Top Shots

Top Shots

 

Choosing the Right Bit for Shooting Horses.

 

Charlie Little seems to finally have it all together.  He’s always been known for his blazing speed, but one thing or another kept him from reaching the winner’s circle at the major shoots.  Going into the final stage at the 2008 Worlds in Amarillo, he trailed Matt Sronce by about 2/10 of a second.  But Charlie put on a show in that last round; his time was a half second faster than Sronce, giving him the World Championship belt buckle (and some bucks to boot).

 

Charlie seems to have it all.  But not really.

 

“I’ve been trying a hundred different bits; I haven’t found one yet.”  He continues the search.

 

It’s a search that’s familiar to mounted shooters at all levels. Lady’s 6 Kenda Lenseigne says, “Every horse’s mouth is different.  And you can’t say one bit will work for every horse out there.”  Men’s 6 Matt Sronce agrees: “We’ve got a bucket of bits at home.  And we just pull ‘em out and try ‘em.  I just bought one today.  We’re constantly buying bits.  It’s just trial and error.” And frequently, there’s a lot of error before finding the right bit.  

 

THE BIT IS IMPORTANT

But why spend so much time (and money) in finding the right bit?  Just ask Men’s 6 Chad Little:  “It’s the main part of your tack.  It’s what handles your horse, to make turns, gets him in the right position.   If the horse doesn’t like the bit, they’re just plain not going to perform. You get a bunch of head shaking, or they won’t turn for you.  If you’re going to spend money on one part of your equipment, it better be the bit.”

 

Lady’s 6 rider Adrianne Fowler has her own example, saying, “If you don’t have some bite in the bit, you’re just out of luck.  You’re going to miss that turn.  And pretty much every run is that way.  If you don’t have the right bit that your horse is comfortable with and you’re comfortable using, when you’re running them full blast and need for them to sit down on a rollback, you’ll lose a couple tenths of a second here or there—and that can cost you a championship.”
Unless you’re Charlie Little, maybe.  

 

WHERE DO YOU START?

So if you’re new to the game, how do you decide what bit to try out?  Most of the top riders, like Men’s 6 Stephen Wilson, advise that you start by getting a checkup for your horse.  “If you’ve got a horse that when you really get on the bit it’ll toss his head a bunch, you might want to take him to an equine dentist.  He might have a tooth sticking in the wrong place.  And if you go with that too long, it’ll hurt your training and get him into bad habits that you might not know you’re teaching him.  But it’s his mouth that’s teaching him.”

 

The second recommendation—read up on the subject.  CMSA Hall of Famer Brady Carr says, “Myler’s got one of the best books on bitting.  Read that book.  Understand what the bit is intended to do.  Most people make the mistake of always going harder, harder, harder with a bit…and that’s generally the wrong way to go.”

 

Third–ask fellow competitors or bit makers.  They have the experience and the know-how and can give you a basic idea of what bit to try.  In this sport, folks are more than open to helping you; don’t hesitate to ask.

 

WHAT THEY USE

And ask we did.  Here’s the thoughts of some of the sport’s best.

 

Dan Byrd, Level 6

“I use a bunch of different Gordy Alderson bits.  I like the shanks, the design, the way it fits the horse.  It’s a well-balanced bit. I like bits that are broken, because for what we do, we’re always trying to get our horse up and bend them and move them around a little bit.  And it’s really hard to do with a solid mouthpiece, is my belief.”

 

Brady Carr, Level 5

“I use Myler bits. All of the break points are not pinch points.  They swivel all the way around.  Their custom line is well worth the money. It’s very affordable but high quality.  It’s made by horsemen that understand bitting and how it is and why it is—why it’s important to have the right bit.”

 

Rock Clark, Level 6

“I use a Myler bit.  It comes down and works over his nose.  That way it keeps his head down.  The shanks are long.  There’s a swivel on each end so it’s easy to turn him.  I’ve used this particular bit for 2 years.  I also use the same type of bit on the younger horses because it’s real light and real mild, and they work on the horse easily.  It doesn’t make them hard-mouthed.”

