{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The Vegan Dragon","provider_url":"https:\/\/thevegandragon.com","title":"Bit Encyclopedia Part 3: Specialty Bits and Effects of the Bit - The Vegan Dragon","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"3A9pbJb5cy\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thevegandragon.com\/index.php\/bit-encyclopedia-part-3\/\">Bit Encyclopedia Part 3: Specialty Bits and Effects of the Bit<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/thevegandragon.com\/index.php\/bit-encyclopedia-part-3\/embed\/#?secret=3A9pbJb5cy\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Bit Encyclopedia Part 3: Specialty Bits and Effects of the Bit&#8221; &#8212; The Vegan Dragon\" data-secret=\"3A9pbJb5cy\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/thevegandragon.com\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"Double Bridles: Overcheck Bits: Overcheck bits are placed on the roof (palette) of a horse\u2019s mouth. They are connected to a strap that goes over the top of the horse\u2019s head and down the neck, connecting to the breast collar, girth, or saddle. Should a horse try to lower their head, the overcheck will pull or stab the palette, causing pain so the horse is forced to keep their head raised.&nbsp; Overchecks are primarily used for standardbred racing horses or carriage horses. Sometimes, they can be used for riding if a horse is \u201ceasily distracted.\u201d&nbsp; Some overchecks do not go into the mouth, but rather around the chin. I have more information on those types here.&nbsp; Snaffle Overchecks: Mullen Overchecks: Bent Overcheck: Birch Overcheck: Mohawk Overcheck: Chain and Mulemouth Overchecks: Mckerron Overcheck: Speedway Overcheck: Hutton Overcheck: Crit Davis Overcheck: Double Bar Crabb Overcheck: Double Bar Crabb with Spoon Overcheck: Pro Steel Italy Leverage Bit: Speciality Bits: These bits are used for extra pain and control of horses.&nbsp; Mini Snaffle Bits: Snake (Lasso) Bits: Safety Bits: Chifney: Effects of the Bit: Injuries to the Mouth: Bit seat Bits and Breathing: https:\/\/horsesandpeople.com.au\/a-bit-free-pain-free-future-for-the-free-breathing-horse\/ Resources on Bits World Bitless Organization: https:\/\/worldbitlessassociation.org\/ Massive Paper on Studies With Visuals: https:\/\/worldbitlessassociation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Data-and-visual-evidence-for-the-bit-free-debate.pdf Above Paper on Google Drive: Papers from Dr Cook: https:\/\/bitlessbridle.com\/articles\/ Bit Use and It&#8217;s Relevance to Rider Safety: https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0168159123000278#:~:text=Abstract,modern%20understanding%20of%20animal%20welfare Bit Injuries High in Show Horses: https:\/\/thehorse.com\/197631\/study-finds-high-rate-of-bit-related-lesions-in-trotting-horses\/ Oral Lesions from Bits: https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2019.00206 Tongue ties: https:\/\/horseracingkills.com\/issues\/tongue-ties\/ What is a Tongue Tie: https:\/\/horsesandpeople.com.au\/what-is-a-tongue-tie\/ Champing at the Bit for Improvements: A Review of Equine Welfare in Equestrian Sports in the United Kingdom. Tim Holmes &amp; Ashleigh F Brown&nbsp;https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9100173\/ The 2020 Five Domains Model: Including Human\u2013Animal Interactions in Assessments of Animal Welfare: https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/10\/10\/1870 Bits Hurt Horses (video): [link] Bits and Horse Riding (video): [link] Abuse of Bits (video): [link] Bit Bridle vs Bitless Bridle (video): [link] Bit Abuse (video): [link] Dr. Cook on Bits (video): [link]&nbsp; and [link] Abuse of Bits: http:\/\/blog.nerdette.org\/?p=1590 Dr. Cook on Bits: https:\/\/www.bitlessbridle.com\/index.php?main_page=page&amp;id=5 Riding Bitless: http:\/\/thinklikeahorse.org\/index-7.html Stacey Westfall Ride Horse Without Bridle or Saddle (video): [link] British Veterinary Association (2021):https:\/\/www.bva.co.uk\/media\/4273\/full-bva-position-on-animal-welfare.pdf