A Bit About Bits- Bit Basics and Snaffles 

I'm late to the game, but wanted you to know I heard you on the Whoa podcast and couldn't wait to hear what you had to say on RU-vid. Thank you for sharing what you know! This stuff should be basic horsemanship, but it's so rarely addressed. Thanks again!

After listening to Rick Gore scream anger and sexism at the camera this is a breath of fresh air. Sir, you have a nice calm, level headed approach that mirrors my own. Sound logic and sound advice. 10/10 Mr. Dauphin!

Accidentally stumbled onto this video, outstanding!! This man knows of what he speaks, at 65yrs of age, riding racehorses and 3day eventing when much younger, wish he'd been around teaching me then. Just WOW

Wow... i've watched and studied many clinicians, I can't believe you make any money doing this. You GIVE so much valuable information away, which is not or is rarely seen. I consider myself a better than average rider and I do train a few also, but I am always looking to learn more or refresh my bad memory. You are an excellent teacher and I appreciate your videos... you have a new follower.

An interesting point about the "no wrinkle" thing! At my barn we teach universally that there should be no more than one small wrinkle. The gelding I ride spares no expense in pulling the reins out of your hands to get his head even on a loose rein, lol; I'll try loosening the bridle a little and see if that's not more comfortable for him.

I searched a long time to find this level of knowledge and professionalism. There are a ton of videos out there that are awful. Thank you for doing this and for your dedication to horse training. I was coached by someone like you for many years and he would say exactly the kind of stuff you are saying so I feel right at home:)

I've been riding and back-yard training for. . .let's say awhile. None of us have it all figured out. This is an excellent reminder with great pointers!

I'm only 7 mins into it and it's the best I've seen on snaffle. This is exciting!

Bit topics are my favorite topics, especially when people accuse them of being bad. It's always the hands, yet there are bits that are harmful no matter how much experience the rider has, like the one with the spikes on the mouth piece.

Finally!!! I have been looking for someone to explain bits in an easy to understand and concise way! This makes so much sense as to what the bit is doing when I am giving pressure with my reins (hands). I feel like everything else I have watched made this so complicated and I still never understood the mechanics. Look forward to the follow up videos on the other bits!

I am currently binge watching your videos! Pretty bloody glad I came across your channel...... awesome information and I love your delivery!!

What an awesome video Daniel!! too few people get this info when they start to ride horses, so happy you put this up...I never knew you can use a slober strap on a snaffle...I will be putting this safety belt on my bridle today!

Great video! Thank you for taking the time to make this. I have been riding for over 20 years, and you really helped clear up some of the popular myths about bits, thanks again!

Love this video! The information is great, simple and clear. These are all the things I was taught and continue to work on, and what I teach my clients. Completely agree that if you don't understand how the equipment you're using works, you aren't going to correctly and effectively use it.You're also the only person I've seen other than my trainer and myself that rigs the bit hobble on a snaffle that way, for the same reason.Anyway, great job! Excellent video.

I want the 900 year abstinent Monk bits with the gin sew knife set! No BS this is a great video as I'm getting schooled for my kids first horses and My first in over 30 yrs. Thank You!

I can’t thank you enough for doing this series! For me bits have been the most confusing part of having horses. You’ve made it very easy to understand. Not everyone is good at teaching, but you are! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. It definitely benefits the horse and rider relationship.

I liked what you said, very well said that with or without bit , the hands are the villains here there is still metal on their mouth, I wouldn't like that, but you taught us very well

Thank you for providing this video. This is not the first time I've watched it. I was here revisiting it today. Thanks Again!

Having a license for some bits is a great idea!

Thank you for the validation. I too work with "problem horses" and I always see them brought in with chains through the halters and huge shanks on the bits with bars with ports that dig into the top of the mouth so when I pull out a rope halter and snaffle people think I am crazy like "my horse will kill you" and their horse doesn't want to leave because no one is causing them pain. The horses all do fine in snaffles because we get communication back with quick releases, no pain, and asking them to do what I want instead of trying to force a 1,000+ lb animal because I know who will win the fight. Going back to basics to find any loopholes in training and work our way through them with gentleness is what it is all about instead of adding more and more and more harsh bits. I have gotten told, like others on here, to just use a harsher and harsher bit. However a wise horseman told me "If we are training our horses each time we ride then why would we be needing harsher and harsher bits the more we ride them?" and he had a valid point. It was John Lyon's back in 1997 explaining why harsher is never the answer for better training.

