Selecting the proper Headstall, It could be a life saver.

A shank bit on a one-ear headstall with curb chain.

A snaffle bit on a headstall with brow band and throat latch. A slobber strap is used with a snaffle.

Question: I was told that I had the wrong headstall on my ring snaffle bridle. Does it really matter? How do I choose the proper headstall?
Answer: I have always noticed the small things that people tend to do when it comes to their horses and their choice of equipment, and I have to ask myself, "Do they not know, or do they just not care?" Watching people ride in the warm up pen at a recent show, I noticed the number of riders that had the improper headstall for the bit that they are using. Headstalls were designed with a specific purpose in mind, to keep the bit hanging in the correct position in your horse's mouth and to allow you to pull on the reins and not have the headstall slip over their ears.

The hardest thing to overlook, from a safety standpoint, is when one is riding a horse around in a snaffle bit hung on a headstall that has no throat latch. When pulling on the reins, a headstall that has no throat latch and browband will tend to lift off of the horse's poll and possibly slip off over their ears(not the best position to be in when your horse spits the bit, literally). The throat latch is designed to keep the headstall in the proper position by securing it behind the horse's jaw with the brow band laying across the forehead just in front of the ears. The throat latch should be adjusted with 2-3 fingers width between it and the horses throat.

If using a bit that has leverage, a one ear or split ear headstall will be fine since they are being used with a curb chain(a headstall with a throat latch and brow band will also work, but I personally think that it looks out of place when paired with a leverage bit). The leverage bit, when pulled on, rocks forward in the horse's mouth. This allows the curb chain to apply pressure under the chin and slight pressure over the horse's poll, keeping the headstall in place.

Snaffle bits should be used with a slobber strap attached to each ring that runs under the horses chin. This is so a rider is able to pull the bit left or right without having the rings slide around into the horse's mouth, where we lose control. I also tend to ride all of my horses, when schooling, with a cavasson or noseband to keep them from gapping their mouth open and trying to get away from the bit pressure. The noseband is not used to keep the horse's mouth tied shut; it is just an aid that allows the bit to function properly without allowing any bad habits to start. It is always easier to keep a problem from starting than to have to go back and figure out how to correct it. The use of a noseband when showing is illegal equipment in most classes.

Proper fit for a snaffle bit depends on the horse's mouth conformation. I will start a colt in the round pen with the bit hanging a little lower in the horse's mouth so that the colt learns to carry the bit with their tongue. Once I start riding, I will pull the bit up so that I have 1-2 slight wrinkles on each corner of the colt's mouth.

There are entire books dedicated to the theories and principles of bit design, function and placement. Remember that every horse will prefer one size bit over another, like how tight or loose the curb chain is, as well as how high or low the bit hangs in their mouth. All trainers and riders are looking for a certian feel or response from a particular bridle or bit, just take it slow when playing around to find out what works best for you and your horse. My general rule of thumb is that it takes about 10-12 rides to see and feel exactly how the new bridle or bit will perform. The most important point that I would like to stress is that the bridle or bit are only as severe or mild as the hands that are using them.

As always...Ride Hard, Be Safe and Have Fun. - Steve Kutie