I did a search here and couldn’t find any information on titanium bits more recent than 2013, and that thread contained very little. Have any of you tried titanium bits? If so, what is your opinion? The weight and longevity appeal to me, but I know little else about them. Also, I can’t seem to find any bradoon/curbs in titanium when I googled.
I could not afford PURE titanium bits. Then I found that there are titanium COATED bits. I bought several different mouthpieces in the titanium coated bits, all of them are “rainbow” (E-bay has some, Amazon has some–on Amazon look up aaliff sports and Ebay also has an aaliff “store”.)
Due to my MS my hands are not really that stable in the heat of the summer. One thing that really impressed me about using the titanium coated bits is that even during the hottest, most muggy summer mornings, the three horses I ride ALL let me use snaffle mouthpieces that they hate me using in stainless steel (three-piece snaffle w/ lozenge, Kimberwick, anatomic single jointed egg-butt snaffle, Mullen mouth). Not only that but when I went back to the only bit that these horses had let me use during the summer heat (stainless steel Wellep snaffles) they all “told” me that they wanted the titanium coated bits, somewhat emphatically, after being happy with the Wellep snaffle bit for years.
Unfortunately for some riders who show the titanium coated bits are all “Rainbow”, sort of gaudy though my riding teacher thinks that they are pretty. I have no idea if the “rainbow” bits will ever be acceptable in the show ring, but since I do not show I did not care about this.
The smallest width mouthpieces I have found in the titanium coated snaffles is 5" though I did find a 4 3/4" rainbow titanium coated bit from a tack store in New Zealand (three piece w/ a copper roller.)
Lorenzini makes pure titanium Weymouth curbs and brandoons, from 5" on up. The aaliff “store” has a Western “rainbow” titanium coated grazing curb. These are the only titanium curbs and brandoons I have found on the net.
Bombers bits have three bits, loose ring, “egg-butt” and elevator, available through the Horse Bit Bank of England, that have titanium mouthpieces in 5", 5 1/4" and 5 1/2", with the Happy Tongue mouthpiece. I’ve tried their titanium “egg-butt” snaffle on two horses so far, the OTTB did not like the shape of the Happy Tongue bit, but the Arab/Welsh mare went well in it. These bits have regular looking stainless steel rings and blue colored mouthpieces.
Warning, there are “rainbow” bits made of stainless steel too. Make sure that the “rainbow” bit has a titanium coating.
I do not know if the titanium coated bits are as light as the PURE titanium bits (Lorenzini). The titanium coated bits do warm up QUICKLY, a blessing in the colder weather.
The horses seem to really like the titanium coated bits, so much so that they no longer want to have anything to do with any stainless steel bit, no matter how mild the stainless steel bit is, at least when I am in the saddle.
And if the horses are happy I am ecstatic! I thought I was “doomed” to ride with a Wellep snaffle the rest of my life.
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I show my PRE in the Lorenzini Titanium bradoon and curb. The weight difference really changed his willingness to take contact.
Interesting! I just saw my first titanium bit at a tack store and was amazed at how light it was – like, too light, it seemed. Do you feel your contact is the same as with other bit materials?
I showed my FEI horse in the lorenzini bradoon and curb after trying several HS combinations. My horse seemed to stay lighter in the titanium bits. I don’t know that they are magical, but I liked them.
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Someone I know had a titanium bit but her’s is not rainbow colored. It is so lightweight and it was recommended to her by a BNT.
I think for a horse who has issues with the bit or even the weight of the bit on the tongue or poll, I would definitely give a titanium bit a try.
@Jackie Cochran
Unfortunately for some riders who show the titanium coated bits are all “Rainbow”, sort of gaudy though my riding teacher thinks that they are pretty. I have no idea if the “rainbow” bits will ever be acceptable in the show ring, but since I do not show I did not care about this.
They are… why wouldn’t they?
There is no such thing as « acceptable » or not in the show ring. It’s legal or not. These bits are legal.
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One of my horses goes in the Lorenzini bits. He has a very soft mouth and would duck behind the bit some when he was younger. The titanium bit helped him take a more steady and reliable contact. For him it was a clear preference over other metals or plastics. I got him Lorenzini bits for his double for when it’s time for that. I got the snaffle here and ordered the bradoon and Weymouth from Europe.
I tried my other horse in the snaffle once and she hated it, I got off after a few minutes and changed back to her normal bit. So, like all things, their preferences play a major role.
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Interesting 
they are not BD legal here in the uk.
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They are FEI, USEF and EC legal.
I wonder if there are other countries where they aren’t?
I really don’t understand the reasonning behind this. What does the color change? :rolleyes:
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Not saying I agree with the BD bit rule, but colour apparently has something to do with dressage since you cannot show in a pink saddle.
Where did you find these bits?
“Google” Lorenzini titanium snaffle (or curb or whatever) and the sites that carry the Lorenzini bits will come up.
Dressage Extensions carries them.
So two different horses, 2 completely different experiences with Lorenzini bits.
1st was my old mare that has inconsistent contact, chomping, rooting- she loved them, totally different horse in the contact
2nd my gelding- He hated those bits, became inconsistent and just didn’t ride the same. He needed weight in his mouth apparently. He ended up loving Trust bits, game changer for him. They are the blue steel sweet iron ones.
I got mine from this place https://www.myselleria.us/ they were the only ones that had a small enough diameter and width.
I think I got his eggbutt from the same place, I know I couldn’t find one over here.
There is no rule regarding the saddle color in USEF and FEI rule book.
EC one only state a dark colored saddle… dark pink could work.
With all the bling and piping there is, I doubt a rainbow colored bit would matter much.
To me, colors or blings don’t matter as long as the « suit » doesn’t upstage the ride. A little bit of color here and there, a little bit of fun, never hurt.
Useful link, I was able to find the one I am searching for.
On a side note: breathable copper bits? I’ve never seen those.
I’d like to find a titanium bit for trial (preferably a bit bank here in Europe), but have had no luck.
What on earth do you think that means ??
