Growing up in continental Europe, the bit most used for anything was a two piece snaffle.
There were a few curbs, like the one on a double bridle with a bradoon, the military ones with a smallish port and Kimberwicks, with D sides to the curb mouthpiece, not real shanks.
There was the rare Pelham mentioned, but those were used more in the Brisith Islands, we didn’t have them and some specialist driving bits.
We did have mullen mouth snaffles, again, snaffle being considered any bit with direct action from bit to hand, without shanks to provide any kind of leverage.
When I came to the Eastern USA, again, we didn’t have any other bits than what I was familiar with, but we did have more Pelhams and Kimberwick ones in use.
Then I came to the West and saw my first snaffles with shanks and wondered how that worked, didn’t make logical sense to me that such bits would be consistent in their actions.
I did the bit in hand test with one, happen to be a Tom Thumb and an old timer, that had been very successful with ranch and roping/cutting horses helped with the rein handling.
I still could not see those kinds of bit really doing anything consistent and, being asked by the old timer what I was looking for, the old timer laughed and told me yes, those shanked snaffles were very much useless and more of a West type bit, from CA and those state’s type western riding.
I asked why was that bit then in their tack room and was told the one that tried to use it realized it didn’t work “worth beans” and when he left, he left that bit behind.
That one may still be in the old bit box somewhere around here.
That was several decades ago.
Now, I have seen many, many people ride in them, most with horses objecting but still getting done what they are doing.
So, to each their own, but at least do give all this a bit more thought, the next horses you ride will thank you.
