A bit is a piece of metal that goes into the horse’s mouth and is then controlled by a set of reins (long leather or nylon lines) that are attached to the bit and extend to a rider’s hands. A horse is trained to respond to a bit based on the ways that it puts pressure in the horse’s mouth; bits can also be used to correct or modify certain behaviors or even help aid in a horse’s breathing at high speeds by keeping his tongue in place. Bits, not unlike the equipment they are used in conjunction with, are plentiful and varied throughout racing.
To read more, click HERE.
Horse Racing 101 founder and south Alabama-native Caroline Sumner grew up riding horses in a variety of English sports such as eventing and hunter/jumper. Her first experience at a racetrack was in 2004 when she and her mother visited Keeneland Racecourse and various breeding farms in Lexington, Kentucky. While she loved the horses, her real passion for the racing industry came a few years later when she met her now-deceased off-track thoroughbred, Kaotic’s Reality.
She graduated from Midway College in December of 2012 with a degree in Equine Studies. Throughout college, she worked on a commercial breeding farm and on the racetrack in various positions that included barn foreman, hot walker, and groom. A career-ending shoulder injury forced her to choose other methods of remaining involved with the horse racing industry, but she remains an avid supporter of thoroughbreds both on the racetrack and in their second careers.
Caroline currently resides in San Antonio, Texas where she operates 101horseracing.com full-time in addition to two other projects. Her other interests include bodybuilding, cooking, reading, and traveling.