Appaloosas and bitless bridles.

[Sheepdip]

I’ve a young Appaloosa gelding (7yrs) and I’ve brought him on very slowly from the age of 4. Slower than I would care for due to the fact that he’s a little quirky (which I understand a lot of Appaloosa horses are) BUT - He hates the bit. Hes never been happy to accept a contact and so we are mainly on a loose rein. He’s extremely responsive to turning and seat aids without using reins but it’s not the best scenario if he wants to have a “quirky” moment because anything other than a light contact has him running through the contact for 4 or 5 strides before slowing down. The bit clearly makes it worse. No pain issues. Vet, chiro, physio, dentist and X-rays of jaw and everything is good. But the more I bump into people out and about on their Appys, the more I see that the majority of this breed are bitless. Has anyone else got an Appy and persevered enough to get them in a bit? I am willing to have to abandon the idea of any low level dressage if he won’t go in a bit but would just like to hear from other peoples experiences with the breed when it comes to bits

 

[Barton Bounty]

I dont have any experience of bitless appaloosa but I do have a bitless tb which used to be a flakeball with the bit. If your comfortable with him, tack up as normal with saddle and ride with a headcollar just as a test. I use a micklem which is basically a very expensive leather headcollar lol ? I was using a micklem with bit and one day I thought sod it, lets try, and thats been 4 years now

 

[ycbm]

My spotty appyx has an unsteady mouth at 7 and has been the same from the very start. I have always felt he would prefer to bitless. I might try it one day, especially now venues are beginning to offer unaffiliated bitless opportunities for dressage.
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[palo1]

My appy x has also been unsteady in the contact, at times, from the age of 3 to 17. He seems to find variety best so has a range of bitted and bitless options. He will go beautifully in any bit or bitless setup most of the time but then, for reasons not apparant to me, the dentist, the saddle fitter or the vet he will decide that he HATES whatever I have him in. It has been a bit dispiriting at times because I have always been told I have nice, sympathetic hands but I have learnt to just listen to the silly sod and if he asks for a change of set up we do that!! He doesn't like a hackamore, I don't like a sidepull but we both like an Indian Bosal, a Combination, a Pelham (always with 2 reins) and sometimes a french link snaffle lol. I just ring the changes as he sees fit and I have stopped really worrying about it. The horse is quite happy to do a test, finds lateral work easy and is an absolute gentleman, just a bit quirky.

 

[HuskyFluff]

I've started my appy this year, and it took an age to find a bit she liked/tolerated. All the usual recommendations (and variations thereof) for starting bits just didn't work with her. We've ended up with a happy tongue bit for now, but my inclination is to ride bitless when I start doing more work with her. (Someone else is riding her out at the moment).

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

My Appy is 8 . No problems with a bit. Salivates all the time in it. He's foaming as soon as his bridle is on even before I've finished tacking up

 

[Sheepdip]

My appy x has also been unsteady in the contact, at times, from the age of 3 to 17. He seems to find variety best so has a range of bitted and bitless options. He will go beautifully in any bit or bitless setup most of the time but then, for reasons not apparant to me, the dentist, the saddle fitter or the vet he will decide that he HATES whatever I have him in. It has been a bit dispiriting at times because I have always been told I have nice, sympathetic hands but I have learnt to just listen to the silly sod and if he asks for a change of set up we do that!! He doesn't like a hackamore, I don't like a sidepull but we both like an Indian Bosal, a Combination, a Pelham (always with 2 reins) and sometimes a french link snaffle lol. I just ring the changes as he sees fit and I have stopped really worrying about it. The horse is quite happy to do a test, finds lateral work easy and is an absolute gentleman, just a bit quirky.

My boy is as quirky as they come - but then the most amazing, super sweet character. Hes a little cold backed too sometimes so when hes wanting to rodeo, it isn't much fun knowing that if I pull on the reins, it upsets him and makes him worse. Sitting it out with little rein contact would maybe have been more appealing to me in my 20s but now I'm nearer to 60 than 50, its a little off-putting (to put it politely) lol

 

[Sheepdip]

My Appy is 8 . No problems with a bit. Salivates all the time in it. He's foaming as soon as his bridle is on even before I've finished tacking up

That's nice. I'm pleased that not all of us Appy owners are being tested to the limit lol

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I used to breed appaloosas and only ever had one that didn't like a bit. I used to show in-hand bitted apart from the one that refused a bit.

