Designed by champion futurity trainer Chris Martin to help a horse stand up and travel balanced on its own without lifting from the rider, the CM 44 bit is trainer Molly Otto’s go-to for daily riding and tuning.

Using the Bit

“I have run a few horses in it, but I mostly just ride around in it. I’ll work them on the barrels and do fast work, but I mostly do slow work with it. It’s not very much bit at all—horses can kind of run off with you a little if you’re going fast. It’s crazy the feel it has and how they soften up and give quickly. Especially if I have one that’s heavy and you put them in this, once they feel the release they give so much nicer.”

Mouthpiece: Two-Piece Twisted

“I actually have three of them—the twisted, the smooth and a three-piece twisted with a dog bone. A lot of times I’ll ride my younger horses in the three-piece when I’m just starting, because it lays in their mouth a little nicer. On my finished horses I’ll put the twisted or the smooth two-piece.”

Shank: Medium Shank and Short Purchase, Some Gag

“It’s designed to give an instant release of pressure, and I really like tuning and riding my horses in this daily. It keeps them super soft; it has a real good feel.”

Curb: Loose Chain

“On this bit, [the curb] is designed to hang really loose. I never adjust it, and I leave this bit a little looser in their mouth. I don’t have two wrinkles—it just sits there, with maybe one wrinkle.”

This article was originally published in the July 2019 issue of Barrel Horse News.

Author

Blanche Schaefer is an avid barrel racer and managing editor of Barrel Horse News. Email comments or questions to [email protected]

1 Comment

  1. would like to know where I could buy a Molly Otto bit ? Having know luck finding a site

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