153

Snaffle

The item pictured above is described as

“

Eggbutt Dee 1/2 inch Tapered Stainless

Steel Corkscrew, 3 inch cheeks, 5 inch mouth.

”

This corkscrew commonly

referred to as a

“

snaffle

”

is designed to discipline or school a horse.

There are six common types of corkscrew snaffle bits: Dee ring snaffle, Egg butt

snaffle, Loose ring snaffle, Full cheek snaffle, Driving snaffle, and Full cheek

snaffle with twisted wire mouthpiece.

Corkscrew collector Don Minzenmayer writes

“

I enclose a photo of our country

house at the vineyard showing the wall behind the stair. On the left side of the

picture you will see about a dozen

„

snaffle

‟

bits showing most of the six types

you mentioned plus a few other bits. My main interest here is not the

„

snaffle

‟

bit

but the

„

Ring Bits

‟

. About 40 of them are on the right half of the picture.

You mentioned that the snaffle was designed to discipline or school a horse. The

ring bit is not used today except maybe

in some parts of Mexico. The RB has a

spade that pulls up into the roof of the

mouth and the ring slips over the lower

jaw. When the reins are pulled there is

pressure put up into the mouth and the

ring applies pressure on a nerve under

the lower jaw. Not too kind but the

horse learns very quickly that if he

behaves himself, the hurt will go away.

These were used to instantly control a

wild horse without breaking it, also on

mules, donkeys and jacks with a mind

of their own.

The ring bit was first used by the Moors in North Africa and brought to Mexico

sometime in the 17th and 18th century. Each one is different, handmade to fit the

animal that needs it. The U. S. Calvary even used them during the Civil War and

shortly after. They could catch and ride wild horses in a very short time with

these bits. Many of the ones you see in the photo are over 200 years old. Some are

more recent and one that I am especially proud of is from the 17th century.