How to Use a Snaffle Bit
Video transcription
Hello! My name is Rebekah Larimer. I'm an internationally certified horse trainer and instructor. And today, I'm going to show you how to use snaffle bit. A snaffle bit aides in the guidance and communication with your horse while you're riding them. And I have the snaffle bit already attached to the bridle. I'm going to put the reigns over Serena's head to help make sure that she doesn't run away while I'm putting the bridle on and then I'm going to put the nose band out of my way because it doesn't apply at this time while I'm putting that, it on her. I'm going to take my left hand and put them over both cheek pieces and I'm going to place my left hand over her nose to guide her nose and make sure that it doesn't go up or down, or side to side. And then my right hand is going to guide the bit into her mouth and Serena's very good at picking about picking up the bit. I'm going to take one ear and put that forward, I'm going to take the other ear and put it forward through the head stall so now it is down her head and I'm going to take the nose band, I'm going to put it underneath the cheek piece on both sides and on this side as well. And then I'm going to take the throat latch, this long strap and I'm going to place it underneath her throat and to the side right here and I want always have a better fist underneath so that she can bend and not be, bend her neck and not be choked. I'm also going to fasten the nose band and I want this relatively tight but not too tight. You want to be able to have two fingers be able to go underneath the nose band. And put them all the keepers through and also I want to be able to have two fingers below each cheek bone, below the nose bend, on both sides, to make sure it is fitting correctly and I want one to suit too soft wrinkles on her mouth, no forced smiles at all. We don't want any forced smiles but we don't want the bit hanging so slow that it knocks their teeth and hurts them either. And so now the bit is in the horse's mouth and the snaffle aides in guidance and the communication of where do you want the horse to go, what angle of bend you want in the horse's neck. Do you want him to be bent to a little bit to the inside? Do you want their bent neck a lot? Good girl. You know, or in the other direction, to the right or a lot of bending. Good girl. Also, do I want her neck down low? Good girl. Or, do I want it up higher? And the snaffle bit aides in asking her for all of those different options. Also, the snaffle controls their, the angle of their shoulders and if you control the shoulders, you control the horse and wherever you want them to go and so the snaffle is a very important aide in asking them to do what you would like.