 

[FestiveG]

Am on the third appaloosa and have found that they are best in very stable bits, anything with too much movement upsets them. First was in a mullen mouth vulcanised rubber, with a drop noseband. Second in a myler comfort Pelham, or snaffle if needed for dressage, but she preferred the Pelham. Current in myler comfort snaffle.

 

[Cortez]

I've trained many appaloosa horses, never had any that were particularly difficult in the mouth (well, no more difficult than any other breed), and a couple were very good dressage horses indeed. Have you had any lessons or input from a good professional trainer?

 

[SEL]

Mine was backed bitless (dually) because she'd gone over backwards with the person who tried to back her before me and I didn't want to accidentally catch her and cause her to go up. She was fine in the dually with clip on reins but trying to switch her over to a bit was a challenge because she kept getting her tongue over everything.

She's in a turtle top (well until she took early retirement with a ligament injury) and that is the only bit she has ever decided she likes. I left the bridle at home one day and thought I'd pop on with the dually again and she nearly dumped me. Not through lack of control just pure 'I'm not happy we changed plans, get off'.

She does have a very small mouth on a normal full sized head so bridle and bit fitting required some finesse. She has an XL browband and had to have the cavesson noseband on loose. I also had to have the bit sitting lower than you'd expect - definitely not two wrinkles in the corner of her mouth. An instructor insisted on altering it once and I had an awful ride. She also never really appreciated a lot of contact.

ETA - not appreciating a lot of contact with mine was actually due to issues elsewhere in her body so it is probably good to have someone assess yours under saddle.

 

[Sheepdip]

I've trained many appaloosa horses, never had any that were particularly difficult in the mouth (well, no more difficult than any other breed), and a couple were very good dressage horses indeed. Have you had any lessons or input from a good professional trainer?

I dont want him to go for any "training" as such until he is comfortable with rein aids at home in his own environment. I listen to him and I set his work according to how he is behaving that day. Sometimes, we just walk and do halts, flexing and a little bit of lateral work in walk if he is being particularly fussy in the mouth. I wouldn't want to waste a trainers time just yet because I know him inside out and if hes feeling extra sensitive, I find a way of doing something with him that is still worthwhile but won't let him come away with any negative experiences. I think I may be trying bitless very soon

 

[Btomkins]

Had my Appaloosa who is now 11 since a yearling and broke him myself. No issues whatsoever with the bit, including double bridle. Extremely soft mouth and has never ever taken a pull, but happily seeks the bit. But then he is the easiest and sweetest horse ever with no quirks other than wanting to chew on anything you leave in his stable!

 

[Cortez]

I dont want him to go for any "training" as such until he is comfortable with rein aids at home in his own environment. I listen to him and I set his work according to how he is behaving that day. Sometimes, we just walk and do halts, flexing and a little bit of lateral work in walk if he is being particularly fussy in the mouth. I wouldn't want to waste a trainers time just yet because I know him inside out and if hes feeling extra sensitive, I find a way of doing something with him that is still worthwhile but won't let him come away with any negative experiences. I think I may be trying bitless very soon

I wasn't suggesting that you send the horse away for "training" (why the quotation marks?), I was asking if you'd had any lessons on him from a good professional instructor who may be able to help you with the issues you are having. If you are interested in riding bitless then I would likewise suggest that you seek the assistance of a professional instructor/trainer with expertise in that area since it is not as simple as just removing the thing that you think is the problem.

 

[Dexter]

You need a vet work up more than a trainer. Being cold backed is a horse screaming its in pain. Id also want anything spotted testing for PSSM as its rife in the breed and outcrosses sadly.

 

[Sheepdip]

I wasn't suggesting that you send the horse away for "training" (why the quotation marks?), I was asking if you'd had any lessons on him from a good professional instructor who may be able to help you with the issues you are having. If you are interested in riding bitless then I would likewise suggest that you seek the assistance of a professional instructor/trainer with expertise in that area since it is not as simple as just removing the thing that you think is the problem.

