Why I use a leather bit for this young horse

When a young horse is so soft in the mouth that contact becomes difficult, a leather bit can be the answer.

A horse that avoids the hand is not being difficult; it is protecting itself. Metal can feel cold and hard in a young, sensitive mouth.

A leather bit warms up quickly, tastes different and often invites the horse to take a steady contact within a couple of sessions. From there you can go back to a normal snaffle.