Understanding the Snaffle Bit

Ridemagazine.com - Full Article

By: Richard Winters
November 3, 2010
This snaffle is adjusted just below where it would cause a wrinkle in the corner of the horse’s mouth.
This snaffle is adjusted just below where it would cause a wrinkle in the corner of the horse’s mouth.

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This snaffle is adjusted just below where it would cause a wrinkle in the corner of the horse’s mouth.
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Snaffle bits are ideal for teaching lateral flexion.
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These are just a few snaffle bit variations available.

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Hanging in your tack room is probably some form or style of snaffle bit. Perhaps you use it everyday. Or maybe it’s unused and gathering dust. There is probably no bit that is more widely used, regardless of the riding discipline, than the snaffle bit. Even though it is a commonly used piece of equipment, there are still many misunderstandings regarding its use. Here are some of my thoughts regarding the snaffle bit.

Generally speaking a snaffle bit has a broken mouth piece connected to rings on either side. There are different mouth pieces such as plain smooth, extra thick, extra thin, twisted wire, and a handful of other variations. The cheek pieces can be a simple ring, egg butt, o-ring, or full cheek. Most snaffles will be 5” to 5½” wide. This size will fit the vast majority of horses. In the last few years some performance horse trainers have been using 6” to 6½” snaffles with extra heavy rings. They believe there is more “pre-signal” and “feel” with those larger bits.

Snaffle bits are lateral mechanisms and are made to be used laterally - side to side...

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