Bit Information (Snaffle and English-Type Bits)

Bit keepers are a whole different deal. They keep the bit from rotating in the horse's mouth by attaching the top cheek to the bridle like this.


I'm really unsure of their full purpose though because we seldom see full cheek snaffles in the western world and we certainly never see bit keepers .

Ohhhhhhhhhh. I was off on the wrong track completely. Thanks for the pic - now I get it. Thanks. I'm not sure that we need the keepers then... a bit ugly imo. I prefer to keep tack, particularly the bridle, as simple as possible. While keeping the horse as comfortable as possible. If that makes sense.

See, smrobs, post 122 and 124 I asked about the keepers, because besides the safety factor, I just see them doing more harm than good. I haven't gotten a satisfactory answer yet, but then, I'm hard to satisfy...

All this aggravation ain't satisfactionin' me....
A little more bite, a little less bark
A little less fight, a little more spark
So open up your heart and--

sorry

Actually many people think of it as a means of preventing the bit from being pulled through a horse's mouth but it's not. A lip strap is meant to prevent a horse from being able to lip the end of the shank - grabbing it so that it's ineffective and can be somewhat harmful.

Um... I don't think I have a shank?

Not a shank per say but the full cheek works the same way - a horse can lip the ends.

Great post! Thanks!

You're welcome Ashley!


Dunno what to say, Bubba, if the answers we've been taught are unsatisfactory to you... guess you'll have to come up with a brand new reason and report back to us ;)

Somebody hit it in another thread, actually...should be pretty recent.

Here we go: Full Cheek Snaffle?

Again with the useful discussion, thanks guys I just learnt even more about bit keepers from the abovementioned linked thread and am off to fashion a pair of keepers for Piper's single jointed fulmer bit.