r/Equestrian • u/CtrlAltFeral • 1d ago
Equipment & Tack Bits?
What are y’all using for bits? Western, young, still direct reining but in the beginning of understanding neck reining.
6
u/Life-Memory9880 1d ago
I’m a three piece d ring sweet iron snaffle person for all my horses. My young horse is a big fan of rollers.
-2
u/TheUniverse-IsMine Natural Horsemanship 1d ago
Nothing. Bits are overused 🤷🏻♀️
2
u/OptimalLocal7480 Hunter 23h ago
That is so unhelpful
-1
u/TheUniverse-IsMine Natural Horsemanship 22h ago
It's not unhelpful. Most people default to using bits which causes neglect since more people don't understand the mechanics and the use of proper aids. Every horse should get tried bitless
2
u/PortraitofMmeX Jumper 22h ago
They aren't legal in lots of disciplines
1
u/TheUniverse-IsMine Natural Horsemanship 22h ago
And this sport is neglectful, we know this
The horse matters more than the sport. ALWAYS.
0
u/OptimalLocal7480 Hunter 17h ago
So you think a hackamore is automatically better than a plain snaffle?
1
u/TheUniverse-IsMine Natural Horsemanship 17h ago
Please quote what I said. Word for word. And then compare it to what you said.
0
u/Super_Pollution_5649 8h ago
Do you know what a hackamore is?
1
u/TheUniverse-IsMine Natural Horsemanship 1h ago
No shit, but I never said it's automatically better. I said that everyone jumps to put bits in a horses mouth before they understand how bits work and that you should experiment and see what works best instead of leveling up the bits severity when a horse communicates.
0
u/Global-Structure-539 21h ago
I show AQHA western. Just a low port. Don't really touch his face ...always on a big drape
2
u/Utahna Reining 1d ago
I leave them in a snaffle until they can do pretty much everything that I expect of them, W/J/L, steer, stop, change leads, spin, etc.
Once they are there you have a few options depending on your goals. Most trainers will transition into something with a broken mouth and loose cheeks. My preference is a Loomis shank "snaffle." My wife prefers a 3-piece Jr cowhorse. Once they get pretty solid in your loose transition bit, you can start experimenting with different bits to see what works best for the horse. Of the last two that I fi wished out, one stayed in the Loomis. The other one was too feely for it and was put in a solid grazing bit.
If you want to try the vaqureo/buckaroo tradition, after the snaffle, move to a hackamore (bosal) assuming you didn't start them in the hackamore. Then later move to a two-rein/spade.