February 2004

Creating Bit Seats: Should You Do It?

Many riders think a “bit seat” enhances bit action; others scoff at it.

Discuss the creation of a bit seat with your trainer and your veterinarian.

Riders and veterinarians alike tend to react to new techniques in equine dentistry with a healthy bit of skepticism. This is especially true in the cases of the use of motorized equipment and extensive corrective procedures. However, the creation of a “bit seat”—a relatively simple new procedure that is said to make a noticeable difference in your horse’s performance—may well be worth your attention.

Your equine dentist creates a bit seat in your horse’s mouth by rounding off and beveling the front surfaces of the first cheek teeth, technically the second premolars, on both the upper and lower jaws. However, it doesn’t really have anything to do with where the bit…