Must have bits

Meh I've used the double twisted wire snaffle on a horse that had no respect for anything in his mouth and would pull through even a one rein stop. I had to ride him in that a few times to wake him up and get him started on listening not bulling through the pressure. After 4 rides I think, I moved him down to a slow twisted D ring snaffle, then to a smooth D ring snaffle. Eventually you could ride him in anything and he was a lovely horse, I just had to get through to him in the beginning. So I do think that sort of bit has A purpose, even if it's not one that's widely used - I've never needed a bit that severe on any horse since, and that was nearly a decade ago.

My go to bits (hard to just pick a few from amongst my 29 bridles lol) are a sweet iron D ring snaffle, short shank (or teardrop shank) sweet iron snaffle, and a medium port sweet iron curb with swivel shanks. I have one or two copper bits for those horses who don't like sweet iron but I've found that most horses prefer the taste of sweet iron over that of copper. Of course I have a huge selection of bits ... several different types of snaffles, short shank snaffles, long shank snaffles, shanked bits with rollers, shanked mullen mouth bits, high port corrections, low port curbs, hackamores, etc etc etc. My horsey friends all know who to borrow a bridle from when theirs breaks! : )

-- Kai