Clarification about the Imus Line of Bits

Many people unknowingly purchase the knockoffs as they are often marketed as Imus bits with some even having the word Imus stamped on the shank. We use, and have only used, our registered trademarked Imus 4-Beat logo on all 2nd Generation Imus bits, as shown below.

REAL 2nd Generation Imus Bit Stamp

If you see the marks below stamped or engraved on your bit, or no mark at all, it is not a 2nd Generation Imus Comfort Gait Bit or 2nd Generation Imus Training Transition Bit. These were not purchased from Phoenix Rising Saddles and we had nothing to do with the sale, distribution of, or profit from these bits.

Other ways you can check to see if your bit is the real deal:

• There are no side D's on the 2nd Generation Imus Comfort Gait Bit

• If you purchased it new anywhere other than from Phoenix Rising Saddles, it is either an old original Imus bit (over ten years old), or it's a counterfeit. We've seen knockoffs purchased for $40 or less and re-sold as 'used' 2nd Generation Imus bits on marketplace platforms. These scammers resell these as authentic 2nd Gen bits for over double the purchase price they paid for the fake. Beware of used 2nd Generation Imus Bits. Look for the same marks of authenticity (4Beat logo) as you would if purchasing new.

• Our bits have no brass bushings in either the mouthpiece or cheekpieces. All our working parts are internal and covered.

• Knockoff bits are made with cheap, overly-recycled metals that feel lighter, don't move as smoothly, and have a tendency to pinch and/or break in half while in use. 

What happened:

Brenda pulled her original Imus Comfort Gait Bit from the market over 10 years ago, prior to her passing, due to quality issues that had developed, and which she had no control over despite her efforts. Mainly, her original Imus Comfort Gait Bits were declining in quality and breaking. The retail company who was the sole distributor of her products didn't take any action about the known issues, so she ended up cutting ties with them and pulling her bit from the market. Unfortunately there are still cheaper knock-off versions of our bit being sold by other companies that continue to have the same issue with separating at the roller, and sometimes breaking in half. We assure you these are not our bits and we have nothing to do with the manufacture or sale of the counterfeit Imus bits.

The separating at the bushings on either side of the copper roller on the original and subsequent counterfeit bits causes potential from pinching, so we recommend discontinuing use if this happens. Also, from what we've been made aware of, the loosening is often a pre-curser to the bit breaking in half. The craftsmanship and materials used in the later versions of the original, and the knockoffs, is inferior, made overseas and uses overly-recycled, and therefore weaker, metals. Also, the design of the roller and the copper bushings causes undue stress and torque in the center of the bit, causing it to weaken and loosen over time.

Brenda worked with an Amish bit maker in Ohio, Bowman Bits, to fix these issues and ensure the quality of the bits were the best they'd ever been, which is outlined on the list below. She passed away before being able to bring it to market, which we did when we launched in 2013. We continue to work exclusively with Bowman Bits for our bit production to this day. Phoenix Rising Saddles has only made and sold these 2nd Generation Imus Bits, since our launch in 2013. 

We warranty our bits for five years, and in eight years (and counting) haven't had a single warranty claim.

Improvements made from the 1st Generation to the 2nd Generation Imus Bits Prior to Launching in 2013:

-Hand-made in the USA with the top quality US made stainless steel and metals.

- All 2nd Generation bits have our trademarked Imus 4-Beat logo on the shank to prevent confusion and protect the brand.

-Re-engineered internal workings to strengthen working parts and facilitate the smoothest movement.

-Lengthened and slightly flattened the copper roller to cover all moveable parts in the mouthpiece.  This completely covers the bushings to keep the bit completely pinchless, and prevents damage to structural integrity from torque. (pictures of lookalike bits often have their mouthpieces and copper rollers edited to look this way, but the bushings are actually exposed)

-Made bushings internal on the cheek-pieces to strengthen and prevent loosening and pinching

-Removed the side D's to make the bit lighter and less bulky.  If you would like to have the benefits of the mouthpiece while working off a non-leverage snaffle setup, you can do this with our Imus Training Transition Bit.

-Manufactured with their original purchase-to-shank ratio, which is key to effect the proper sequence of actions with the bit.

-Manufactured with proper angles of lower shanks

-Backed by a 5 Year warranty

-Lab-tested 100% free of lead and other heavy metals by the University of Michigan Ecology Center.