Get Your Horse to Work on the Bit

A major part of becoming a skilled horseman is developing a feel for the bit, which combines balance, staying centered, and direction to create a smoother, more enjoyable riding experience for horse and rider. Taking time to understand the bit, learn how to properly place it, and working closely with your horse on the bit will allow you to create a more enjoyable riding experience for you and your horse.

Steps

Preparing for the Bit

1. Ride a bit-trained horse. This should give you an idea of what to expect from your horse once it’s on the bit. For best results, have the horse’s main rider or trainer ride for a few minutes. Then, trade places and feel how the horse responds naturally, and the ride feels smoother. Most importantly, you should gain an understanding of how the bit helps the horse maintain a more comfortable, natural posture and movement.
2. Choose the right bit. If it’s too large, you could injure your horse and undo the work you’ve already put into training it. Even large horses don’t really need large bits. The bit sits at the back of the mouth on your horse’s gums. This soft tissue is full of nerve endings that make this spot extremely sensitive. When selecting a bit, you’ll need to consider the width and shape. For the best results, a wider bit with a curved shape is ideal.
   • Thinner bits can be painful for the horse. Thinner bits put more pressure in a concentrated area, leading to discomfort.
   • A curved bit allows more space for the horse’s tongue, so the movement of the bit has the intended interaction with the sensitive soft tissue in your horse’s mouth without gagging the horse.
3. Ask a an experienced trainer for assistance. Consider them your best resource in learning to bit train a horse. Much of bit training relies on feelings, not specific movements, so it’s important to talk to other trainers for advice and assistance. If it’s your first time bit training a horse, you may want to observe the experienced trainer as they train your horse.
4. Keep your horse in shape. A healthy horse is more likely to keep up with their bit training, so exercise your horse regularly. One of the best ways to improve the strength of your horse is to walk and trot up and down hills. A thorough daily warm up and ride will keep the horse in great shape, build the connection between you and your horse, and make it easier to train them on the bit.

Placing the Bit

1. Sweeten the bit. Place a small amount of honey or molasses on the bar that goes across your horse's tongue. This makes the bit seem interesting to your horse. It will likely take the bit into its mouth happily. However, once the sweet stuff is gone, your horse may spit it right back out. Keep practicing. After awhile, your horse should start to relating the bit with a sweet treat and take it willingly.
2. Leave just the bit in place. This is contested by some trainers, but if you use a large enough bit and do not leave it in your horse's mouth for more than a half hour at a time, allowing the horse to hold the bit on its own can be helpful. Without associating the bit with riding, training, or work, your horse should become more willing to transition into doing these things on the bit. Additionally, it allows your horse to become accustomed to the feeling of having the bit in its mouth.
3. Attach the bridle. Once your horse will hold the bit in its mouth for several minutes at a time up to a half hour, you can start some basic bridle training. You may simply want to connect the bridle and allow your horse to feel the difference in sensation, or you can attach a lead and take the horse for walk. The goal is to get your horse used to the feeling of a full bit and bridle. Again, don't leave the bit and bridle on for more than a half hour at a time.
4. Begin bit training young. Many older horses fight the bit because they've never used it. If you want to bit train your horse, start as soon as you begin training and riding. The bit should feel natural and comfortable to your horse, and the younger they are when you start bit training them the more likely they will be to perform well on the bit.