Wow!! we are at opposite ends of the spectrum as I only have my 1st horse, a few various lessons and so very little to go on. Your presentation is amazingly clear & easy to follow and remember. No doubt I will go thru each one that is available here. So a BIG thank you!!!!

I love your comments about the bit not being the problem, it is the hands handling the bit. I say this all the time!!

I was always questioning why people think faster twists have more bite, it just doesn’t make sense with the surface area! Glad someone thinks the same!

Great information. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos. There's no substitute for years of experience, and you certainly have it. God bless.

Seriously good information...but Hilarious regarding your description of the $200 bit..I am going to try and learn that off by heart so the next person which comes into the saddlery I work in and asks me about these expensive gimmicks I'll have an answer. Thank you Dan!!!

Hey Dan, I just discovered your videos and web-site a couple of days ago and I reeeaaaaaaaaallllllllyyyyyyyyy like what you have to say. It's straight-forward info without the dung that often comes with it. I wish you had many more to watch.

partner you got your shit together

I am really enjoying your bit videos! Thank you for explaining proper placement, that's exactly what I was researching on RU-vid tonight :)

Great video.. I am not a horse person so I watched your videos on bits because I am teaching a Sunday School lesson including James 3:3 Indeed, we put bits in horses mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. I needed to understand how a bit works... Great video.. I enjoyed it way longer than I needed to get what I needed.. Thank you

Ah! Thank you so much! Lately, I've been trying to learn about the different kinds of bits, and I've had such trouble.

Great information, straightforward explanations. Thank you.

If you’d like to learn more about bits and bitting, we suggest our new DVD, “More Than a Bit… o’Information”. It’s the most comprehensive and thoroughly vetted information available today. You’ll understand how to communicate better with your horse and understand his side of the reins more fully. We describe things from the basics of English and Western and even go into advanced Dressage and Vaquero stuff. Novice to Pro, there’s lots of good info for you. It will pay for itself the very first time you don’t buy the wrong bit. www.dauphinhorsemanship.com/product/more-than-a-bit-o-information/

I am glad I stumbled upon these videos about the different styles of bits, their mechanics, and what disciplines they are generally geared toward. I want to be the best communicator to my horse without causing him discomfort.

Sir, I'm a green rider/trainer, and have been told I'm heavy handed. I do not want to be. I want to have the best riding experience for the horse to improve them. I am improving through video and watching myself riding. Now, I want to thank you for these videos in teaching me both about the horses mouth and the bits. Again thank you for the video.

Thank you for your excellent presentation. You are a good teacher.

Important to UNDERSTAND how the design of different bits work in the mouth. A young/poorly trained/'acting out' horse needs the softest bit possible to learn to trust contact with the bit. A super well-trained horse only needs the softest bit possible. Snaffles should be the #1 choice for anyone, and contrary to what's said here, a SHORT middle piece prevent the nutcracker effect of two-piece snaffle bits, and should always be tried first. Eggbutt-, and D-ring side-pieces should be the first choice, especially if your hands aren't very sensitive compared to loose rings. The mouth is the most sensitive part of the horse. If you have a horse that is in pain, or scared that it will hurt you'll get a tense, essentially untrainable horse. No bit-gimmicks! NO leverage needed, no painful designs. Train yourself. Train the horse.

Great clip for the newies to understand basics on bits. Will watch your other clips now.

Thank you! I’m a newbie, daughter is getting her first horse and that really helped

Thanks a mil! could be a bit shorter but great feeling that you really want to create the best partnership, based on clear communication and respect (and horses' smiles!;-) Would you please demonstrate as well the leather parts, especially by the horses' ears? there are a few straps types, loops around the ears etc, What are your feelings/ recommandations about this? How do you recognise whats most confortable for the horse(body language clues?) Thank you very much. And very cute kids by the way!

Best video I’ve watched, so far. I like your teaching style with real life anecdotes. From a beginner standpoint… great teacher!

Excellent information! Thanks for making this video!

A great 3-part series to make sense of the (initially) confusing world of bits! Thanks from a beginner!

