When starting a young horse, (or when riding any horse for that matter) the two most important and influential pieces of tack are in my opinion, the saddle and the bit. The saddle is important for obvious reasons, but the bit often seems to be overlooked as being an equally important piece of equipment. The bit is one of the primary means of communication with your horse in his early years, and whilst the rider is always working towards the primary use of legs and seat, with horses being flighty creatures there will always be occasions when the bit will play an important roll!
The selection of the first bits can shape the horses whole riding career, a bad experience at the beginning may set up a lifetime of resistance. Some horses are more sensitive than others, and while one horse may be ridden in an unsuitable bit and tolerate it with no consequences, another more sensitive equine may take longer to resolve issues caused by a badly fitting or chosen bit. The very first bit you put in your horses mouth should be inoffensive and warm. It also should ideally not have large rings or be of a cheek style that could easily catch or hurt the horse, as his first instinct may ...