| Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686163] |
Mon, 25 June 2012 18:51  |
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Hi all,
Just want to know why people say that sweet iron bits are a 'harsh' bit? I thought they were just the same as any other bit but a different material (i.e. available in different types, thicknesses, etc) so therefore are only as harsh as the type of bit they are? (If that makes sense). I've tried searching the net to see if there was something I'm missing and the only thing I've found is that horses seem to prefer the taste of them over stainless steel (which sounds kinder than stainless steel imo).
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686168 is a reply to message #2686163 ] |
Mon, 25 June 2012 19:00  |
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Exactly as you said...different material available in different thickness' just like other bits 
My bloke prefers a sweet iron bit.
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686177 is a reply to message #2686163 ] |
Mon, 25 June 2012 19:07 |
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Ditto what Jakki said
I've had my OTTB in a happy mouth, stainless steel, and sweet iron - he much prefers and works better in a sweet iron
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686188 is a reply to message #2686163 ] |
Mon, 25 June 2012 19:23 |
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They come in fine, medium and standard.
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686192 is a reply to message #2686173 ] |
Mon, 25 June 2012 19:29 |
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But that's purely a perception on how thick they are..? A medium sweet iron snaffle is not going to be any harsher than an identical medium stainless steel snaffle? And they're readily available in a variety of thickness' so it's just people's impressions of them because originally Western bits were made of sweet iron not English from what I can tell then?
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686197 is a reply to message #2686163 ] |
Mon, 25 June 2012 19:33 |
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And I just tried my girl in a sweet iron for the first time and she loved it too! Was the softest I've ever seen/felt her. But when I recommended it to someone I had a couple of people tell me that they were told they were harsh bits... Haha just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something 
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686206 is a reply to message #2686202 ] |
Mon, 25 June 2012 19:40 |
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But all single-jointed snaffles have a nut cracker action, and french links are available in sweet iron? So a sweet iron bit is only as harsh as the type of bit you buy (as sweet iron is purely the material the bit is made out of)
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686211 is a reply to message #2686202 ] |
Mon, 25 June 2012 19:45 |
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And on that note the bit I've just started using is single-jointed sweet iron loose ring snaffle (one with the curved mouth-piece which is meant to reduce the nut cracker action) and given how well she's responded to the kinder bit I'm thinking I might get a french-link sweet iron and see if she's even better again (which I perhaps should have gotten to begin with, but oh well)
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686605 is a reply to message #2686163 ] |
Tue, 26 June 2012 11:25 |
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I have ridden in KK's, but changed to sweet iron as a friend was using one, and her horse responded well to it - so I borrowed it, and my boy loved it, so now he is ridden in one
Any rider can make any bit harsh, really depends on how it is used 
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686616 is a reply to message #2686163 ] |
Tue, 26 June 2012 11:32 |
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Just be aware that the rust can leave little 'nodules' of iron that will rub your horses mouth. That's why sometimes people think these are harsh bits as they see the rubbing from where the bit has rusted down unevenly. A bit of sandpaper fixes them up, but its something you need to be aware of.
I only learnt this from my own experience with one. My poor boy had rub marks on his lips after a hunt and I only realized when I was cleaning the bridle and running my hand over the bit in the corners, how annoying those little nodules must have been!
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686877 is a reply to message #2686616 ] |
Tue, 26 June 2012 16:14 |
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Yes I have heard that, will be sure to keep an eye on it and have the steel wool/sand paper ready if it starts to feel/look a bit rough . Poor baby that would be irritating!
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| Re: Sweet Iron bits - harsh or not? [message #2686889 is a reply to message #2686232 ] |
Tue, 26 June 2012 16:28 |
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| kph_89 wrote on Mon, 25 June 2012 20:00 |
Sorry glanced over that part my bad, I assumed you were just talking sweet iron in general. But I have heard that you need to make sure you at least wipe them off after every ride to help prevent rusting, but I suppose you should do that with every bit. Will definitely go gentler again and try a french link. Just really wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something and using a bit that was harsh in ways I didn't know about on my sensitive mare
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french links aren't actually 'gentler', especially on a narrow jawed horse, as the three-way bend means the bit actually pushes on the bars of the horses mouth and can be quite severe. if your horse has a wider jaw they are suitable, narrow jaw- not so much. i found this out the hard way.
IMOH the concept of sweet irons isnt the best, any metal that has the potential ability to cause toxity in my horse i wouldn't be touching. more or less, if you wouldnt put a rusty bit in your mouth why put it in your horses, regardless of the extra salivation.
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