bit weight in the horse mouth

Question
QUESTION: hello ma'am, this would be a silly question to you but much serious for me.

how much weight can an average horse hold in its mouth? i am talking about the bit weight. how can i assess that my horse is capable of holding a particular bit, not feeling too heavy or too light.

ANSWER: Deat Rohit,

Another good question. All bits can easily do damage to a horse and cause him discomfort, but I understand that using them is almost universally still accepted, and indeed in many disciplines (most racing, most showing) are required.

You are concerned with racing. The "science" of racing is of course to make the horse submit enough to be under control and run as fast as he can. Often it does not matter to the owners or rider if the horse suffers pain or discomfort, as long as it does not interfere with his control and speed.

That said, everything about the bit is important. Snaffles are used with race horses as you know.(at least in the States). I beleive that a heavy bit would be more uncomfortable for the horse-putting more weight on the bars of his mouth and his tongue. However, some horses do not do well with the very lightweight bits.

I have found for my riding horses that need to wear bits that the "KK" bits do very well. They are quite light. Remember that you also have to consider the width and the circumference. I do not agree with the "3 wrinkles rule"....(that you should see 3 wrinkles in the corner of the horse's mouth to see if the bit is fitted high or low enough in the horse's mouth). Horses have different skin thickness and conformation. I just check that if I pull down softly on the horse's mouth that there is not a gap....so it may end up being one wrinkle (Warmbloods have thicker skin usually, or three (Thoroughbreds usually have thinner skin).  

Mitzi Summers...www.MitziSummers.com      Summersdressage@aol.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: ma'am, am feeling shy to ask this question, how can i differentiate a heavier snaffle from a lightweight snaffle? should i blindly calculate their weight using a scale?

Answer
Rohit,

Simply the feel of the bit as you are holding it.

KK snaffle bits are quite light, for example. Many horses like them. The weoight of, for example, a weymouth bit and bridoon (double bridle) can be quite heavy.


I cannot imagine that a heavy weight bit would be comfortable in a horse's mouth.