Weymouth Bits
Weymouth Bits
The double bridle consists of a Weymouth and a bradoon. The bradoon should be equal in size and shape to the standard snaffle currently used, and lies at the same place in the horse’s mouth. The Weymouth is attached a little bit lower where the horse’s head gets thinner. Therefore the Weymouth should be ½ to 1 cm smaller than the bradoon.
It is important that the cheeks of the Weymouth fit closely to both sides of the horse’s mouth. If there is too much space between the corners of the mouth and the cheek pieces the bit will slide across the bars making it uncomfortable, or even worse the bit might tilt. The correct size and position in the horse’s mouth becomes even more important when using specially designed mouthpieces (e.g. the Bemelmans
Weymouth or KK Dressage bit). When attaching the curb chain the rider should be able to pull / move the Weymouth up to an angle of 45°.
The Weymouth affects different parts of the horse’s head:
- The jaw through the tongue
- The poll by leverage
- The lower jaw bone through the curb chain
The potential effectiveness of the influence on the poll depends on the length of the upper and lower cheek parts. The most popular lower cheek size is 7 cm. Weymouth bits with 5 cm lower cheeks are often called “Baby Weymouth bit”. This expression might imply that it is made for beginners but it is not. The rider’s aids and their effect are more direct and quicker due to the short cheeks. Nevertheless, the pressure on both lower jaw bones and poll is less effective with shorter cheeks due to the different leverage.
The space in the horse’s mouth is limited and especially the palate is flatter than previously expected. When using a Weymouth with a high port pressure can be exerted to the sensitive palate when pulling the reins. We highly recommend choosing a Weymouth that offers space for the tongue without squeezing the palate.
