The Proper Fitting of Metal Horse Bits
Bitting a horse can be one of the toughest things an owner has to do with their horse, and not all animals appreciate the task.
Most of us know at least one horse that can't wear a bit, and listed below are some of the many reasons for one to consider the nontraditional horse bits available today.
Making sure a horse's bit fits properly is the first step in bitting horses.
Horse bits should not crease the corner of the horse's mouth, and no part of the bar should be visible outside the mouth when the bit is fitted correctly.
The horse should salivate well as it is ridden and the bit should not be dry or painful in the animal's mouth.
Getting it in the horse should be something it was trained to do as a youngster, the horse shouldn't throw its head or bite out of fear.
If your horse does, you will either have to find another alternative to the metal bit or retrain it to better accept the bit.
If you are riding in a metal bit, take care to warm the bit on very cold days as no horse appreciates holding a metal bit that is going to stick to their warm wet tongue.
IF the temperature is extremely high, on hot sunny days, a metal bit can likewise become extremely warm and burn a horse's mouth like a leather car seat would burn your backside.
Take some consideration and think of this while you are bitting your horse.
Training methods aside, if you choose not to bit your horse with a metal bit, there are tons of products out there designed to work better with the horse than just a hunk of steel laid across its tongue.
Mechanical hackamores are somewhat severe in my opinion and some of the bitless systems work better than others.
My rules pertaining to these systems include good control, affordable price, a simplistic design, a fail proof, durable, outdoor material, and a good reliable company name.
These are pretty good guidelines to follow and keeping them in mind will save you a ton of hassle and confusion later on.
The system should also release easily, some of them bunch up and while they tighten with ease, they don't let up very easily.
That will be a problem if you are out riding and have to stop, only to have equipment problems on the trail.
Most of us know at least one horse that can't wear a bit, and listed below are some of the many reasons for one to consider the nontraditional horse bits available today.
Making sure a horse's bit fits properly is the first step in bitting horses.
Horse bits should not crease the corner of the horse's mouth, and no part of the bar should be visible outside the mouth when the bit is fitted correctly.
The horse should salivate well as it is ridden and the bit should not be dry or painful in the animal's mouth.
Getting it in the horse should be something it was trained to do as a youngster, the horse shouldn't throw its head or bite out of fear.
If your horse does, you will either have to find another alternative to the metal bit or retrain it to better accept the bit.
If you are riding in a metal bit, take care to warm the bit on very cold days as no horse appreciates holding a metal bit that is going to stick to their warm wet tongue.
IF the temperature is extremely high, on hot sunny days, a metal bit can likewise become extremely warm and burn a horse's mouth like a leather car seat would burn your backside.
Take some consideration and think of this while you are bitting your horse.
Training methods aside, if you choose not to bit your horse with a metal bit, there are tons of products out there designed to work better with the horse than just a hunk of steel laid across its tongue.
Mechanical hackamores are somewhat severe in my opinion and some of the bitless systems work better than others.
My rules pertaining to these systems include good control, affordable price, a simplistic design, a fail proof, durable, outdoor material, and a good reliable company name.
These are pretty good guidelines to follow and keeping them in mind will save you a ton of hassle and confusion later on.
The system should also release easily, some of them bunch up and while they tighten with ease, they don't let up very easily.
That will be a problem if you are out riding and have to stop, only to have equipment problems on the trail.
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