What a fantastic video, so simple and concise. This was exactly what I was looking for. Just brilliant. Thank you !

i like this guy! probly cuz he's not trying to sell something lol

What would you advise for a barrel prospect to keep collected and not to where I am in their mouth as much but also to have a little bit of rate?? I have very soft hands and I don’t like to play in a horses mouth bc of the fact I believe the less I have to play in their mouth the more results I will get and also the less reacting I will get(more then the natural frame of a horse).

Excellent video!!!! You are great at explaining bits :)

Our hands. The most important part of any bit. My! Empathetic wisdom which will hopefully save many horses some suffering. Well done!

thank you very much for going so in depth on this

Thank you , excellent video.

Good video. The wind made it a bit difficult to hear at times but the content was spot-on. IMHO. I also set my curb strap behind the reins on my O-ring snaffles. As training progresses, I also may tighten that curb a little and add some chin pressure before I move them into a transition bit. Tightening the curb also makes the rings a bit less loose and helps transition into a less loose cheekpiece (like an Argentine). I find it makes the move to that new bit just a bit smoother. Personal preference...

Love this video, very informative and great presentation. Thank you!

Really enjoyed this video! Learned a great deal. However, he is incorrect when he says a loose ring snaffle would be laughed at in an English show. I have ridden hunters and low-level eventing, and many of us ride in loose ring snaffles. That is all I ever rode my OTTB in! But, over-all this is a great video! Thank you

Great video, learned a few things, thanks.

Definitely gave me tons of information that I can’t wait to apply! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

Loving your videos, thank you for making them

I personally ride bitless on my horse, but these videos are really helpful when I want to learn something. I do have a question; I'm riding a horse for a lady at my stable. She can't ride anymore due to a knee injury so I am helping one of her horses get exercise. He's currently in a stainless steel Turn Two double rein bit with the reins on the shank part. He responds well, but he's hard to stop when he starts gaiting quickly (He's half Saddlebred, so he gaits and he gaits as fast as my non-gaited Saddlebred Arabian can run). I'm thinking of switching to a different bit for him to soften him up, I'm currently looking at an old Sweet Iron shank bit that I have, hoping the iron taste would calm him down? If you have any other ideas, I'd love to hear them. I don't want to switch him to my hackamore as I don't trust him yet and I don't think the owner will let me go bitless on him anyway.

Tons of valuable info - thank you! I got a 17 yr Arabian gelding that is being re-started and has hardly been ridden over the years. I am struggling trying to figure out what bit to get him for the trail. He is very light and gentle, even to lead. Very intelligent, and tons of try. Never had a horse with so much try and desire to please. My trainer is using my eggbutt snaffle. I usually use a swept back copper/iron Tom Thumb with my other Arabs on the trail. I want to use something better and I was thinking of a Mullen iron/copper mouth dog bone with short shank, swept back, Argentine bit. SO that it has loops to be used as a regular snaffle and then a short shank for the trail. I want to keep him light but have control if I am galloping on the trail. His mouth is narrow, like a 4.5" and I am having trouble finding a 4.75 bit. The 5"'s seem big to me. I would love your opinion and suggestions. I like your loose ring snaffle work. I have one and will see if the trainer will use that instead. Also, Amen to the NO Wrinkle at the mouth!!! I have always believed that and get slack for it. Even this trainer has the bit so high up in his mouth he is struggling. She said it is to keep him from putting his tongue over the bit, which he still can do as he tries to find some relief... What do you think?

hahah cool scene of humor daniel. great video much appreciated cheers

This was so helpful. Thank you. Jack (my horse) thanks you too.

very good and informative.

Very helpful. Thank you!

Thank you for taking the time to teach us!

Thank you so much for this information! Amazing!

Thank you! great video, great information.

Thank you so much, very informative. I’m just learning and have watched a lot of videos and this was perfect.

You seem like such a kind person!

OMG. Thank you, the hands!!I have learned so much

So much agree, hard or soft hands. Never Hurd it explained like this

Excellent video! Thanks

Wow what a great job on teaching about bitting. I learned a whole lot.

i have a question. k so i mostly ride in a Myler bit i have a D ring on my older horse shes 20 and she has a carriage issue bring her head up really high and evades the bit. What would you do about a situation like this? What bit do i use on a horse that has a hard time giving into the bit? and iv changed bits a couple of times.

