Lighter bits for soft mouths?

I recommend a full cheek snaffle, with keepers. This is a great bit. The cheek pieces provide a little extra lateral guidance, the keepers provide poll pressure to cue her to put her head down a bit, and provide a very slight bit of leverage action for extra control.

If you need more than this, you can add a Dr. Bristol mouthpiece. This has a lozenge in the center part. When the horse is behaving, it lies in the mouth nicely, but when you use the bit strongly, it gives a little extra bite.

These bits are quite soft, and their extra control comes only when you need it. The rest of the time, it works just like a snaffle.

A stronger bit is never the answer. And it's not good to use multiple bits on a horse.

I suggest a Full Cheek Snaffle. The "harshest" I would go on a soft-mouthed horse is a Full Cheek Twisted Snaffle.

I too have a mare with a soft mouth (I ride her in a plain D Ring) and used to ride her in a Full Cheek Twisted Snaffle. Big mistake. Even that was too harsh and she hated it. Nearly ruined her mouth.

Training is the right answer. Or compromise.

The notion of horses having soft or hard mouths is nonsense. How a horse reacts to a bit has to do with how it's used or been used in the past.

A bit is only as strong or as light as the hands operating it. Some bits may be more, or less, comfortable for the horse to hold in it's mouth but, how it's used is the most important thing.

Bits are not for added strength. Bits are for communication. If you are using the bit as a brake peddal or a sterring wheel, you've got it wrong.

I would consider just a plain snaffle or an O ring snaffle but that's not really my top. Maybe a just a bar bit

I highly recommend an elevator bit. My TB is in one now, ad she LOVES it! It puts pressure on the rest of the head before it engages the actual bit, so they have time to slow down before they even feel the bit. Remember, the harshest bit could be the kindest with soft hands, but the softest bit could be the harshest in the wrong hands. Hope I helped!

Why does she need something stronger? People usually think a stronger bit is the ticket out of problems. What activities is she doing? If she gets excited at the canter or something, try doing lots of transitions to keep her alert. Do circles, serpentines, etc to keep her paying attention. If she is jumping at goes hard at fences I see success with kimberwicks. Maybe a running martingale would help? There are usually ways around problems without getting a different bit.

I like the French snaffle.

You could try a skinnier D the thicker the D bit the softer it is.

Try a Kincade hackamore noseband, they work really well for horses like that! http://www.doversaddlery.com/hackamore-noseband/p/...