Frequently Asked Questions

A Demonstration of Why The Perfect Bit is "Perfect"

Have you ever wondered what a ported bit was doing inside your horse's mouth?

Watch this demo and you will understand why the Perfect Bit really is.

See What a Regular Snaffle Does Inside of a Horse's Mouth

All horses were started in a ring snaffle, so a horse understands pressure on the corners of the mouth.

Watch this to see what happens to a regular snaffle when you pull back on the reins.

You will understand why our patented ball joint connection allows you to give a clearer signal to your horse.

What makes the bit “Perfect?”

The pivot point is what makes them “perfect.” All horses were started in a ring snaffle, so a horse understands pressure on the corners of the mouth. The patented ball joint connection allows you to give a clearer signal to your horse -- increasing performance by eliminating the usual distractions.

"What's New in Bits?”

Darren Stoner describes in detail - the patented Ball Joint and what it does inside of your horse's mouth.

Does “The Perfect Bit” ring snaffle differ from a regular ring snaffle?

Yes. With a regular ring snaffle, when you pull back the center joints breaks down and pokes the roof of your horse’s mouth. With the Perfect Bit ring snaffle, the ball joint allows the mouthpiece to stay between the tongue and the roof of the mouth. With a regular ring snaffle, when you turn your horse it will open all of the ways out, but with “The Perfect Bit” ring snaffle, the ball-joint only goes so far out and your immediately start moving the other side … which causes the shoulders to move more quickly with the same range of motion with your hands.

Progression of Bits?

Darren Stoner describes how each mouthpiece works. Older horses require different bits than younger horses. Tough mouth horses require different mouthpieces than light-mouth horses, but our concept of two pressure points make it “perfect.”

What length of shank do I need?

Just remember, the longer the shank the more pressure you are able to apply to the chin … which means more “whoa.”

Does the bit have any copper?

Yes, at the center joint has a bead of copper around it. Our bits are made of stainless steel with the center joints made of cold-rolled steel so it will rust and give your horse a familiar taste. The copper bead around it is there so there are 2 different metals to kick off salivation in your horse’s mouth.

Will it pinch my horse’s mouth?

No. We guarantee it will not pinch. Before we added the curb rings, we found out that if you had a horse with a wide mouth, the curb chain could hit against the body of the bit and could pinch the horse’s lip. To fix this problem, we added the curb rings to eliminate the chance of that happening, but the bit itself will not pinch the horse’s mouth.

Do you have a ported mouthpiece?

We don’t have a port because our mouthpieces do not move because of the ball joint. No barrel racer, roper, cutter etc., should be riding a port. Ports are designed for the headset only … they have absolutely nothing to do with the “whoa.” If you are riding a tie-down and port at the same time, one of them is not doing their job … they are designed for the same job.

How do I adjust my curb chain?

We have all heard the old saying, “1 finger, 2 fingers, etc.,” but just think about that. Say we are riding the same horse. Would we adjust the curb chain just because our finders are not the same size? I adjust my curb chain by getting beside my horse and pushing back on my shanks and when my horse takes a step back, that is how far my hands will travel before my curb chain comes into effect. So, depending on what you are doing on your horse and how much you want your hands to move before he starts to react to the curb chain is how loose or tight your will adjust your curb. Remember, tightening your curb chain will not give you more “whoa.” it only means your hands will have to travel less before the curb comes into effect. The smaller the curb, the more “bit” it will have. The wider the curb, the less effective it will be. If I have a horse that is fresh and not responding well with my normal curb, I will get a small curb (our sharp curb chain) … just to get his attention and then go back to my normal curb.

What is the purpose of the cavalry shank?

The only purpose of the Cavalry Shank is so that a horse cannot reach the shank with his lip. It breaks away from the body of the bit quicker than our original shank, so that the horse is unable to get the shank in his mouth and play with it. Our rings on the shank come out in the exact same spot and have a curve in the shank.

Will it work on every horse?

Yes. The function of how our bit works will make perfect sense to every horse and the pressure points of The Perfect Bit is the same pressure points that all horse have been trained in since day one in a ring snaffle.