5 Go-to Bits for Taking a Two-Year-Old to an All-Arounder

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316 – March/April, 2022

By Megan Sacia Ulrich

Transitioning from a snaffle or hackamore to a bit with a shank and a curb chain is a big transition in a young horse’s life and not one that happens overnight. First, the pressure applied takes place in entirely new and different areas. Acclimating a horse to new headgear is something that takes time, tenacity, and the right tools.

Trainers Cole Baker, Justin Wheeler, and Leonard Berryhill offer insight into the trusted options they turn to as they guide a youngster riding in a smooth snaffle through the progression into an all-around horse.

In each trainer’s arsenal of bits, there’s sure to be a few core options. First, there’s the typical, smooth snaffle that is used when many two-year-olds are started under saddle. There’s likely a twisted-wire snaffle or a slow twist. Then, there’s often a side pull headstall or a hackamore. There might also be a short-shanked bit with a small mouthpiece, which may come in the form of a small port, a small correction, or a broken snaffle-type mouthpiece. There’s probably a combination snaffle and nose-pull bridle. Finally, there’s the bit with a shank that most horses are shown in when they are finished.

Of course, every horse is unique and will respond differently to various tack. Certainly each horse may not need to use all of these bits, or spend the same amount of time in them. But, as they progress their young horses through their training programs, these three trainers find themselves most often reaching for these five types of bits and headstalls–each of which have their own benefits.

Smooth and Twisted-Wire Snaffles

Click here to read the complete article
316 – March/April, 2022