Warming up on the Bit

1. Keep sessions short. Depending on the age of a horse, training should only be done for about half an hour at a time. Think about your own learning ability. Most people retain information delivered in smaller sections, and horses do too. Additionally, the bit will likely feel uncomfortable for your horse as it adjusts, so it’s best to limit the amount of time with the bit at first. The bulk of your thirty minute session should be a simple warmup.
   • Younger horses may do better training for fifteen to twenty minutes at a time.
   • Better trained horses may be able to handle larger periods of training, especially if you extend the warmup.
2. Warm up your horse with basics. Many trainers start off training the horse on the bit, and if you’ve decided to do this, it is even more important to start with simple movements that your horse is becoming familiar with. If you’re training an older horse, warming up with the basics creates an association in your horse’s mind between their “usual” ride and how this “new” ride is connected. During the warm up, you’ll need to start with simple forward motion and check for straightness, rhythm, and contact.
3. Establish forward motion. This is the key to a successful training session or ride. If you gently squeeze the side of your horse and it starts directly forward, you’re all set. If a gentle squeeze does not start your horse forward or your horse is fighting the bit instead of moving forward, you may need to provide reprimand and reinforcement. Always avoid squeezing harder and harder to urge your horse forward. In the long run, this will leave you with a poorly trained horse and an exhausting ride.
   • When the horse does not move forward, you can use a whip, tap with your leg, or whatever method of reprimand you choose to use with your horse. Give them a firm “no” movement. Then, try squeezing again, gently.
   • As soon as the horse moves forward with a gentle squeeze, reward them with encouraging words like, “Good job.” You can also have a helper offer them a small treat, if this is something they’ve been struggling with.
4. Confirm your horse’s straightness. Once your horse begins to move forward, you’ll need to make sure the hind feet are following the same line as the front feet. This is called straightness, and it is how you can determine whether your horse is comfortable moving on the bit. If you notice curving of the spine when your horse is moving forward or spinal stiffness as it turns, your horse is not straight. Bring it to a halt, reassure it, and start again. Repeat until the horse’s movement is straight.
   • For a well-trained horse, a change in spinal straightness may be the only way to tell that it is not truly accepting the bit. Because the horse may not otherwise “fight” the bit, changes to the alignment of the spine and coordination of the back and front legs will let you know the horse is struggling.
5. Evaluate your horse’s rhythm. Every horse is unique, but no matter what your horse’s natural rhythm is, there should be equal intervals between each step. If you notice a halting or jerking quality as your horse moves, their rhythm may be off. To determine comfortable rhythm, count your horse’s steps. As you count one, two, three, four, there should be even spacing and smooth flow between the beat of each hoof. If the horse’s rhythm is off, slow or stop it. Then, begin again, increasing speed gradually.
   • If you play a musical instrument, counting your horse’s rhythm is very similar to how you count a measure of music. This musical experience may give you an advantage in determining when one beat is too long or too short.
6. Assess your connection to the horse. Known as contact, this may be the most important part of your warmup. If your horse isn’t connected to you, responding easily to your commands and concentrating on following your lead, they are not going to be as successful with more advanced instructions. Your hold on the reigns, posture, and leg movement all affect your connection with the horse. Be aware of every moment and how it impacts your connection to your horse.
   • Keep the weight of the reigns even between hands. This places consistent pressure on the bit, ensuring your horse will notice when you place more on either side to begin turning.
   • Establish a consistent resting state of the reigns. Your reigns shouldn’t be constantly pulled tight or left lax. Instead, find a happy medium between the two, and continue to hold this contact.
   • True connection takes time. You will not achieve this natural feeling of communication with your horse in one ride. Keep practicing every day.

Training Your Horse on the Bit

1. Teach the half halt. There is a “go to” command for almost any skill in horse riding. A good rider and well trained horse know these commands. The half halt is the key command for bit training. Half halt may be a bit of a misnomer. Instead, think of it as half start or half go. The half halt is how you change your horse’s direction or gait. You don’t stop, you simply shift to another activity. It’s a combination of leg pressure and pull on the reign.
   • A horse that’s on the bit will respond quickly and naturally to half halt command to change speed or direction.
   • A horse that is not on the bit will fight, feel unbalanced, or respond incorrectly to the change.
2. Practice the figure eight. This is an easy method to train half halt. You’ll need to slow the horse slightly by squeezing both calves and sitting lower in the saddle. Then, use the reign to shift the pressure on the bit slightly to one side. Allow the horse to follow all the way through the curve and straighten out facing the opposite direction. Then, perform the same change to go back the other direction.
   • Do not pull the horse from the front. Use gentle pressure to tell them where you want them to go, and allow the horse to proceed.
3. Walk the horse in a circle. This is one of the most difficult maneuvers to teach your horse. It’s best to start out of the saddle, and simply lead the horse first in a large, gentle circle. Then, shift to a smaller circle. Next, switch to performing this circle in the saddle. Again, begin with a larger circle, and bring the circle in as your horse seems more comfortable.
   • Try going onto a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} circle, bending the horse around your inside leg. When your horse can do this easily, it is responding well on the bit.
   • As your horse bends around your inside leg, make sure that it is still stepping with its hind legs and moving forward into the bit.
   • With practice, you will notice that the horse reaches into your hands, seeking the contact, and accepting the bit.
4. Keep practicing daily. This is not something you or your horse can learn in one day. It takes time, effort, and flexibility to build a connection with your horse. Being on the bit must come from behind, not from the front. This means it’s your horse’s choice to follow instruction, and not that you’re pulling the horse through the bit.

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Sources and Citations

See also

• Teach Your Horse to Lie Down
• Condition Your Horse
• Train a Horse
• Train a Horse to Drive
• Halter a Horse
• Lead a Horse
• Break a Horse
• Teach Your Horse to Lunge
• Lunge a Horse
• Do a Flying Lead Change

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What links here

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