Choosing a bit for a strong horse is rarely just a matter of going stronger. Sometimes a different bit is the answer, but the reason a horse pulls is often somewhere else, and a stronger bit can hide it rather than fix it.
A horse pulls for several reasons, only some of them about the bit. Bit fitter and BHS coach Louise Bates points to adrenaline (the event horse on the cross-country course), a horse that isn’t in self-carriage and so uses the bit to cope, and discomfort from the bit or elsewhere in the body. Her warning is worth remembering: horses in pain will lean into pressure.
The rider counts too. Heavy hands, or using the reins to balance without an independent seat, can make a horse strong. So can the fitness and level of training of both horse and rider.
Before you reach for anything stronger, make sure he isn’t in pain, his teeth checks are up to date and all his tack fits. If he’s bolting, Bates says, it is usually pain-related and changing the bit may not make any difference.
Look inside the mouth as well. In a Finnish study of 208 event horses checked after cross-country, 52% had fresh lesions in the bit area, often with no bleeding visible from outside. A BHS discussion on bit fit advises checking your horse’s mouth weekly and calling a qualified bit fitter or registered equine dentist if you find a problem. Our guide to whether your bit fits covers the basics.
A different bit helps once pain and fit are ruled out, and the aim is usually a bit that uses different pressure points in different ways rather than one that is simply stronger.
Read these as a list, not a severity scale: the mouthpiece and your hands change how strong any bit feels.
For a strong jumper, Bit Bank Australia’s first suggestion is simply a loose ring. The Finnish study also found thin (10 to 13 mm) and thick (18 to 22 mm) bits linked to more moderate or severe lesions than mid-sized ones, though the authors want a larger study to confirm it. See bit diameter, or try the Fager Leo Sweet Iron Loose Ring.
Sprenger says its Kimblewick, worn with a curb strap, acts on the tongue, poll and lower jaw, with slightly less leverage than a Pelham; where you attach the rein changes how much. Try the Bombers Kimblewick.
A leverage bit: it makes your rein aids stronger and asks the head to lower, so you should have less in your hand than in a snaffle. The Bombers Pelham 55 Short Shank Snaffle sits in our Pelham range. Read leverage bits explained first.
On a Myler combination the headstall attaches to the purchase, and rein pressure is shared between the noseband, curb strap, poll and mouth rather than resting on the mouth alone. Myler explains that the mouthpiece slides on the ring, giving only light pressure until it reaches a stop. See the Myler Short Shank Combination Comfort Snaffle Low and the combination range.
A running gag works on the corners of the lips and pulls upwards, encouraging the head to rise. It is not for novice riders and needs a balanced, independent seat. See the Trust Sweet Iron Loose Ring Gag Elliptical. A universal is a different bit with milder leverage than a Pelham; read what a universal bit does.
If your horse is healthy and pain-free, the advice is to start with groundwork and basic schooling. Any bit change belongs alongside that work.
Every metal bit named above can go out on a 30-day Bit Bank trial, so you can see how your horse answers before you buy. If you’re unsure whether your horse needs a stronger bit at all, ring our Bitting Specialists on 01405 861800, option 3.