Snaffle Bit

The snaffle bit is generally considered to be the mildest of bits, and the best starter bit for young or green horses. The quality that determines that a bit falls into the snaffle family is the 1-to-1 ratio; that is, because the reins attach to the same ring as the headstall, the pressure that the rider puts on the reins is the same degree of pressure that the horse feels in his mouth. There is no leverage multiplier at work. The word "snaffle" itself is of uncertain origin, but is likely to have come from the Old Friesian "snavel," meaning mouth, or the Old High German "snabul," meaning beak. A fairly generic snaffle bit is pictured below.

Technically, this bit is a loose ring, single-jointed snaffle.The loose rings slip through the mouthpiece, preventing the horse from leaning too heavily on the bit. Because the rings slip, the horse might be painfully pinched around his lips by the rings. This kind of bit is often used in conjunction with rubber-type guards on each side to prevent pinching. The single joint may cause problems for some horses, as pressure from both reins can cause a "nutcracker" effect, pinching the horse's lower jaw and jabbing the roof of his mouth.


Above is an eggbutt snaffle with a French link mouth. The double joint of the French link rectifies the nutcracker action of a single-jointed bit. The eggbutt style rings eliminate the potential for pinching the horse's lips in sliding rings. The different metals of some bits are believed to increase salivation in the horse and facilitate clearer communication and a softer mouth and jaw.

This is a dee ring snaffle, again with a single joint. Similar to an eggbutt, the shape of the rings and the "hinge" attachment to the mouthpiece eliminates pinching. This kind of bit, along with the eggbutt, are common in the hunter ring.


Here is a full-cheek snaffle. The extensions on the top and bottom of the rings clarify turning aids, and keep the bit from being pulled sideways through the horse's mouth. Commonly seen on green horses, an excellent training bit. Note the leather keepers that attach to the upper "spikes" of the bit: the full-cheek is designed to work with a certain orientation in the mouth of the horse. The keepers prevent the bit from rotating in the horse's mouth, at best eliminating the benefits of the full-cheek, at worst inflicting pain and hindering the horse in accepting/seeking contact with the bit.

Above is a loose ring snaffle again, this time with a twisted wire mouthpiece. This is the harshest snaffle pictured here; the wire can be quite painful when ridden incorrectly. This sort of mouthpiece is best used by a highly competent trainer, if at all. A horse who "must" be ridden in a bit like this to maintain control has deep holes in his training that are merely covered by a strong bit rather than rectified at their source.


Here is a mullen mouthpiece with eggbutt rings. The mullen mouth has no joints, no flexion, and so is extremely mild in the grans scheme of bits and bitting (there is no potential at all for the nutcracker effect).Lastly is a less common mouthpiece that is gaining popularity: the Billy Allen mouth. The traditional center joint is replaced with a rotating barrel that allows each side to swivel independently. The bit has the capability of great precision without sacrificing the comfort of the horse. The Billy Allen mouth can also be found on "starter" curbs, and can be a fair alternative to the potentially problematic American Tom Thumb curb. Although the rings on this bit are round, they are considered dee rings, since they hinge to the mouth rather than slipping like those of the loose ring.

Snaffle bits can come in any combination of mouths and rings. The great variety allows every rider/trainer to select a bit for his/her horses' individual needs.

At the end of the day, any bit is only as harsh as the hands on the reins. Even a bit with a silk mouthpiece can be a torture device in the wrong hands, while the softest of hands can guide a horse wearing a cathedral-port curb without pain.

*Disclaimer: I own none of the pictures above.