.png?width=592&height=213&name=logo%20(1).png "Stuebben")
How do the different mouthpieces work?
The mouthpiece is the part of a bit that sits in the horse's mouth and, depending on its design, affects the tongue and bars.
These mouthpieces influence the bit's effectiveness and are crucial for the horse's well-being and acceptance of the bit.
We have summarized the key facts about mouthpieces.
Single-jointed
The single-jointed mouthpiece sits more steadily in the mouth than a double-jointed one and distributes pressure across the bars of the horse's mouth. The center joint stands up, reducing pressure on the tongue.
This mouthpiece must be correctly fitted—if the bit is too large, the raised center joint can press on the horse's sensitive palate and exert too much pressure on the bars.
The single-jointed mouthpiece is a good choice for horses that play a lot with their tongues.
Double-jointed
The double-jointed mouthpiece provides a broader surface area than a single-jointed one, and the center piece exerts pressure on the tongue. With two joints, this mouthpiece encourages a bit more interaction with the bit. The horse can somewhat regulate the pressure through tongue movement, but a double-jointed bit always maintains a certain level of pressure in the horse's mouth.
Anatomical Bits
Many double-jointed mouthpieces are also available in specially anatomical shapes. This design allows for more even distribution of pressure, but these bits often exert more pressure on the bars of the horse’s mouth during one-sided rein aids.
Double-jointed with a movable center piece
Another variation of double-jointed mouthpieces features movable center joints, such as the copper roller shown here. The sweet taste of the roller encourages chewing and stimulates horses that are very quiet in the mouth to engage more with the bit.
A bar applies uniform pressure to the tongue and bars. When there is unilateral pressure on the reins, the bar exerts more pressure on the side being acted upon and lifts on the opposite side.
This mouthpiece can be helpful for horses that play and chew a lot with their tongues, as it lies particularly steadily in the mouth.
Waterford
A Waterford bit is a special type of bit made up of a series of interconnected links. Contrary to what might be assumed, this bit has a very gentle effect because the individual links allow movement in all directions, and pressure is distributed very evenly across the horse’s tongue, bars, and mouth corners. The constant mobility of the links ensures that no single point in the horse’s mouth remains under strong pressure for long. This bit is particularly suitable for horses that tend to grab hold of or block the bit. The continual movement in the mouth can encourage the horse to pay closer attention to the rider's hand.