What Your Horse Bits Are Made Of

When we put something in our mouth, that something has a distinctive flavour and creates a reaction in us. We might spit it out, find it somewhat bland, or savour the flavour as long as possible. Your horse's mouth also reacts to a mouthpiece's different materials. So, let's take a look at what your horse bits are made of.

Below is a quick and dirty list of materials used in bit mouthpieces and how they affect your horse.

Please keep in mind that these are statements based on the majority and do not always apply to all horses. Just like you have (or are) that strange friend who likes to eat a lemon just like an apple... Your horse could also have unique tastes.

Sweet Iron

Sweet Iron is made from black iron and copper, creating a metal that promotes acceptance and taste in the horse’s mouth. Sweet iron will slowly oxidise and rusts. The oxidation has a sweet taste that horses like and which encourages salivation; much like a piece of candy would in your mouth. However, this metal will almost always discolour and that's normal.

This is a metal that is highly appreciated by so many horses. Note that the sweet iron horse bits should be wiped dry after every use.

Copper

Copper offers a sweet taste that horses enjoy. It is better at increasing salivation than sweet iron; allowing ease in acceptance.

Copper is often formed into rollers that are attached to the port or bars of a mouthpiece. Rollers in the centre of a mouthpiece give the horse something to play with and keep busy. Rollers on the bars will make a bit less severe as it offers ease in movement.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel will not rust. However, it's seldom used to form mouthpieces because it does not have positive attributes in this application.

Stainless is used in moving parts that need to have endurance, such as internal rotating pins in the correction port. It is most commonly used on bit shanks rather than mouthpieces.

Quality stainless steel should outlast you and your horse.

Aluminium

Aluminium is the lightest metal material you will see used in mouthpieces. It has a short life as it tends to wear and pit over time.

Horses do not accept it as well because of its bitter taste and tenancy to dry out a horse's mouth.

Rubber

Rubber is a soft material that allows flexibility and comfort. Because of its soft nature, a centre support is usually used in rubber mouthpieces that can damage a horses teeth and mouth if not checked regularly.

Rubber bits have a relatively short life span, but is a good option for horses with very sensitive mouths.

Nylon/plastic

Nylon is slightly more durable than rubber and offers some of the same attributes. It is a strong material that can stand on its own; without the use of a centre support.

It is not as durable as a metal mouthpiece and will not withstand a horse that likes to chew on its bits.

If you are having trouble with a horse accepting a bit it might pay off to look at the material it is made of and try something different. Typically, you cannot go wrong with sweet iron or copper.