Cross Breeds

What is the best bit for barrel racing, pole bending, ect.?

Im going to be horse showing in 4 months and I need to know what is the best bit to use in barrel racing, pole bending, ect. Please post pictures so I will know what it looks like to buy.

Public Comments

1. No bit is the "best" for barrel racing or polebending. Continue to use whatever bit your horse has been using.
2. the 'softest' bit you can control your horse with- whatever you are using now....... my specialty is not in those areas... sorry
3. NONE AT ALL,, IS BEST,, YOU KNOW ,,THAT MOST RIDERS GET OVER EXITED! AND RIP AND TEAR AT THE HORSES MOUTH ,, 'D ADVISE A BOSAL OR HACKAMORE,, THEN YOU'LL SPARE THE HORSE AND HAVE TO LEARN TO SET UP A TURN!!
4. Before you buy you need to try your horse in different bits. Start out light and move up from there. I'd start in a ring snaffle and access where you need to move from there. No sense in buying a bit that will stop a train if you don't need it. If your horse is not a seasoned barrel horse then stick with a snaffle until he's further in his training.
5. The right bit is the same thing as you deciding what your favorite food is! There is no such thing as a barrel racing/pole bending bit. You need to see what bit works best with you horse it is a matter of trial and error. Try some different bits that your friends us and see what works best for you
6. there are many different kinds of bits that are wonderful for barrels & poles. what matters more is what your horse likes. what he/she works best in. if you use i bit that your horse is comfortable it, it will be more willing to work for you, adn you will do WAYY better when your running... i have a very sensitive mouthed horse who lives to run but turns amazingly. i use a bit that is almost like this: http://www.edandmartha.com/IMAGES/3p_twisted.jpg but its actually this exact one: http://www.culturedcowboy.com/images/330.jpg
7. Gag bits work great. Any type of gag. Twisted or not.
8. I run barrels and do rodeo all year round. the best bits to use are sliding bits that let your horse have give and that can turn freely. Gag bits and chain bits are very good. Chain bits are soft and used correctly do not tear your horses mouth up. I ride one of my horses in a sliding chain bit and it never leaves marks. I use a dog bone gag that slides and helps my other horse pick up their shoulder for the best turns. Look at what the pro's ride in. Sherry Cervi, Sharon Camarillo, Marth Josie and Molly powell. They have a special bit for a reason. Do a little research on barrel bits. The pro's run in these types of bits for a reason. You can MESS up your horse if you run it in a wrong bit. Take it from someone who has seen it and has experianced it. Look at www.barrelracer.com They have great information on bits and saddles. Hope that I have helped you. :)
9. really there is not a 'best bit' trust me- i have been rcemended all of these "barrel racing bits" from friends for HSR and the ones that i have tried did a bad job ( my horse wouldn't stop on one of them, on another one she wouldent turn or weave and a lot of other problems) but i guess it depends on the horse, the one i am using on my barrel mare right now is a Tomb Thumb bit, it works really good, there are different kinds of them but the one i use looks like this: http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=0085-0601/468.0 and i also sometimes use a snaffle bit which looks like this: http://www.smithbrothers.com/product.asp?pn=X3-010357&sid=froogle&CATALOG_CODE=SX807&EID=X3807001&zmam=1460880&zmas=2&zmac=51&zmap=X3-010357&bhcd2=1230506317 but mine is kinda different from that pic, because mine is an older version. and then i have these bits too: cow bit http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=59E32841-2DFF-40FD-8896-4CD8C8993774&ccd=IFH003&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=free&utm_content=27982 and a type of curb bit that had breaks on each side of it, this is fairly close to what it looks like: http://www.thetackstop.com/bitccslider.htm thoes two bits are good, but my horse started to get frusturated with them and wouldent turn barels as good and weave as good and also wouldnt stop sometimes, the top 2 bits are the ones i use the most, and they work good for me and my mare! some people use regular curb bits- i used one for a while but dont anymore, try what you are using right now- it may work! - i use my tomb thumb for mainly everything that i do- my horse isnt really good at switching bits all the time, if i do then she gets fed up with it and doesnt work good at all. hope i helped, good luck with barrels & poles ;-) and best of wishes in the upcoming new year in all that you do ;-)