What Kind Of Bit Is This?

[Turn N Burn]

My mother and I have been collecting bits for as long as I can remember. Not necessarily fancy or expensive bits, but ones that are unique or ones that we dont have already, some just hang up in the tack shed but some are used.

This brings me to my question. A few years back, we were at a house auction that had some horse tack on it and came across this odd little bit. No one there knew what kind it was, including us. We bought it for a few bucks and brought it home. It has stayed in the house ever since then, being a topic of discussion for any horse person that stops by.

Many of you have had a few more years of experience than me, and I value your opinions a lot!

The top and bottom shanks are the same length, covered with a piece of leather that slips on and off.

Here is a picture, any comments, ideas or any info on this bit would be much appreciated!


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Rope it, Ride it, Wrestle it.....COWGIRL IT

[JR]

I've never seen such a thing, so I asked wiser people as well and got the answer.

It's an elevator bit. I'm sure there's info online about why anyone would put that in a horse's mouth.
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JR

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It's never the horse, it's the rider.
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[Turn N Burn]

Well let me tell you JR, I feel pretty relieved that it wasnt just my young ignorance.

And I will be darned if I didnt find the exact same bit online for $50. Even though we will never use it, it was a pretty good buy.

I did a little research on it and came up with this information:

[Silk Pistol]

Yep, an elevator bit. A very useful tool for a horse that likes to drop his head and lug down in the front instead of giving to your hands and collecting. Not something to use on an experienced horse, but again, useful for a horse that does have experience and is trying the avoidance technique. It's a bit that should be used only when necessary, for a brief period of time, say one or two schooling sessions, then go back to his regular bit. Rinse, repeat if necessary. Not a bit to be used by heavy, unsteady, or inexperienced hands. Requires light, light, light hands.

The way it works is the longer the purchase of a bit, the more poll pressure is applied. A horse's natural instinct is to move into pressure, thus causing him to raise his head and his shoulders. The long shanks are not so much what causes the leverage, but the fact they are straight. The straighter the shank on any bit, the more immediate action and reaction you have. It's worked wonders on my big guy who drops his front end to try to get out of doing his job properly. I've used it four or five times, but not had to use it in the last two or three years.
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Its not what you put on his head, its what you put in it.

[Turn N Burn]

From your description, I can see how it could be useful. But at the same time, I can see how it is misused a lot too.
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Rope it, Ride it, Wrestle it.....COWGIRL IT

[Dawn]

Yes this is an elevator bit; of I think Jimmy Williams fame. Jimmy Williams was a H/J trainer out here in CA and he had quite a lot of good ideas. The principle behind the elevator bit is that there is actually "no leverage" because the length of the purchase and the length of the shank is the same ratio. Because of the way it sits it applies pole and chin pressure as well as pressure on the bars and across the tongue. It should be used with a chain chinstrap. These bits work great at lightening a horse up, the trick is to find the release point which if you don't have a lot of feel you might as well not use it. I know some people will argue that it has "leverage" but leverage bits work on the assumption that the shank is longer than the purchase. This is not the case with elevator bits.