Favorite snaffle?

[cloudy18]

As far as bits with true chain mouthpieces… I think some horses might prefer a well made one, if they are trained to neck rein. As far as I know, a chain mouthpiece should really only be used on a leverage bit on a horse that knows how to neck rein. If you use a snaffle you’re likely going to be direct reining
​​​at some point, and dragging those links over tongue and bars and lips to some extent.

OP, I’m not trying to bash your bit choice, but I don’t see how the thickness of a bit is going to help it be softer if there’s a slow twist. Those sharp ridges are going to be sharp whether the bit is fat or thin. And a fatter bit with a slow twist might be more harsh than a thinner one due to the fact that it’s fatter and hitting more areas of the mouth.
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[Rackonteur]

What @cloudy18 said. Any twist bit is a severe bit.

It is our hands and seats that should be our concern. A rider’s favorite bit should be whichever bit is the horse’s favorite bit. Neither of us needs devices, we need good horsemanship.

[TheHunterKid90]

@Rackonteur

What @cloudy18 said. Any twist bit is a severe bit.

It is our hands and seats that should be our concern. A rider’s favorite bit should be whichever bit is the horse’s favorite bit. Neither of us needs devices, we need good horsemanship.

I beg to differ. Bits are for hands, not for horses. If it were up to them, we would never put a bit in their mouth or saddle on their back. What bit a horse goes well in for me may be different than the bit a horse goes best in for you.

[cloudy18]

@TheHunterKid90

I beg to differ. Bits are for hands, not for horses. If it were up to them, we would never put a bit in their mouth or saddle on their back. What bit a horse goes well in for me may be different than the bit a horse goes best in for you.

I don’t feel that your comment is opposing Rackonteur’s comment that you quoted. If a horse goes better in a different bit from one person to the next, doesn’t that come down to better horsemanship, typically?

[OTTB_Chick]

Thank you again for your responses. Thank you @cloudy18 for saying that. I know you all are not trying to bash me. I will be changing my bit but at the moment, this is the snaffle that I have. It is what my trainer had given me but I shall go through her other snaffles and find one my mare will hopefully like. I just need something that is a lot of copper, it really calms her down and she will actually listen when the bit that is in her mouth has copper. I am had hoped that with this thread I could learn more about more snaffles and that others could share their own snaffles that they hold so dear.

[cloudy18]

https://stubbennorthamerica.com/product/2222-steeltec-loose-ring-snaffle-bit/

​​​​​​This one looks similar to one I have, if it’s not the same one. Mine may not be copper. I no longer have the horse I bought it for so I haven’t looked at it in awhile. Your horse is likely going to be stronger when you get rid of the slow twist, but that’s where training comes in, obviously. And depending on what you do with your horse, a Kimberwicke is a kinder (compared to a slow twist) step up if you need a bit of leverage. It may not be legal for all types of showing, however.

Are you on Facebook? There’s a group called Horses; Proper Bits and Bitting Techniques. Sometimes they get a bit overzealous at hating certain bits, but you can get a lot of good information there.

I tried a single joint snaffle, a lozenge and two different Myler Comfort snaffles on my mare, and I really don’t think any made a big difference. It came down to training, probably more my training than hers.
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[Showbizz]

Dutton and Darnall offset Ds.

[Aces_N_Eights]

I’ve used chain bits quite a bit but not the snaffle versions, the original Mike Beers shanked ones. Originally they were made for rope horses and they are not as bad as they look. You’d be surprised how relaxed a horse can become in one or not be as worried as other bits. Curb strap adjustment and placement in the mouth can change the effect of the bit, higher in the mouth and the tighter the curb the more severe it is.

Also when riding rope horses you ride them in your hand so again it is not so severe they don’t get scared of it and it has a lot of movement to where if you need to help them the movement is there. I also found they can’t really brace on it like say a fixed cheek solid mouthpiece bit and learn to run through it.

As far as using the snaffle version I’d think you’d have to be pretty quiet and have a good chin strap. Using one rein at time and sliding it back and forth across the tongue and lips sure could make a colt sore in a hurry. Someone way handier than myself could get away with it.

[Rackonteur]

@cloudy18

I don’t feel that your comment is opposing Rackonteur’s comment that you quoted. If a horse goes better in a different bit from one person to the next, doesn’t that come down to better horsemanship, typically?

Bingo. :encouragement:

[Kynesha]

Most of the horses I have had or ridden, I’ve used a snaffle of some sort. Personally, I prefer full cheek snaffles. One mare I had went very well in a full cheek with a slow twist - a plain snaffle wasn’t enough but a Kimberwicke was too much. I’ve had two OTTB - one went in a plain snaffle, one did best with an eggbutt mouth piece. My current mare is currently in a plain full cheek snaffle. She also goes just as well in a french link full cheek. In the end, it’s whatever the horse goes best in.