Cook, W.R. (1999): Pathophysiology of bit control in the horse. J Equine Vet Sci. 19: 96-204 Cook, W.R. (2010): Damage by the bit to the equine interdental space and second lowerpremolar. Equine vet. Educ. (2010) doi: 10.1111\/j.2042-3292.2010.00167. Cook, W.R. (2019): Clearing the Air on the Bit-free Debate, Horses and People Magazine,November-December 2019. Cook, W.R. (2021a): Pain free Horsemanship. https:\/\/en.weltexpress.info\/2021\/09\/29\/pain-free\u0002horsemannship\/Cook, W.R. (2021b): Sudden death in the racehorse &#8211; World Bitless Association Cook, W.R. (2023): Sustaining the social license of equestrian sport.https:\/\/horsesandpeople.com.au\/why-not-bit-free-expert-says-its-time-to-draw-the-equestrian\u0002iron-age-to-a-close\/ Cook, W.R. and Strasser, H (2003): Metal in the Mouth: the abusive effects of bitted bridles.Sabine Kells. Qualicum Beach, BC Canada Cook, W.R. and Mills, D.S. (2009): Preliminary study of jointed snaffle vs. crossunder bitlessbridles: Quantified comparison of behaviour in four horses. Equine Vet. J. 41, 827-830 Cook W.R. and Kibler, M. (2018): Behavioural assessment of pain in 66 horses, with andwithout a bit. Equine Vet Educ. 31 551-560 https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/eve.12916 Cook, W.R. and Kibler, M (2022): The effect of bit-induced pain in the horse on the feelings ofriders about riding (2022) &#8211; World Bitless AssociationDanish Animal Ethics Council, June 2023: Statement on the use of horses for sport.Glendell, G (2014: An open letter to the British Horse Society. May Davis (2014): The Occurrence of a Congenital Malformation in the Sixth and SeventhCervical Vertebrae Predominantly Observed in Thoroughbred Horses, Journal of VeterinaryScience 34 1313-1317V May-Davis et al (2023: \u201cCongenital abnormalities of cervical vertebrae C6 and C7.\u201d Journal ofEquine Veterinary Science. Mellor DJ. (2016): Updating Animal Welfare Thinking: Moving beyond the &#8220;Five Freedoms&#8221;towards &#8220;A Life Worth Living.&#8221; Animals (Basel). 2016 Mar 14;6(3):21. doi:10.3390\/ani6030021. Mellor, D.J. (2019a) Equine welfare during exercise 1. Do we have a bit of a problem.https:\/\/www.slideshare.net\/SAHorse\/equine-welfare-during-exercise-do-we-have-a-bit-of-a\u0002problem Mellor, D.J (2019b) Equine welfare during exercise 2. Do we have a bit of a problem.https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rY4yEC7lhco Mellor, D.J. (2020a) Mouth Pain in Horses: Physiological Foundations, Behavioural Indices,Welfare Implications, and a Suggested Solution. 2020 Mar 29;10(4):572. doi:10.3390\/ani10040572. Mellor, D.J (2020b). Bit Blindness. VetScript 33(9), 32-34; VetScript is the Monthly Magazine ofthe New Zealand Veterinary Association. Mellor, D.J. and Beausoleil, N.J. (2017): Equine welfare during exercise: An evaluation ofbreathing, breathlessness and bridles. Animals. 7, 41 doi:10.3390\/ani7060041 Mellor, D.J., Beausoleil, N.J., Littlewood, K.E., McLean, A.N., McGreevy, P.D., Jones, B. andWilkins, C. (2020). The 2020 Five Domains Model: Including Human\u2013Animal Interactions inAssessments of Animal Welfare. Animals10 (10), 1870; doi:10.3390\/ani10101870 Mellor, D.J. and Burns, M (2020): Using the Five Domains Model to develop welfare assessmentguidelines for Thoroughbred horses in New Zealand. NewZealand Veterinary Journal, May;68(3):150-156. doi: 10.1080\/00480169.2020.1715900. Epub2020 Feb 20. May-Davis (2023): May-Davis, S.; Dzingle, D.; Saber, E.; Blades Eckelbarger, P.Characterization of the Caudal Ventral Tubercle in the Sixth Cervical Vertebra in Modern Equusferus caballus. Animals 2023, 13, 2384. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ ani13142384 Taylor, J: (2022) \u201cI can\u2019t watch anymore: the case for dropping Equestrian from the OlympicGames.\u201d Epona Media, Copenhagen. Wilkins, C: (2023): \u201cThe mystery of the missing lamellae.\u201d Horses and People, pp 43-49","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/thevegandragon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Horse-bit-and-bridle-fitting-1024x539.jpg"}