CHAPTER - 7
WHAT BITS ARE MADE OF
Horses have taste preferences. Experimenting with various materials may reveal that a horse prefers sweet iron over stainless steel, or a polyurethane product such as Nathe (a type of plastic manufactured in Germany and used in bits).
All metals are combinations of elements. The “recipe” for each metal listed below determines its taste, its durability, and whether or not it will easily oxidize when in contact with saliva. The metals are a bit like skin: some have many open pores and some don’t. The pores determine how easily the bit rusts. The more porous the metal, the more likely it is to rust, and unlike your old plumbing or the body of your automobile, rust is a good thing in horse bits. It sweetens the taste of the metal.
These days, many bits are made from combinations of different metals. They may have a stainless steel mouthpiece with a copper roller in the center, for example, or a copper mouthpiece with stainless rings for durability. Also, several manufacturers are making steel bits with copper inlays, both for texture and for taste. Bits also can be made of other materials such as rubber or plastic, sometimes in combination with metals.
Some horses may prefer the taste of steel to copper, or vulcanite to Nathe. It is worth trying a variety of materials in your horse’s mouth to see which one he likes best. Also, you might find that his taste changes over time. A young horse might like a big fat rubber bit, but as he becomes more acclimated to having something in his mouth and becomes more responsive to the aids, a stainless steel bit may suit him better. Try plenty of different bits to find the “key” that unlocks your horse’s best self.
STAINLESS STEEL
Stainless steel is the most popular bit material used today. It tends to be light and durable, although the quality largely depends on where it is manufactured. Some bit companies have moved their factories to Asia, where the quality of the steel may be less than ideal and the manufacturing process sometimes careless. If you purchase a stainless steel bit, especially an inexpensive one, keep an eye on it to make sure it retains its integrity and does not have any burrs or deformities.
Bit makers still use the “lost wax” casting method. They make a mold of the bit’s shape and then pour molten metal alloy into the mold to harden into the bit’s individual pieces.
The best stainless steel bits are made in Europe using the lost wax casting method, which is nearly as old as the horse bit itself. The method uses a wax cast to create the shape of the object. Molten steel is poured into the mold and then solidified into the desired shape. The process ensures the metal pieces are smooth.
Quality stainless steel bits do not pit, wear evenly, and are very long lasting. While some horses like stainless steel, it tends not to have much impact on whether a horse salivates or not—it has a neutral taste and smell.
COPPER
One of the softest metals around, copper is a great option for horse bits because of its taste. While it can wear faster and more unevenly than stainless steel, a lot of horses very much like it. The sweetish taste of copper encourages the horse to salivate, so try one if your horse is routinely dry-mouthed for no obvious reason. There are very few pure copper bits on the market today because they don’t hold up well, but there are plenty of bits with copper components, such as rollers, balls, barrels, or mouthpieces. The rings tend to be made of stainless steel for durability. It’s worth noting that a copper bit alone won’t cause a horse to accept the bit—it may help him like the taste better, and salivate more because of the process of oxidation, but bit acceptance can be a training issue, not always a bit issue.
The copper on this bit promotes salivation. Most copper bits have steel cheeks for durability.
SWEET IRON
Sweet iron isn’t actually iron at all, but steel. The process of bitmaking with sweet iron, also called cold-rolled steel, is somewhat different from stainless. Contrary to the lost-wax process of bitmaking, cold-rolled steel is cooled and then shaped, rather than cast in a mold while hot. It’s dense, but also much softer than stainless and more prone to rust. Some horses like the flavor of sweet iron as much as they like copper, or even more. The taste of sweet iron encourages salivation. Many Western bits use this material, and lately more English bit makers have started using it as well. It is durable and a good bitting material.
Equine Industry’s Trust Bit series is made of sweet iron. Generally, sweet iron bits are dark blue or black.
ALUMINUM
Likely the least expensive and lightest bitting material made today, aluminum is not really recommended. The metal has a bitter taste and a drying effect on the horse’s mouth. Aluminum bits have largely gone out of fashion.
ALUMINUM BRONZE
Don’t confuse aluminum and aluminum bronze, however. Aluminum bronze is 90 percent copper, 10 percent aluminum combination that is bronze in color because of its high copper content. It has the taste of copper but the durability of aluminum.
GERMAN SILVER
Contrary to the name, German silver is actually an alloy of different metals. The usual formulation is 60 percent copper, 20 percent nickel, and 20 percent zinc, but in horse bits the nickel and zinc components may comprise slightly more or less than in that formula. German silver bits taste sweeter than regular stainless steel, but are not as sweet or tasty as pure copper. They are generally expensive (depending on the country of origin of the manufacturer) but do encourage salivation in some horses. German silver bits are not as shiny as regular bright stainless, and tend to need more vigorous cleaning.
