Professional's Choice Bob Avila AV Santa Maria Spanish Horse Bit - 5" Sweet Iron Mouth, Copper Inlays, 7.25" Shanks

Elevate your performance to the professional level with a bit designed to deliver the ultimate in refined communication and subtle cues. The Bob Avila Santa Maria Spanish Bit is the premier finishing tool for advanced riders seeking to maintain a soft, responsive frame through nuanced signals and perfectly balanced leverage.

As a cornerstone of the prestigious Bob Avila Collection by Professional’s Choice, this Spanish-style bit is engineered for precision-focused lateral control. The sophisticated swivel/hinged port design allows for independent rein action, enabling you to isolate movement and lift a single shoulder or tip the nose with surgical accuracy—a critical advantage for elite Reining, Working Cow Horse, and Western Pleasure competitors.

Key Features & Specifications:

• 5" Sweet Iron Mouthpiece: Designed to naturally oxidize and rust over time, creating a sweet taste that encourages salivation and keeps the horse's mouth moist and responsive.
• Integrated Copper Inlays: Works in tandem with the sweet iron to promote relaxation and prevent the horse from bracing, ensuring a soft, supple feel in the rider's hands.
• 7.25" Santa Maria Shanks: Expertly balanced to deliver moderate, consistent leverage that translates the slightest shift of the hand into a clear, professional-level signal.
• Independent Rein Action: Features a swivel/hinged port that allows for superior lateral movement, enabling the rider to correct position or perform complex maneuvers with independent hand cues.
• Copper Roller (Cricket): Provides tactile stimulation and a soothing sound for "busy-mouthed" horses, helping to occupy the tongue and prevent the horse from bracing against the port.
• Advanced Finishing Design: Specifically engineered for mature, well-trained horses that are already light in the bridle and require a high-level "signal" bit for competition.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Is the 5" mouth size appropriate for my Western horse?
A: Yes, the 5" mouthpiece is the industry standard for average-sized Western horses (approx. 1,000–1,200 lbs), providing enough width to avoid pinching the corners while ensuring the port remains perfectly centered for precise communication.

Q: Why does the mouthpiece look like it is rusting?
A: This is a functional feature of the Sweet Iron material; the oxidation process creates a sweet taste that horses love, which promotes salivation and a "soft" mouth compared to traditional stainless steel.

Q: Is this bit suitable for a horse just starting its training?
A: This is a specialized "signal bit" designed specifically for finished, mature horses that are already light in the bridle. It is intended for advanced riders looking to refine their cues rather than for green horses learning the basics of contact.

Item Number/SKU: AVB-170