curved mouthpiece bits on racehorses

Question

curved mouthpiece   hello Lynne. I work in a thoroughbred racing stable. may i know when to use curved mouthpiece bits on horses especially racehorses?

Answer
The photo you have attached is called a full-cheek snaffle. Snaffle bits come in many shapes.  What makes them snaffles is no leverage.  The side cheeks on the photo you have attached are to keep the bit from coming sideways out of the horse's mouth when lateral (side) pressure is applied. Some people prefer to use larger side rings. Personally some type of snaffle is the only bit I ever use on race horses or working saddle horses. (I believe if your cow horse, jumper, whatever can't be controlled with a snaffle or a bosal, both of you need more training)  There is a kind of bit with a broken mouth-piece like a snaffle but with long shanks on the side. This is NOT a gentle bit and not really a snaffle.  Some people feel that a snaffle is only meant for training colts and then they advance to a more severe bit with leverage. (Although not on the track. If the usual heavy-handed jockey had leverage on a horse it would not be a good idea. At best, he would slow the horse to much, at worst he could do permanent damage to the horse.) If if the reins are attached in a straight line with the horse's mouth, it limits the pressure you can put on him.  If you have shanks coming down from the each side and a curb strap under the horse's chin with the reins attached to the end of the shanks, when you pull back, there is a nutcracker effect and you can put much more pressure on the horse's mouth.