 

Adrianne Fowler, Lady’s 6

“I use a Myler port bit with a four or five inch shank.  It helps me to lift up his shoulder and get around the turns.  I used to use snaffle shank reining bit.  This one has a lot more control.  It helps the horse move around other than just pulling on him and yanking around.  I’ve had it since Nationals 2008.  In fact, I switched just two hours before the shoot. Then I went into the Eliminator and made top 10.  I also use it in barrels.  But if I’m trail riding or just working him at home, I’ll use a thin snaffle with a small shank on it to get a little less bite in his mouth.”

 

Kenda Lenseigne, Lady’s 6

“I use a hinge port by Gordy Alderson.  I’ve had it for about 6 months.  It has a nice port on it, it has tongue release, and it really gives him some good breaks.”

 

Chad Little, Level 6

“I use a Gordy Alderson chain port bit.  I’ve put in on well over 100 horses.  And I didn’t have to experiment that much to find it.  It’s got a lot of flex.  You pull on one side of the bit, you’re not affecting the other side.  It’s got enough bite to get the horse stopped.”

 

Taylor Marley, Level 4

“I use a Myler bit.  I’ve had it for about a year—since I got my new horse.  I love it.  It’s made a lot of difference, a lot of difference.”

 

Lynne Merrick, Senior Lady’s 5

“I have got about five Gordy Alderson bits. A nice correction bit with a lot of flexibility is what I use on the sorrel I ride.  A little chain bit with just a little floating port works for the other horse.  And if it’s just riding around, I use a little chain bit or a snaffle and not too much bit in their mouth. I like a little more copper in the bit so the horse will salivate a little more and keeps the mouth moist and sensitive.”

 

Matthew Sronce, Level 6

“I’ve used Mylers since 1990-91.  In fact, I used the same bit before changing to a new one a few months ago.  It’s got a moderate shank and decent tongue release.  I’ve got a three-four year old Costa baby that has a really short shank.  Nice little Myler bit on; she’s doing great.  And when we put her into competition, we’ll probably add a little more shank to it.  And that’ll be her competition bit, next year or the year after.” [Note: Matt is sponsored by Myler].

 

Stephen Wilson, Level 6

“I’ve got a Gordy Alderson for my good horse.  Around the house and training, we use Myler bits.”

 

IS IT WORKING?

So how do you know if a bit is right for your horse?  Kenda Lenseigne says, “If I’ve got something in the horse’s mouth and he’s not going to give his head or flex or bend for me, then I know that’s not the right bit for him.”  

 

Stephen Wilson notes, “You don’t want too harsh a bit or you’ll have the horse poppin’ its head up all the time.  And you don’t want a run off, either [if the bit is too light].” Chad Little adds that a horse with a poorly fitting bit will often shake its head or fail to turn at your command.

 

But when the horse likes the bit?   “I could tell instantly that my horse liked it,” says Adrianne Fowler.  “He started chomping on it and licking.  He was just gritting all the time with the other bit.”

 

Oh, and one more point.  Matt Sronce says, don’t skimp:  “Usually, you go into a store and buy a $15 bit, you got what you paid for.  My dad had a cheap bit on a horse years ago.  He was running off, a young horse, and he went to pull on him pretty hard at a dead run with cattle running off, and that bit broke in half and came around and hit him in the head.”

 

Ouch.  Better to bite the bullet and pay the $75 to $200 it costs for a good bit.

 

One thing the top shooters agree on—the bit plays a major part in the performance of the horse, especially in competition.  If you want to win, make sure the bit fits your horse.

 

So, when it comes to Charlie Little—be afraid.  Be very afraid.  If he won the 2008 Worlds without the right bit, imagine what he might do when he finds the proper fitting piece?
 

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