I recently purchased a pony, and her previous owners used a d-ring snaffle on her with no curb chain thus making it difficult to control her. She also wasn't worked hard in 2 years. What kind of bit should I use on her to make her easier to control? I'd like to contest her. Thanks!

The type of bit to use will depend on what event you plan to enter her in. If you are going to enter her in events where stopping power is needed, a mild curb bit with a shallow port is suggested.

If you are going to enter her in trail classes, or western classes a curb bit with a leather chin strap is required. English classes require a snaffle bit.

If the previous owners used only a snaffle on her, meaning she never has been worked in a curb, she may need to be trained to a curb before you can begin entering her in events of your choice and her ability.

Helpful information

A snaffle bit, does not have shanks and is a non-leverage bit, it operates in a different manner than a curb bit, which does have shanks and is a leverage bit. A snaffle works on the bars of the mouth and the lips, while a curb works on the tongue, chin, and poll. A curb is a harsh bit when compared to a snaffle bit.

A snaffle bit that is not properly fitted into the mouth can lose its intended purpose. Make sure that when using a snaffle that there is at least one wrinkle in the corner of the mouth on each side but no more than two wrinkles. Don’t tighten the bridle so snug that the horse is gaping. A snaffle bit that is fitted either too tight or is dangling in the mouth cannot do its intended purpose. A chinstrap will NOT function on a snaffle bit and is useless. It can NOT apply pressure. That is why the previous owners did not have a chinstrap on it. This is a good bit for teaching lateral flexion and turning. The disadvantage to a snaffle bit is that it doesn’t have the stopping power that a curb does.

A curb bit can lose its intended purpose also, if it is fitted either too lose or too tight. It should sit comfortably in the corners of the mouth, (one wrinkle is permissible if necessary); do not let it dangle in the mouth. On a curb bit a chinstrap WILL apply pressure to the chin thereby giving the rider stopping power. The chinstrap should be adjusted so that one can place 3 fingers between the horse’s chin and the strap.

Any bit that is dangling loose in the mouth has the potential of getting a tongue over it and can cause severe injury to the mouth. The mouthpieces come in various widths. One that is too narrow will pinch the lips. One that is too wide can bruise the bars of the mouth. A rule of thumb is to choose one where just ¼ inch is visible on each side of the mouth.