Bits-The Snaffle, the Pelham, and the Gag
I just read an article entitled "It's All About the Bit That Works Best For You." I couldn't disagree more, it's all about the bit that works best for your horse. Like all things American, we have gone crazy for the latest gadget when it comes to bits. Wilson Dennehy and Marvin Beeman only used two bits, a snaffle or a pelham, for show jumping, hunting and polo. Why? Because "I never found a horse that wouldn't go well in one or the other," they both independently said to me. As for the Snaffle, there are a few kinds worth mentioning. First, the Eggbutt Snaffle: The Eggbutt is a very common multi-discipline style of cheek piece for snaffle bits. The eggbutt snaffle minimizes two problems that can arise with its cousin, the loose ring snaffle, whose rings can pinch the edges of the horse's mouth, and which doesn't provide much lateral stabilization. By flaring out the ends of the mouthpiece and joining the rings with flush swivel joints above and below where the lips contact the edge of the bit, the eggbutt can be a more comfortable alternative for many horses. The edges of the mouthpiece are less likely to pinch the horse's lips, and because the cheek is fixed in relation to the mouthpiece, the bit offers moderate lateral control. When the bit is pulled laterally through the mouth, there is some resistance on the opposite side, which can help encourage the horse to turn with less danger of pulling the bit through the mouth than exists with a loose ring snaffle, though more than with a dee-ring or full cheek snaffle.By having rings fixed to the mouthpiece, the eggbutt does give up some