Bit materials
The very earliest bits were made from all sorts of materials. Bone and antler were popular natural materials, until metals like bronze and iron became more commonly available. Today, almost all bits are made of metal for its strength and durability, even if they have coatings or coverings of softer composite materials like rubber. Choosing the right material for your horse’s bit is just as important as choosing the right design. The wrong material will at best be unpalatable to your horse, it may make your bit less effective, and at worst it can cause your horse allergies or injuries. As a horse owner, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the different materials available to you when you choose a bit for your horse.
Stainless steel is by far the most common material for most bits, and it is economical and easy to care for. If you need an unusual type of bit, or your horse’s mouth is an unusual size or shape, stainless steel may be your only choice. Not only is it inexpensive, but it is a perfectly suitable material for bits, as long as you are sensitive to its limitations. Stainless steel bits will get very cold in the winter, so much so that they can stick to the inside of the horse’s mouth and cause blisters and sores; so in cold climates take a few minutes to warm up the bit in your hands or even your armpit before you offer it to your horse. It also doesn’t have a pleasant taste; although it doesn’t taste bad either, but if your horse has a dry mouth or a stiff jaw a more palatable metal might be a better choice.
To get the benefits of a tasty bit – mainly salivation and a relaxed jaw – copper was one of the first ‘tasty’ metals to be used in bits. Copper itself is a soft metal, so most copper bits are actually made of a copper and nickel alloy. The downside of adding nickel is that it caused allergic reactions in some horses, although this is very rare, and like pure copper, even the alloy could be prone to breaking under strain. The cheapest ‘copper’ bits usually have much more nickel or other mixed metals, and are the most likely to break. More expensive versions (such as Aurigan) will blend the copper with stronger metals and even modern metals like silicon, zinc and titanium to make a light, strong, palatable bit. You can also find copper used in parts of stainless steel bits, such as for a roller added between the joints of a snaffle, or a copper overlay on a stainless curb bit to make it tastier. Interestingly, copper is also much quicker to warm up in cold weather!
Iron bits are not exactly a thing of the past, but newer iron bits are made of ‘sweet iron’, which is a destabilized form of iron that rusts easily, and apparently the oxidized iron tastes very good to horses. Early versions rusted quickly, and parts of the bit could flake away and injure the horse’s mouth; nowadays even cheap sweet riot bits will be anodized to prevent flaking, and the more expensive models will not have this problem. Iron bits, as they rust, can be difficult to keep clean without damaging the bit and causing flaking.
Rubber bits aren’t actually all rubber, but just black rubber overlays on a stainless steel bit. The rubber makes the bit ‘fatter’ and so gentler in the horse’s mouth, and encourages chewing and salivation, and therefore a softer and more responsive jaw. Other materials are being used in the same way, such as vulcanized rubber or ‘happy mouth’ material (which is usually white which makes it easy to recognize). Once the rubber starts to become chewed, it can form sharp edges, become difficult to keep clean, and persistent chewers can even break off and swallow bits of rubber. This is less of a problem with vulcanized or happy mouth bits.
If the origin of your horse products is important to you, then copper or sweet iron bits may be your best choice. The manufacture of rubber and vulcanized bits is an intensive process, and involves a lot of chemicals and environmental waste. Stainless steel is more environmentally sound to produce, and as most copper or iron bits will also have some stainless elements (such as bit rings), chances are you will have some stainless in your bit somewhere – which is also advantageous for durability. Copper and sweet iron are by far the gentlest for the environment, but finding bits made entirely of copper or iron is hard to do, and bits made 100% of either material may not last very long.
Noteworthy bit suppliers:
Bit manufacturers:
Sprenger (makers of Aurigan bits)
Myler
Happy Mouth
Korsteel