Thank you for your input. I maybe haven’t worded my post or my reply very well so apologies for any confusion. Im not really needing assistance in techniques/methods as this horse is rewriting the rule book anyway. We have an excellent partnership and I understand his sensitivity fully. I am, however, not experienced with the Appaloosa breed and seem to be hearing lots of tales of some of them preferring to be bitless. Hence my post was just curiosity to see if there are other Appaloosa owners who had decided to go bitless instead or whether it is just the 3 or 4 that I’ve met in person, locally that coincidentally are bitless - if that makes sense. It’s reassuring to hear that you have had many with no issues. It is possibly not a typical trait of the breed as I had begun to think it was

 

[spotty_pony]

I’ve a young Appaloosa gelding (7yrs) and I’ve brought him on very slowly from the age of 4. Slower than I would care for due to the fact that he’s a little quirky (which I understand a lot of Appaloosa horses are) BUT - He hates the bit. Hes never been happy to accept a contact and so we are mainly on a loose rein. He’s extremely responsive to turning and seat aids without using reins but it’s not the best scenario if he wants to have a “quirky” moment because anything other than a light contact has him running through the contact for 4 or 5 strides before slowing down. The bit clearly makes it worse. No pain issues. Vet, chiro, physio, dentist and X-rays of jaw and everything is good. But the more I bump into people out and about on their Appys, the more I see that the majority of this breed are bitless. Has anyone else got an Appy and persevered enough to get them in a bit? I am willing to have to abandon the idea of any low level dressage if he won’t go in a bit but would just like to hear from other peoples experiences with the breed when it comes to bits

My Appy always has preferred working long and low to into a contact - they are definitely more suited to western riding than dressage. He hates dressage with a passion but finding something he really enjoyed (in his case hunting) was key to schooling him. We can canter half pass on the hunting field, yet he would never want to do anything like that schooling! I have ridden him bitless which he does like but usually we ride in a snaffle on a loose rein. He also goes well in a Waterford when feeling stronger and I add a grackle to this when hunting.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

We have had 5 appys over the years, three were fine in the mouth as long as you rode them right. They are very senitive and if tbeir balance is off it shows up as fussy in the mouth.

Our current to are very soft mouthed, they like simple. Current bit is a NS Team Up loose ring.

Appys can tend to curl inwards, well the british bread ones do. Our foundation line one was solid and took the outline and bit forward lovely. My curreny boy you have go ride forwards and low before you ask him to come up. He curls inwards otherwise.

How he is in the gear changes in each gate without contact with the mouth? Balance is key to fussy mouths most of the time.

I would like to take my current one bitless our foundation boy was brilliant in just a rope halter.

 

[ycbm]

We have had 5 appys over the years, three were fine in the mouth as long as you rode them right. They are very senitive and if tbeir balance is off it shows up as fussy in the mouth.

This rings so many bells! Every trainer had told me he goes steady in the mouth once he's in perfect balance. The problem is keeping him in perfect balance!
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[Slightlyconfused]

This rings so many bells! Every trainer had told me he goes steady in the mouth once he's in perfect balance. The problem is keeping him in perfect balance!
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Mine is 14 and a bit, had him since 6. Its still something we have to keep an eye one as he is such a people pleaser we have to remind him to slow his brain down and not over balance ??

Love my appys, they really make you as a rider.

 

[Cortez]

Mine is 14 and a bit, had him since 6. Its still something we have to keep an eye one as he is such a people pleaser we have to remind him to slow his brain down and not over balance ??

Love my appys, they really make you as a rider.

This isn't something that is confined to horses with spots, though; it applies to every horse

 

[Marigold4]

I dont want him to go for any "training" as such until he is comfortable with rein aids at home in his own environment. I listen to him and I set his work according to how he is behaving that day. Sometimes, we just walk and do halts, flexing and a little bit of lateral work in walk if he is being particularly fussy in the mouth. I wouldn't want to waste a trainers time just yet because I know him inside out and if hes feeling extra sensitive, I find a way of doing something with him that is still worthwhile but won't let him come away with any negative experiences. I think I may be trying bitless very soon

