What are your thoughts on chain bits? Not bicycle chain, jut regular flat link chain. Some people seem to think it isn't a harsh bit since it just lays on the tongue, but doing research a lot of people say this is a really harsh bit? I personally wouldn't think so since it lays on the tongue but of course I am not sure which is why I'm asking. 

I love chain bits and I've never had a horse that didn't like one. I always say, it's not if a bit is severe or not, it's the hands holding the reins. A lot of horses like chain bits. My favorite ones are a jr cow horse with chain and the goose tree delight with chain. Even a simplicity with chain is good but some horses will get pushy in those. 

Okay! Thank you.

Not a harsh bit unless its made into a harsh bit by bad hands. Most my bits are chain mouth pieces. 

Love chain bits. I have quite a few varities in my tack room on different length shanks or on gag style shanks.  My favorite is a jr. cowhorse with a chain mouthpiece.

We have two different regular chain bits and multiple 'ported chains'.  We use them for running barrels, heading steers and on my son's breakaway horse.  We have never found a horse that didn't like them, although sometimes we need something stronger.  The chain bits give stop and some lift.  The ported chains give more lift.

Any bit is harsh in the wrong hands.

Love chain bits

I have a custom chain bit made by JD Morrow that I LOVE to run in. It seems to just fit my hands on multiple horses. I have light hands and my horses are sensative. I also have a Petska chain port that I work some in at home. Love them. 

I love them, and they seem to work for many horses. I enjoy the Petska varietys. Think about it..the chain links conform to the shape of the mouth..I would think these are more comfortable for a horse than a few other popular bit styles. 

I really like chain bits. I had one horse I used them on. Good control while still having lots of bend.

It depends on how you look at it. Chain bits do comform to the mouth better, and does not have a nut cracker effect like a 2 piece snaffle could have. Most horses seem to like a bit with multiple break points, but of course there will be some that don't. A chain bit can have more "drag" on the tounge because of the links. Horses tongues do have a lot of nerve endings, so in the strictest sense, a chain bit can really rasp across those and have more surface area doing that that a rounded smooth bit. I personally don't think they are any rougher than a twisted bit - actually less rough -, but I don't have any scientific evidence.

Different bits fit different hands. I personally don't care for chain mouthpieces. With my hands I don't get the "feel" that I get from other bits. I was always taught the more the mouth piece is breaks the less reactive it is.