Mouthpiece of a Snaffle Bit

The snaffle bit is the simplest type of horse bit, and has an effect on the bars (part of the horses’ jaw without teeth) and the corners of the lips. The mouthpiece of this bit is composed of a single twisted bar. Rings for the bridle and reins, now lost, were attached to the side eyelets.

Such bits and other tack parts are found in male warrior burials associated with the Hallstatt culture, in which the use of the horse was a symbol of wealth and high status.

Credit: Gift of Stephen V. Grancsay, 1942