06/05/2020
The Evolving Equestrian
The justification for using a harsher bit, is that they are, "Only as harsh as the hands they're in." On a surface level, it makes sense. A harsher bit in soft hands can be less painful for a horse than a softer bit in rough hands. I think many like repeating this because this logic lends some a sense of superiority. They are experienced enough for such tools. Others just are not.
Want my take?
Harsh bits are harsh. Period.
Comparing ourselves to beginners or poor riders who have yet to learn to keep their hands from bouncing, not to balance on the reins, or who cannot or do not use the reins with a measure of control is a low bar. "Well, they hurt the horse's mouth with their soft bit worse than I do with my harsh bit," is crap reasoning, in my opinion, first and foremost.
What I mainly want to talk about though, is how bits are rated by level of severity. I'd like to point out here that they are not rated by level of rider experience or by how good/bad the rider's hands are. They are rated by level of severity- mild to severe. I've included some examples of bits you can buy from Teskey's.
With that being said, let's say we have two different bits. We have a loose ring, smooth mouth snaffle and then we have the corkscrew bit in the picture I shared. Now, we have the same rider who has very good hands. Her hands are light, soft, and still. The same hands using these two different bits will not have the same effect in the horse's mouth. Why? Because one is much more severe than the other. One will inflict more pain/discomfort than the other.
It is not about comparing ourselves to those who do not use their hands as well as us. It is about the design and function of the bit. The same rider can use the same pressure with two different bits and one will have a much harsher effect because that is its design.
If there was no difference we wouldn't have a million different bits. Severe bits are not magically mild in good hands. Just because someone can hurt a horse with a soft bit by yanking on the horse's mouth doesn't make the severe bit you are using any milder. It is still severe. It is still harsh. That is why you chose it. Time to be honest.
You wanted to be able to apply pressure more easily or to more sensitive areas. If the bit was not more severe, you wouldn't have felt the need to put a harsher bit in your horse's mouth in the first place. Call it refinement or precision or whatever you choose, you wanted to get more bang for your buck.
The function of a bit is to inflict discomfort/pain to different areas: tongue, bars, palette, chin, poll, cheeks, lips. The location(s) and level of the discomfort/pain that is inflicted by the bit does not somehow suddenly cause a horse to collect, neck rein, set their head, move in any particular way, or do anything specific. All it does is enable the rider to inflict discomfort/pain to certain areas and to a certain degree. If that aversive stimulus is removed following a desired response that response will increase (R-). If it is added immediately following an undesirable response, that response will decrease (P+) The horse learns to respond to the bit from the training behind it, not the bit itself. So, if you're thinking, "But, I didn't change bits because I wanted something harsher, I wanted a leverage bit for more collection." You just got a stronger bit, honey. It's on *you* to train the horse how to respond to that thing. They aren't magic.
To bring this back around, good hands do not change the level of severity of a bit. You're right, bad hands can make even mild bits more painful, but good hands cannot make severe bits any less severe than they are.
Instead of, "Bits are only as harsh as the hands they're in." I prefer, "Severe bits should be reserved for skilled riders, and skilled riders don't need them." They are obsolete. Or, “The amount of force to train a {horse} is inversely proportional to the skill of the trainer. Those with more skill use less force.”
Harsh bits are harsh, no matter who's hands they're in.
