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Types of Ported Bits and Their Uses
Choosing the right tack for your horse is crucial for a number of reasons. When it comes to ported bits, you have a wide variety of options. If you've ever wondered, "What does a ported bit do?" or thought about the function of a solid ported bit, you've come to the right place. Read on as we dive into ported bits and the role they play so you can decide which ported bit or western bit is best for you and your horse.
A Closer Look at Ported Bits
In the world of tack, ported bits can help you communicate better with your horse for a better performance or more enjoyable ride. Popular among Western and English bits, ports feature an inverted curve or a "U" shape at the center of the mouthpiece. This unique shape provides pressure relief on your horse's tongue while emphasizing pressure on your horse's palate and bars instead.
As an essential bit to have in your tack room, ported bits are used throughout many performance disciplines where the horse must recognize more specific commands. Ported bits are commonly utilized in roping, reining, cutting, and cow horse events, but the right ported bit can also be a great choice for an easy ride on the trail.
Things to Consider When Riding a Ported Bit
While ported bits can provide a great deal of benefits, using them properly is crucial for your horse's well-being and performance. It's been said that the severity of any bit is determined by the hands of the rider holding the reins. If misused, a ported bit can cause your horse pain and discomfort. As a result, it's important to know how the different types of ports function when coupled with the different bars of the bits, whether that be a twisted bar, a smooth bar, copper roller covered, or a ported chain. The different types of ports range from a simple inverted U shape to spoons, square hinge ports, and spades, and to cover them, we'll break them down by the height of the port.
Low Port Bit
What is a low port bit? Often used for ponies, young horses in transition to a shank bit, and older, very broke horses, a low port bit is a mild mouthpiece typically made of sweet iron with type of copper, either inlaid or wrapped in the bars of the mouthpiece. It's specifically designed to provide a slight amount of relief on the horse's tongue while adding pressure to the bars of the mouth. A low port bit is not going to exert a lot of pressure on the roof of your horse's mouth, because of this, it is a good choice of bit to transition young horses from a direct pressure O-ring or D-ring bit, commonly referred to as a snaffle, to a shanked bit. Since a low port bit isn't meant to apply heavy pressure, they're typically on a medium to short shanked bit.
Due to its light pressure, a low port correction bit is a recommended for horses that need very little discipline. If your horse is well-trained and responds well to subtle cues, this may be a great option worth considering. A low port correction bit is often used in reining and ranch riding.
Medium Port Bit
A medium port bit provides a little more tongue relief while applying more pressure on the horse's palate and bars of its mouth. A medium port mouthpiece is typically used with an "S" shaped shank or a calvary shank to create a quicker release of pressure from the bridle reins. This type of port is the most common type of bit ridden in performance horse events, from roping horses to cutting and cowhorses, and is usually in what is called a broken mouthpiece, which means the bars move independent from each other and the port.
If your horse is in training or isn't reacting to rein cues, it's best to go back to the basics, possibly with a direct pressure bit, also commonly referred to as a snaffle. Or you might add more shank for more leverage on a ported bit, but this is only for a tune up and not recommended for daily riding. Keeping your horse soft and willing is important, and continual use of longer shanked bits can make a horse hard-mouthed and unresponsive, no matter what mouthpiece you have in their mouth.
High Port Bit
High port bits are generally reserved for extremely broke horses, often referred to as bridle horses, and accomplished horsemen because a high port bit will reach the soft palate of a horse, which is much more sensitive. High port bits typically have a solid mouthpiece, with a "spoon," "spade," or a simple inverted V shape. When in a horse's mouth, a high port bit will lay down flat on the tongue until the reins are engaged.
Solid Port Bit
A solid port bit can be as elaborate as an original Garcia Spade bit or as simple as the Floral Solid Port in the line of NRS Bits. A solid port bit is going to place pressure on the bars and the palate. Unlike a broken bit which lets you isolate which side of the mouth is getting the pressure applied, a solid port will apply pressure more equally. This will help your horse break more at the poll, often called bridling up. You will see many reining and cowhorses bridle up, especially in their circles and stops. A solid port bit can also keep a horse's shoulders more framed up with the rest of his body, especially helping a horse that may want to let their hips fall out or quarter in a stop.
The Importance of Ported Bits
Port bits come in a variety of styles, from ported chains that are used mainly in roping events, to spades that are mainly used on bridle horse, to a correction bit that is one of the most commonly used bits across all western disciplines. Each ported bit style has its own purpose and understanding how to distinguish how the various types of ports function will help you select the type of bit for you and your horse. Using the correct ported bits will help you communicate better with your horse, giving you the best ride, no matter if that's in the competition arena or on the trail.
