Why is this bit gold?

Thankfully for your pocketbook, it is not made of real gold! Bits that have this shade of gold are typically made of a copper alloy.

Copper is a popular choice to be added to bits as it naturally oxidizes which can taste sweeter and more appealing to horses. Since copper is naturally a very soft metal, manufacturers use a mixture of other metals to help harden the material to increase the durability of the bit. Different brands will have different varieties of what makes up their alloys. For example, Sprenger’s Sensogram is made of Copper, Manganese, and Zinc. While BR uses Cuprigan, which is an alloy of Copper, Aluminum, Iron and Zinc. Some brands will simply add Copper inlay on the bars of their bits as well.