The primary means of communicating with and controlling a horse, bits come in a bewildering assortment of materials, sizes, and shapes. Their descriptions—full-cheek snaffle, hackamore, high port, French link, Tom Thumb, spade, KK Ultra—are no less puzzling, and with new bits and refinements being produced every year, even the most experienced horseman may struggle to keep up with the state of the art. In this illustrated guide, Emily Esterson goes into detail about all kinds of equine mouthware and how each is constructed, and explains how and why each works in the context of what the rider wants the horse to accomplish.