Galop 4Knowledge
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02Domestic lifeKnowledge
- 03Identifying a horseKnowledge
- 04The passportKnowledge
- 05Routine careCaring for the horse
- 06Vital signs and illnessCaring for the horse
- 07Needs and feedsKnowledge
- 08Feeds to avoidKnowledge
- 09How the canter worksKnowledge
- 10The aids, flexion and bendKnowledge
- 11Boots and legsCaring for the horse
- 12Snaffle bitsKnowledge
- 13The contactIn the saddle
- 14The jumping positionIn the saddle
- 15Position and strideIn the saddle
- 16Canter from walk, quarter turnsIn the saddle
- 17GroundworkOn foot
- 18Safety and hackingKnowledge
- 19Tests and revisionRevision
The usual snaffle bits
The bit is the part of the bridle that goes in the horse’s mouth. Every snaffle acts directly, with no leverage; they are told apart by their rings and their mouthpiece.
In the exam programme
- Name and recognise the usual snaffle bits.Specific part
In Galop 2 you named the parts of the bridle and looked inside the horse’s mouth: the bit rests on the bars, the toothless gap between the incisors and the molars, and also touches the tongue and the corners of the lips. A snaffle is made up of a mouthpiece, the part in the mouth, and two rings, to which the cheekpieces and reins are attached.
- Single-jointed mouthpiece
- jointed in the middle. The most common: it follows the shape of the mouth and acts mainly on the bars and the corners of the lips.
- Double-jointed mouthpiece
- jointed in two places around a small centre piece. It pinches the tongue less and suits many sensitive horses.
- Mullen mouthpiece
- all in one piece, metal or a soft material such as rubber. It presses more on the tongue.
Loose ring
Round rings that slide through the eye of the mouthpiece.
Eggbutt
Fixed rings, joined to the mouthpiece by an egg-shaped butt.
D-ring
D-shaped rings: the flat side lies against the cheek.
Full cheek
An upright cheek, the ‘needle’, above and below the ring.
Baucher (hanging cheek)
A small fixed ring above the large one, where the cheekpiece buckles.
| Bit | How to recognise it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Loose-ring snaffle, the plain snaffle | Round rings that slide freely through the mouthpiece | The simplest: being mobile, it lets the horse play with the bit |
| Eggbutt snaffle | Fixed rings, joined to the mouthpiece by an egg-shaped hinge | It does not pinch the corners of the lips and stays still in the mouth |
| D-ring snaffle | D-shaped rings | Their flat sides press on the cheeks: it helps with turning |
| Full-cheek snaffle | An upright bar — the cheek — above and below each ring | The cheek presses on the side of the face and stops the bit sliding through the mouth; widely used for young horses |
| Baucher snaffle (hanging cheek) | A small fixed ring above each large ring, to which the cheekpiece is buckled | Very stable, with a slight action on the poll that invites the horse to yield there |
Thickness matters too: a thick mouthpiece spreads the pressure and is generally milder than a thin one. The bit must be the right width — showing about half a centimetre on each side of the mouth, neither pinching nor sliding — and fitted at the right height, making a slight wrinkle at the corners of the lips.
Remember
A snaffle acts with no leverage. You recognise it by its rings — loose-ring, eggbutt, D-ring, full-cheek, Baucher — and by its mouthpiece — single-jointed, double-jointed, mullen.
Common mistake
Believing a “stronger” bit will sort out a horse that pulls. The mildest bit turns harsh in a stiff hand: it is the hand you correct first, with your instructor.
Did you know?
Other bits, such as the gag, come in Galop 5. The double bridle, with its curb bit and curb chain, is on the Galop 7 programme.