Bit Information (Curb and Western type bits and hackamores)

... also a swept back shank is more mild then a straight shank or a reverse "S". There is less leverage on a swept back.

Awesome!

This thread has been very helpful for me. I am re-learning rein control to be honest. My horse uses a tom thumb. He does very well in it. I barely touch the reins. This bit was suggesred by my trainer who is also who I got the horse from. However I am still not sure why He uses it. What really is the benifit for him and me? I also understand because Ziggy is missing a few teeth it may make bits different for him. Can someone shed some light onto the matter?
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Many horseman still mistakenly think of the TT as a "Western Snaffle" and it used to be the go-to bit for many. Just as time and experience has improved tack, so the TT has really been understood as a "has been" bit.

If your horse needs or prefers leverage, there are much better choices that will give him the same feel in his mouth as the TT but will be more balanced and less severe.

Could you give me some examples, please?
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The Tom Thumb is a bit that gets a bad rap for being very harsh--stories have been passed around of people breaking their horse's jaw with it. Now, that seems a little exaggerated to me (I can't imagine how much pressure they'd have to be exerting on the reins to cause that much damage), and while I don't consider the TT to be particularly cruel, I just plain don't like it for a variety of reasons. Many people do use and love this bit, swearing by it and using it for training colts. To each his own, but my personal opinion is that there are far better bits on the market.



This, right here, is a true Tom Thumb--and the worst one in existence. The straight shanks don't give the horse any warning at all--the second you apply pressure, they pop right around, snatching the curb and activating the nutcracker effect with the mouthpiece. It also makes direct reining difficult--the straight shanks, combined with the way the mouthpiece attaches to the shanks (no freedom whatsoever), mean that when you pull on one side, the entire bit twists rather painfully in the horses mouth. The curved shank versions aren't quite as bad, but it's still quite difficult for the rider to convey the intended cue to the horse, no matter how light or heavy his or her hands are. This bit just doesn't have a whole lot of finesse in the horse's mouth--it's all or nothing. And any efforts at direct reining will likely result in confusion for the horse. While many horses do ride well in a TT, this often has far more to do with the kindness of the horse's temperament than the quality of the bit.

Now compare the above bit to this, your standard Argentine Snaffle.



At first glance, they look very similar. But the Argentine is much better balanced. Look at the curved shanks--these make it less harsh, and a slight touch of the rein will give a horse warning that a cue is coming, giving the horse time to react. Also, the joint between the two parts of the mouthpiece is finished better, so it will be less likely to pinch. Most importantly, the attachment from mouthpiece/shank is not fixed in the vertical direction. This gives both parts some freedom and independent movement. Slight jingles in the reins are often all that is needed to give a cue and thus get the desired response from the horse without the yanking that is often required with a Tom Thumb. Ask any horse--most will respond so much better to bits of this type.

Of course, the "snaffle" mouthpiece in both bits has the potential to "nutcracker" and pinch, so be careful with that. A three-piece mouth is more desireable in most cases.

Thank you. That seems like a great alternative. I just don't want to disrespect my trainer. Also don't want to hurt my horse.
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Might look into a three-piece (dogbone) mouthpiece as an alternative, too, if you can find one to borrow without putting out a lot of money.

Also makes some difference whether you're neck-reining or direct-reining.

I use whatever my trainer uses. She has some other bits but I have not idea what they are. My best bet is to just buy one when I move my horse.
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I'm going to suggest taking the discussion to a new thread since we are way off target with the last few posts. Good discussion though.