Introducing the tools you will need to be ‘On the Bit’: a comfortable bit and noseband.

When we ask our horse to go “On the Bit” we are expecting our horse to drop his head and reach out to the bit with an elastic pull that we can hang onto with our hands.

However many times what we get is a horse that pushes his nose out to the bit but then freezes his neck, jaw and poll. Or the more obedient horse who rounds his neck before freezing into a book end.

When a horse is uncomfortable with a bit he will protect his tongue and mouth from pain by clenching his teeth and his tongue onto the bit so it will not move.

To have a horse truly “On the Bit” his tongue, jaw and poll must move right along with the rhythm of the rest of his body. And horses are cleaver, as soon a they desire to quit communicating with you they can lock that poll in an instant.

It is our responsibility to make sure our horse loves his bit and the bridle pieces that surround his face.

Without an elastic rein connection we will never capture impulsion and will never develop the upper levels of dressage.

Bits It is my personal opinion that the only bit worth riding in is the KK bit by HS Sprenger.

I have a bucket of bits and until the KK bit came available I would switch bits frequently looking for the one that my horse would remain soft to.

Horses will give in the jaw to any bit, but they will not reach out for a bit that pinches or pokes.

Before I found the KK I used other three piece bits, like the Dr. Bristol and french link and the pre-curved bits like the Myler sometimes worked for a while. But for the very best feel in your hand, for the light elastic contact we aspire to, try on a KK bit; your horse will love you for it.

These are my KK bits. The photo above shows the KK Ultra (left) and the KK Trainer (right). I recommend using only these bits for dressage training. The KK lies smoothly on the tongue and does not grab or pinch the mouth, bars or tongue of the horse. The horse can press his tongue to this bit comfortably, enabling a constant elastic connection to your hands.

These bits come in many thicknesses. I like to start thick and go to the thinner ones as I move up the levels. The KK Ultra goes in the mouth only one way and is milder than the trainer. This bit has a sensitive feel and keeps the horse responsive to half-halts and flexions. The KK Trainer is great for starting horses because youngsters tend to pull. You can hang onto your horse strongly without causing resistance.

My two KK bits are wrapped on Jody's forearm. Your forearm is approximately the size of a horse's tongue and it's here that you can feel what your horse feels when he's wearing your bit. Take note that both these KK bits lay smoothly over the arm. The KK can not clamp down on the side of the tongue and pinch it to the bars of the jaw. The KK can not poke at the upper palette, and there is no nutcracker effect when rein pressure is applied. The horse's tongue as a muscle can take hold of this bit and communicate fell back to the rider at all times. If the tongue is relaxed, the poll is relaxed and a relaxed poll enables a relaxed body.

Experiment! Place your single jointed snaffle over your arm and pull down on the rings. Ouch!

Nosebands  The other tool you will need to put your horse ‘On the Bit’ is a noseband that he likes, not you.

The pictures below explain the pros and cons of the "flash" and the "drop" nosebands. You need to have a nose band, it is required. The nose band is there to support the lower jaw of the horse so he can chew the bit freely and not have to think about keeping his mouth closed against the rein connection.

Here is Apollo in his flash noseband. This is a very popular noseband for dressage horses because it can have padding and color accents. The flash acts like a drop noseband, but is a flimsy substitute. The caveson however needs to be somewhat snug on the face to work, and some trainers still feel that it may need to be cranked tight. Look closely where the caveson lies on the face, back behind the bit on the soft cheek tissue against the horse's molars.

Some horses find this irritating because they are chewing the inside of their cheeks as they chew the bit. Make sure your horse's teeth are filed smooth before using this type of noseband. If you are using a KK bit and a caveson with a flash noseband and your horse is still tight in the poll, go to a drop noseband. Your horse is telling you he does not like your choice of tack!

This is Grace wearing her drop noseband. The drop noseband lies in front of the bit and buckles on the jaw right behind the chin. The noseband is padded where it goes across the nose and as the rider applies pressure to the bit, the padded part puts additional pressure on the nose for more effect. I like to start horses in the drop noseband. It give me more control of a young horse's head and more directional control. The drop noseband never has to be tight, so the horse can chew the bit easily.

Horses that pull their tongues up over the bit or put the tongue out, do much better in a drop noseband. They fuss less. But, some horses can be claustrophobic in a drop and feel too restricted by the added control of this noseband. For them, the caveson with flash would be the better choice.

I never force my horses to work in a bit or noseband they don't like, so I own several of each style and many sizes of bits. It has been my observation that mares tend to work best with the drop noseband and geldings and stallions prefer the caveson with flash.

Happy Outfitting! It’s only more money!