5 Basic Types of Western Bits

Western-style horseback riding focuses on activities such as cutting, racing, reining and trail riding and uses equipment that differs from that used for English-style riding. While there are many different types of bits available, understanding the basics of Western riding bits is essential, as choosing the right bit affects your horse's comfort and your control over your mount.

  1. Snaffle Bits

    • Snaffle bits are mainly used for lateral control of the horse. They are direct reining devices joined at the center by rings that are placed across the horse's tongue so to control the animal. No shanks are used. Snaffle bits come in many styles; those with thicker mouthpieces are considered softer bits, while those with thinner mouthpieces are harsher, according to Horsepower Magazine. Full cheek snaffles have long bars that protrude from the top and bottom of the rings, and these bars prevent the bit from pulling through the horse's mouth. They offer very effective control of the horse. Eggbutt snaffles have oval-shaped rings on either side and are fixed so they will not rotate in the horse's mouth. Such bits keep pressure off the corners of the horse's mouth and will not pinch or otherwise hurt the lips.

    Curb (Leverage) Bits

    • Curb bits have shanks and come in English and Western styles. The mouthpiece of such bits can be solid or jointed; however, it is the shank that controls how the bit works. Curb bits have a lever effect, according to Horsepower, and all the pressure put on the shank is directly transferred to the horse's mouth. These bits require chin straps which put pressure on the chin, making the bit effective. The shank on curb bits magnifies the amount of pressure felt on the mouth by as much as 10 times, depending on the shank's length. Curb bits are therefore considered much harsher bits than snaffle bits, according to Horsepower Magazine.

    Gag (Transition) Bits

    • Gag, or transition, bits are designed with a sliding mouthpiece that makes it possible to apply various levels of pressure to the mouth, and they are recommended as training bits for breaking in horses. They are often used in racing, according to KRR Horse Training Information. Gag bits are available in shank and jointed mouthpiece styles.

    Correction Bits

    • Correction bits are used by professional trainers when a horse needs additional breaking in or work. They are very severe bits not meant for everyday use, according to Horse Channel.com. There are several kinds of correction bits, such as low port correction bits, but all correction bits share an arch in the center of the mouthpiece (the port) that makes room for the tongue, a hinged mouthpiece and loose shanks. They are flexible bits overall and are used to work on a Western performance horse's gaits, headset and collection, according to Horse Channel.

    Tom Thumb Bit

    • The Tom Thumb bit was named after a train on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad with the same name, according to KBR Horse Training Information. While sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Tom Thumb snaffle because it has a broken mouthpiece, this bit is actually a short-shanked leverage bit. The leveraged rein attachment and broken mouthpiece makes for a very severe bit, according to KBR, as it can "squeeze the jaw like a nutcracker." It has been known to break a horse's jaw if used by a heavy-handed rider unfamiliar with its severity. KBR recommends reading "The Trouble With Tom Thumb" by Mark Rashid before using Tom Thumb bits.