Wow this is so helpful! I'm new to horses. Thank you for your time & information 😁

I don't ride or have a horse but I'm just curious.... if the horse is used to having a bit with two wrinkles in corners of his mouth and feeling pressure , will he behave/ride differently with loose bit? Thx

I've ridden English with a bradoon snaffle ...i live in Ireland though.

I'm a novice rider and I ride with an O ring broken mouthpiece snaffle bit. I believe in another video of yours, you mentioned this type of bit is a lateral bit. To stop, should you use one rein at a time?

Great videos. Appreciate the time you've taken to educate us. Q: for a 10 y/o mare who has done a bit of everything including barrels, would it be feasible to just trail ride and arena work in a zero leverage snaffle? She turns great but sometimes seems to not slow down so good. Thanks.

This may be a dumb question but do you always transition from a snaffle or do you ride some horses that just always continue use a snaffle?

Good information.

My horse likes to chew on bits and I don't know why, or if it should worry me. He doesn't do it while we're working, but any time we stop at all he chews. He has gouged tooth marks in several bits. I've mostly used snaffles on him of varying mouthpieces, worn farther down in his mouth as you demonstrate in this video.

A bit of wind problem, but the content worth the viewing. Thanks

I have a question. I have a jumper mare that I am showing next weekend in jumpers. The first time I rode her, she went in a slow twist D snaffle, however, she seemed very sensitive to that pressure and tried to throw her head. I know she has a soft mouth, and I am a rider with soft hands. I'm not sure if It was just me getting used to her or me being a tiny bit nervous, or if she really doesn't like that bit. The following weeks, I used a Regular D snaffle. She went much better and seemed happier. However my problem arises when I am deciding which bit to use for the show. I know that she will be really amped up but I still want to be able to maintain control without her tossing her head too much. Please help if you can, Thank you

Mr. Dauphin I think your bit knowledge is great and you're very informative on purpose and usage. I too believe that the hands are the single most important tool in communication regardless of bit or bit less head gear. Also I believe the type of rein used also plays a big role in the softness of a finished riding horse. By type I am referring to leather vs any other type of material used on a bit. I am convinced by using and showing others that a leather rein of flat 1/2" leather or less or as in what I use, which is roughly 3/8" square leather, plays greatly in the softness of training to get a finished saddle horse. My belief is that the less weight on the horse's mouth and head (including the headstall) the better. I think plain flat leather reins provide better, softer and quicker action/connection with the bit. Your opinion?

Thank you for the video great info:>)

You are a really good teacher!

Would you agree that a "harsher" bit should never be used to make up for lack of training? Had an old cowboy tell me the other day that I need to put a stronger bit in my horses mouth to "make her listen".

I find it funny how the brand that makes the majority of those big, bulky plastic bits is named "happy mouth". Whoever designed them was NOT considering the anatomy of a horses' mouth :(

I need 1" double stitched headstalls with split reins and cannot find anywhere. Can u point me as to where I can order them??

Awesome video and way of teaching! Do you ever come to Northern California?

many thanks. What bit would you recommend for an arabian horse with small face? A mean, measure and type

Thank you, very good

How do you care for your sweet iron bits? Many complain they rust so quick....

Thank you

What would you work on a three year old Tennessee Walker Pleasure horse she is keg shod? It’s hard to find a lot of info on gaited horses. Need some advice brother

What would you use on a horse that pushes though the bit and will not stop and rides in a O ring snaffle with a roller (3piece) and is worse in a single break

what are your thoughts on double jointed bits and bits with different cheek pieces like egg butt or d ring?

I appreciate these videos so much you have no idea! Even thought my riding school have taught us most of these things before we even got to sit on a horse, it is nice to go over them again now when you are older and get a reminder of what to do and not to do. A question I have is the wrinkle part, can this be applied to English riding too, that there should be no wrinkles in the corner of the mouth when the bit is in or was this rule for western only? Thank you so much for these videos, keep up the good work! ^^

Snaffle bits do they also work on one handed riding, or only on two seperated hands?

Can you please explain when it is needed to go from a leverage bit back to a snaffle? For example a 5 y.o. who isn't following nose

Please explain ore about the "hands down" (severe issue) Thanks

What causes a horse to be constantly chewing on the bit?