Compare this German silver bit, top, with the combination steel and copper bit below it. You can see the subtle gold color of the German silver.
AURIGAN
Another alloy, Aurigan (pronounced “oregone”) is made up of 85 percent copper, 4 percent silicon, and 11 percent zinc. Note that Aurigan lacks nickel as a component. Some horses, just as some people, are quite allergic to nickel, so Aurigan is a good choice for a horse that reacts to bits made with nickel. Aurigan’s high copper content means it has the advantage of copper’s sweet taste and oxidation, while being much stronger than pure copper. Aurigan was invented by scientists working with Herm Sprenger. The company holds the patent on the material, so Sprenger makes all Aurigan bits.
Sprenger created a new alloy called Aurigan that contains a large amount of copper. It has copper’s “sweetness,” but is more durable.
A rubber Baucher that’s showing a fair amount of wear.
RUBBER
Soft, flexible, and relatively neutral from a taste standpoint, rubber’s biggest drawback is its tendency to pit and wear unevenly. Almost all rubber bits have some kind of metal core to give them more stability in the mouth. Sometimes it’s a wire, sometimes a bar. A horse’s teeth can easily cause damage to the bit, so daily inspection is vital. Horses with mouths that are very sensitive to metal tend to like bits made of alternative materials such as rubber, vulcanite, Nathe, or polyurethane (see below). Rubber is the least durable of these alternative materials.
VULCANITE
In bitting, vulcanite is the answer to rubber’s durability problem. A hard rubber, vulcanite was invented in 1840s. A vulcanite (as well as rubber) mouthpiece tends to be very thick and thus very soft for horses that have enough space in their mouths. You can often find vulcanite-covered bits, such as a metal single-jointed snaffle covered with vulcanite.
Vulcanite, rubber, and Happy Mouth bits can come with metal cores or without.
NATHE
Another German invention, Nathe is a synthetic material similar in properties to straight plastic—it’s stiff but still somewhat flexible, and you generally don’t need a metal core like you would for a rubber bit. Note that Nathe, just like all synthetics or non-metal bits, has a much shorter lifespan. Horses will chew through them. It is a much thinner option for horses that like rubber or vulcanite but can’t handle the bulk in their mouths.
LEATHER
Relatively rare for no real reason, leather bits are nearly impossible to find in the U.S. but are still on tack store shelves in Europe. Leather bits have a number of advantages, particularly for highly sensitive horses who dislike all the above materials. Leather bits need to be cared for extremely carefully, because saliva can erode them quickly. They do, however, work well for very sensitive-mouthed horses since they are flexible and gentle on the mouth.
Some horses prefer heavier bits, some prefer lighter bits, and some prefer something in between. To get to know the different materials bits are made from, visit your local tack store and test the different weights and finishes of a variety of bits. The Aurigan or German silver bits will likely be the heaviest, followed by the stainless steel bits. The shape of the bits will also have an impact on weight. Some horses like a very light bit, and in this case you might consider a hollow mouthpiece. Others prefer a heft around which they can close their mouths. It really comes down to equine preference.
HAPPY MOUTH
Another brand name that’s sometimes imitated, Happy Mouth bits are made of engineered plastic, and they usually have an apple flavoring. Happy Mouths have a distinctive “ripple” texture that encourages the horse to chew the bit. Happy Mouths are another alternative to thick rubber or vulcanite bits.
The Happy Mouth material is hardened polyurethane. It is sometimes infused with flavoring. Happy Mouth bits tend to wear quickly and must be frequently inspected for sharp plastic burrs.
Although we mentioned salivation in our roundup of bit materials, a horse can be salivating and still not accepting the bit. A horse’s anatomy is programmed to salivate when he chews or when a foreign object enters his mouth. Jessica Jahiel points out in her book on bits that the “context of the salivation” is key to determining whether the horse is truly happy in his bit. Sensitive horsemen learn to observe the whole horse, from head to toe, to determine whether he’s content. Is the horse’s neck tight? Are his under-neck muscles tense? Is his back stiff? Are his ears pinned or perked? Are his nostrils wrinkled? Is his tail swishing irritably? All of these actions signal discomfort. A horse could be salivating and yet still be unhappy about his bitting situation.
It’s been proven by one German university that the material out of which a bit is fashioned does have an impact on a horse’s salivation. Ideally, though, if a horse is comfortable and happy in his bit, the material encourages salivation rather than creates it. On the other hand, a non-salivating horse may be perfectly happy in his bit. There is simply no black and white answer.
Be wary of gimmicks or bits that promise to manufacture an effect that only a happy, well-trained horse and rider combination can actually achieve. The house is only as solid as the nails driven into the stud, and those are only as good the carpenter’s skill with his hammer.
