e. leading, backing up, etc. However, with it’s points of pressure located over the nose about half way between the eyes and the nostrils, the halter is also used by many as a means of controlling the horse while riding.

Hackamore – The Hackamore is similar to a halter, with emphasis on pressure over the nose and even over the poll behind the ears, typically with a piece of rope or leather over the nose in a similar position as the halter. A training hackamore has a hardened rope over the nose and coming to a pointed tear drop under the jaw with reins attached at this point. Other hackamores have lateral (side) pulling attachments and even shanks and curb straps. No matter the style or variation, hackamores are used en lieu of a bridle with a bit for horse control in order to avoid have a bit in the horse’s mouth. They can be very effective equipment, especially for early training and with horses with sensitive teeth or other problems with bits.

As for bridles with bits, there are hundreds of kinds and variations of metal bits used in the horse world today. For simplicity’s sake here, we will address the two major types of bits and a few variations of them.

Snaffle – Although there are enough variations of the snaffle bit to write a book on, the typical snaffle bit has a jointed mouthpiece and a ring on each side to which the head stall and reins attach. Remember – the head stall and reins attach to the same ring. The rider will use the reins to communicate her wishes through the bit to the horse. A snaffle bit is also a training tool used by professional horse trainers when focus in the training is in lateral movement, softness, and helping a horse follow his nose.

In general, a bridle with a snaffle bit is considered “less severe” than a shank bit. Many claim the snaffle bit is more humane to the horse. However, I can’t stress enough that a snaffle bit can be just as severe, if not more severe, than a shank bit. It all depends on 2 things: 1. The rider’s ability to manipulate the bit safely to control the horse. 2. The horse’s training.

Curb – The curb bit has even more variations than a snaffle bit, and searching for the “right” curb bit for your horse can be a daunting task. Curb bits are designed to “cue” the horse more efficiently during competitive and recreational riding. Designed with a mouthpiece, a shank, and a curb strap or chain, a well-trained horse will respond softly and quickly to the slightest pull from the reins. The head motion is typically flexed vertically and downward. Unlike the snaffle bit, which places pressure directly and solely to the mouth, the curb bit’s rotating action adds pressure to the poll and the chin of the horse, giving the rider more accuracy and control of a well-trained horse. Very little effort should be required of the rider when pulling on the reins to control the horse with a curb bit.

I acknowledge there is a large group of horse owners, trainers, and horse enthusiasts in the world today who believe horses should not be ridden with bits. Many of these individuals follow Natural Horsemanship techniques (I incorporate many of these techniques, methods, and theories myself), which encourage the horse’s own natural instincts and behaviors, and focus on pain-free and fear-free methods of training horses. The idea is that a bit often causes pain to a horse, and therefore is contradictory to NH (Natural Horsemanship). These individuals also claim a bit in a horse’s mouth interferes with the natural design and use of the mouth, which is to eat, swallow, and breathe. They will claim a bit causes problems such as running away, head tossing, rearing, and many other negative behaviors.

I do agree that a bit can create pain and can cause all the negative horse behaviors described above. Some horse trainers and owners will graduate to more and more severe bits with a horse with a ‘hard mouth’ who is increasingly difficult to stop and control. I don’t advocate this method generally. I encourage any owner or trainer requiring a more severe bit to slow, stop, or control her horse, to have a professional horse trainer work with the horse to help him respond softly to light pressure. Despite the reality a bit can create problems for a horse, a horse can also behave negatively without a bit as well. Being a professional horse trainer with Reata Horsemanship, my opinion is that bad horse behavior as a reaction to a bit is a just symptom of two major possible problems – 1. The horse has not been trained properly, and/or 2. The rider lacks knowledge, understanding and skills to ride the horse with that bit. Note: Dental problems can also create issues with using a bit, but teeth problems are not being addressed here.

Poor or inadequate training of a horse can create all the problems listed above and countless other problems. I can’t think of anything more frightening when riding a horse than to have that horse run away. It happened to me when I was about 8 years old and training my first horse. A runaway horse can reach speeds from 25 up to 45 miles per hour, and falling from the horse at that speed will cause great injury and risk death. Rearing horses can also present with dangerous life-threatening situations. Whether it’s a life-threatening problem, a technical or performance problem, or just an annoyance, most horse problems can be corrected with the right type and amount of professional training. My focus in training is for a horse to “give” to pressure. In other words, the horse is trained to not run from or fight against pressure. He simply “gives” to it. If I start with a snaffle bit, I will put mild lateral pulling pressure through the rein to the bit and hold that pressure until the horse “gives” to the pressure and creates “slack” in the rein. This is the general rule of thumb in training. Pressure — Horse Gives — Release the Pressure — Horse Learns. Over time, other bits, such as curb bits, can be added for higher level training. I also ensure my horses “give” to halter pressure and can be ridden with solely a halter as well. I believe that the more cues and horse can receive and respond appropriately to by “giving” to that pressure, the more well-rounded and better trained that horse is. Good training that produces a safe and responsive horse in all situations and with all types of headgear is what we at Reata Horsemanship do.

In conclusion, a bit is appropriate for the horse who has been trained well to accept and “give” to that bit and who is being ridden by someone knowledgeable and skilled in use of that bit with that horse. In my experience and to my knowledge and understanding of horse behavior, most horses will accept a bit and will behave normally without the slightest variance. When introduced for the first time to a bit, most horses will not like it. This doesn’t mean it’s “bad” for them. They don’t like most of the things I do to train them initially, but with time, practice and persistence, they become calm, safe, and willing partners. They will lick, bite, and play with the bit for some time. Some horses accept the bit within less than an hour. Some require multiple training sessions spread across days to accept the bit. One thing is for certain – I’ve never had a horse who continues to struggle with the bit in his mouth. At some point, he accepts it, and it rests comfortably in his mouth and is used to the horse’s benefit and safety. A well-placed bit in a trained mouth, and a horse ridden by a competent person in use of that bit, make using a bit completely humane and appropriate.