Is the Tom Thumb bit harsh on a horses mouth?

Answer 1

Tom Thumb bits are Marketed as a mild bit that is good for the green horse or green rider. One reason they are marketed this way is because of the misbelief that they are a snaffle with shanks, making it a mild bit that works as a snaffle and a curb. But that is all incorrect. No snaffle can have shanks. A snaffle is a non leverage, direct pressure bit that can have any type of mouth piece, joint, chain, leather, solid even ported. Many believe that a Curb bit is a bit with a solid mouth piece and many call the port the curb but what a curb bit is, is a leverage bit that uses a curb strap that causes curb pressure on the curb area of the lower jaw...the reason for the name Curb bit. A curb bit can have any type of mouth piece, jointed, chain, leather, solid, etc.

So a Tom THumb is a curb bit. One of the biggest problems with it is that many think it is a snaffle because of the marketing and use it as a snaffle but that can cause many problems to the poor horse. That holds true for ANY jointed Curb bit, but...

Not all jointed Curb bits are Tom Thumbs. There are only three Tom Thumb bits. The English Tom Thumb which is a short(very short) shanked curb bit that has a Solid ported mouth piece. The Aussie Tom Thumb which IS a ture snaffle that looks much like the Full cheek but has the ends flattened like a thumb print instead of rounded. And then the Western Tom Thumb which is the bit most people are talking about when you see Tom Thumb. Of the three the first two are good bits, the third is best left on the wall for many reasons.

Like I said above there is only three TTs(Tom Thumbs). There are many western bits that hold the name but are not TTs. Again this goes back to Marketing. They list anything with a jointed mouth piece and a western shank as a TT to make people think of it as mild and because humans like to group things. There is only one true western TT and that is the bit I'm talking about. Oddly enough when they group these other bits as a TT, normally pushing someone to buy a longer shanked one for control after the horse blows through the TT they are giving them a milder bit in most cases. The TT is bad by design. It has short STRAIGHT shanks. If there is a longer shank or a good curve in it or anything but a single jointed mouth piece it isn't a TT and by design is probably the better bit(but might not be right for the case).

Answer 2

The severity of the Tom Thumb bit can vary depending on the design and the rider's hands. Some horses may find it harsh due to the leverage action and potential for nutcracker effect on the tongue. It is important to consider the individual horse's needs and response when selecting a bit.

Answer 3

I can be. It is a jointed curb, so it is harsher than a snaffle. You determine how much pressure to apply.