All bits are made AFTER orders are received. It may take up to 10 business days for them to ship. We ship ASAP, but as a very small shop it takes time to process and make each bit. Please read the full description prior to ordering! Bits are custom made after orders are received. Sizing and mouthpiece style information is near the bottom.
Custom hand stitched solid leather O-ring snaffle bit. All bits come standard with 2 1/2″ rings unless otherwise requested. Made of high quality vegetable tanned leather.
Leather bits are great for fussy horses and horses with sensitive mouths. They are also a great option for introducing a young horse to a bit, as well as helping horses with mouth injuries. A lot of horses will seek contact in a leather bit when they are avoiding it in a regular bit. Some horses will see a difference within the first ride, others may take several rides for them to accept and work into the bit.
Please note: Leather bits may not be suitable for all horses, specifically those who are prone to chew as they may chew through the leather mouth piece. We do our best to provide a high quality product, but we cannot guarantee the lifespan of the mouthpiece due to the natural composition of the leather, and the factors out of our control such as care and the individual horse. We do our best to provide a high quality product, but we cannot guarantee the lifespan of the mouthpiece due to the natural composition of the leather, and the factors out of our control such as care and the individual horse. We do NOT recommend leaving any horse unattended with a leather or rope bit.
Bit sizing:

We recommend using the size of your regular metal bit as a baseline. Then, take into account the shape of the metal mouthpiece as some are more curved, such as Myler Bits. Also, horses that like a lot of shape to the mouth piece, or have a deeper palate may need a larger size of leather bit. We cannot guarantee how the leather mouth piece will mold to each individual mouth, or how that will affect the actual fit on your horse. We measure each bit and strive to only send out bits that measure true to size when laid out flat. However, there may be a small sizing difference in some bits due to human error.
Mouthpiece Styles:

The main difference between the flat and the rounded is the overall flexibility and surface area. The rounded style will have more complete flexibility, a surface area comparable to a regular metal bit, and seems to be more popular with most horses. The flat style is wider, thinner, and primarily flexible in only 2 directions. The horses that need a little “more” bit seem to do better in the flat. Some horses, especially those with a low palate and a thick tongue, do seem to object to the amount of surface area the flat takes up. On bits that have the built-in curb strap option- the curb strap is a leather strap built into the mouthpiece of the bit that buckles around the lower jaw. This stabilizes the bit, and also offers an option to use the bit without a headstall *on most horses*. Not all horses are suitable for a leather bit or for riding without a headstall.
Full care instructions are printed on the packing slip included with each order.
I also offer completely custom bits, specific to your bitting needs. We can replace most metal mouthpieces with leather as well.
Return Policy:

We do not accept returns. If you think there is a problem with your bit, please contact us prior to oiling the bit or trying on a horse.
DISCLAIMER!!!

Working with horses can be dangerous! By making any purchase from Sweet Billy’s Bits, LLC, you agree to hold us harmless and not liable for any and all incidents, injury, accident, etc. that may occur while using our product.