10 Contact Issues — And the Bit That Actually Solves Them
Is your horse heavy, fussy, or inconsistent in the contact? Answer a few quick questions and we’ll match you with the bit that fixes your horse’s specific contact issues.
- Stop fighting the reins and start feeling a soft, steady contact
- Bit recommendations based on your horse’s mouth anatomy and behaviour
- Test it in real life with our 30-Day Trial (no more expensive guesswork)
Are You Seeing These Contact Issues?
Most riders blame their hands or training when contact feels wrong. In reality, the problem can often be caused by incorrect pressure placement from an unsuitable bit.
The 10 Common Contact Issues
- Heavy in the hand
- Behind the contact / behind the vertical
- Leaning or pulling
- Head tossing
- Mouth opening
- Tongue movement or sticking the tongue out
- Inconsistent connection / above the bit
- Tension or resistance
- Head tilting
- Overreacting or underreacting to bit pressure
What This Feels Like as a Rider
A contact issue that is caused by the bit is often not resolved with time and training. If every other part of your riding is progressing but one contact problem keeps recurring, then it’s time to look at your bit.You can train for months… but if the bit is wrong, the contact will never feel right.
It’s Not Your Riding. It’s the Pressure Map.
Every bit creates a unique pressure map across the tongue, bars, lips, and palate. If that map doesn’t match your horse’s mouth shape and sensitivity, you get contact issues. Equine dental specialist Georgia Worth explains: “Changing where the pressure is applied changes the horse’s instinctive reaction.”
- Tongue pressure often lowers the head
- Bar pressure often lifts the head
- Too much in the wrong place creates tension and fussiness
Behaviours like head tossing, mouth opening, tongue retraction, ducking behind the vertical, or inconsistent contact often come from incorrect pressure placement.Just as you’d check the saddle for pressure if your horse bucked or showed pain, the bit is no different.
When the pressure is balanced correctly:
- Contact becomes more consistent
- Your horse stretches forward confidently
- The mouth stays quiet and relaxed
- The reins feel soft, steady, and consistent
How We Help You Fix Contact And Reduce The Guesswork
At Try A Bit, we specialise in matching horses with bits that support soft, consistent contact. Instead of buying random bits and hoping for the best, we:
- Diagnose your horse’s contact issues
- Recommend bits based on mouth anatomy, discipline, and behaviour
- Let you trial the bit for 30 days before you commit.
10 Contact Issues — And How We Typically Solve Them
These are broad patterns — every horse is individual — but they show how pressure mapping influences behaviour.
Heavy in the Hand
Often helped by: tongue relief, tongue pressure lowers the head and many tongue sensitive horses sit too low. By moving your horse into a bit that reduces tongue pressure we can help lift the head and lighten the contact.
Behind the Vertical / Behind the Contact
Often helped by: A bit the spreads pressure evenly and that reduces pressure points in the mouth
Leaning or Pulling
Often helped by: A more stable bit that allows for a clearer pressure and release of rein aids
Head Tossing or Head Tilting
Often helped by: Stabilising the bit and reducing pressure points so your horse can take the contact forward evenly.
Mouth Opening
Often helped by: is often related to tongue sensitivity, so a bit that reduces pressure on the tongue
Tongue Movement / Tongue Sticking Out
Often helped by: more tongue space and avoiding bits that compress the centre of the tongue.
Above the Bit / Inconsistent Contact
Often helped by: Reducing bar pressure
Tension & Resistance
Often helped by: spreading pressure over a larger surface area, and softening the bit material such as using a composite/rubber bit.
Head Tilting
Often helped by: improving left–right stability and removing asymmetric pressure, if your horse head tilts then a dental exam is also recommended.
Overreacting or Underreacting to Pressure
Often helped by: softening the bit pressure and spreading it out over a large surface areaThese are general patterns. Your horse’s history, mouth anatomy and training all matter — that’s why every recommendation is personalised.[Tell Us Which Issues Your Horse Has]
How can we help
1. Tell Us Your Contact Issues
Complete the quick online form so we understand your horse’s behaviour and mouth conformation.
2. Get a Personalised Bit Match
We recommend specific models in accordance to your response.
3. Ride With a 30-Day Trial
Test the bit in your normal training. If it’s not right, you can swap or return it. Start My Contact Fix Quiz
What You Get When You Use Try A Bit
- A personalised bit recommendation based on your horse’s contact issues
- Access to our 30-Day Trial on selected bits
- Support if you need to adjust or try a different model
Why Our Trial Works
Simple terms: No risk. No guesswork. No stressing over “Will this even work?”
Ready to Fix Your Horse’s Contact?
If your horse has even one of these contact issues, the right bit can completely change how your horse experiences your contact and allow for a more harmonious communication through the bit.