Get Snaffle-Bit Smart

This simple, go-to piece of tack has more going for it than you might know. Learn about proper use and different styles of snaffles.

- Al Dunning with Jennifer Paulson

A good snaffle is worth its weight in gold (or copper or sweet iron). You can easily identify a quality snaffle by its smooth, easy pull. It’s made to slide across your horse’s mouth, without pinching. And it’s a go-to for starting young horses and training aged mounts in almost any riding program.

Here I’ll share my snaffle philosophy, proper use, and four of my go-to favorite snaffles from my own tack room.

Snaffle ‘Rules’

There are a few rules to follow when using a snaffle, both for safety and to get the best response.

Use a browband head stall. You can’t rely on a one-ear or slit-ear head stall to keep your snaffle in place. A browband headstall, with a proper ly adjusted throatlatch, keeps your horse’s head gear in place for proper use. As you pull on the snaffle with your reins, the browband headstall should have some give. Go for a loose adjustment. Loose doesn’t mean it should slop around in your horse’s mouth, but you don’t want it tight, either. The snaffle should just touch the corners of your horse’s mouth so that it can slide across his bars. It slides more readily when it’s not tight.

Consider the connection.