He sounds very much like my sensitive youngster! I wouldn't be tempted to use a trainer at this stage. I had a professional dressage rider school mine x 6 sessions and she managed to put him off being ridden. She asked too much and didn't listen to him. It took me a long time to undo this. I did really short sessions, sometimes just in walk, lots of praise and listening to what he was enjoying, not enjoying. He found rising trot hard and was very unsettled in his mouth. I had some lessons with an Enlightened Equitation instructor whose job was to nag me about keeping my arms by my side, bent elbows, thumbs up and my head up. This has helped enormously in steadying my hands and in him keeping his balance. I knew to do all those things already but it's hard to remember to do it when you are riding a young sensitive unbalanced horse. I ride him in an eggbut Bomber happy mouth. I tried bitless but actually it didn't help. The breakthrough was my position and balance. We have inched our way forwards in terms of progress and I get comments of "he hasn't done much for a 6 year old" but he's now happy ridden. We completed our first dressage test last month. He was ridiculously spooky but no comments about unsteady contact and the judge commented on good balance ( when not spooking!).

 

[SheriffTruman]

Why not try riding him bitless to see how it goes? I ride my young Arab in a bitless bridle. He responds so well to it that I see no use for a bit. My instructor's very excitable and difficullt mare was almost unridable untill she (out of desperation) tried a hackamore. Now the horse goes beautifully, it was just the right solution for them.

Here in the Netherlands you can start them bitless up to level Z dressage (no idea to which level in BD that corresponds). Admittedly I have no ambition to start him in dressage, but I do want to do western trail, and working equitation, and will do so bitless (in a bosal if needed).

 

[Sheepdip]

He sounds very much like my sensitive youngster! I wouldn't be tempted to use a trainer at this stage. I had a professional dressage rider school mine x 6 sessions and she managed to put him off being ridden. She asked too much and didn't listen to him. It took me a long time to undo this. I did really short sessions, sometimes just in walk, lots of praise and listening to what he was enjoying, not enjoying. He found rising trot hard and was very unsettled in his mouth. I had some lessons with an Enlightened Equitation instructor whose job was to nag me about keeping my arms by my side, bent elbows, thumbs up and my head up. This has helped enormously in steadying my hands and in him keeping his balance. I knew to do all those things already but it's hard to remember to do it when you are riding a young sensitive unbalanced horse. I ride him in an eggbut Bomber happy mouth. I tried bitless but actually it didn't help. The breakthrough was my position and balance. We have inched our way forwards in terms of progress and I get comments of "he hasn't done much for a 6 year old" but he's now happy ridden. We completed our first dressage test last month. He was ridiculously spooky but no comments about unsteady contact and the judge commented on good balance ( when not spooking!).

Ah. That’s a lovely story to read. I have Seen a few times over the years where very well meaning trainers have tried to follow their regular (and usually very successful) training methods on a horse that doesn follow the norm. some riders are a little reluctant to speak up when they are paying for a professional opinion - even when they know that it’s not right for their sensitive horse. I’ve been guilty of that myself once with this horse. But now I have more of an understanding of what he needs - and doesn’t need. X

 

[Sheepdip]

Why not try riding him bitless to see how it goes? I ride my young Arab in a bitless bridle. He responds so well to it that I see no use for a bit. My instructor's very excitable and difficullt mare was almost unridable untill she (out of desperation) tried a hackamore. Now the horse goes beautifully, it was just the right solution for them.

Here in the Netherlands you can start them bitless up to level Z dressage (no idea to which level in BD that corresponds). Admittedly I have no ambition to start him in dressage, but I do want to do western trail, and working equitation, and will do so bitless (in a bosal if needed).

My intention is to try bitless when I next take him to an enclosed arena. I only have open fields or roads to ride on unfortunately so really need to be extra caut that he’s happy with bitless

 

[Sheepdip]

We have had 5 appys over the years, three were fine in the mouth as long as you rode them right. They are very senitive and if tbeir balance is off it shows up as fussy in the mouth.

Our current to are very soft mouthed, they like simple. Current bit is a NS Team Up loose ring.

Appys can tend to curl inwards, well the british bread ones do. Our foundation line one was solid and took the outline and bit forward lovely. My curreny boy you have go ride forwards and low before you ask him to come up. He curls inwards otherwise.

How he is in the gear changes in each gate without contact with the mouth? Balance is key to fussy mouths most of the time.

I would like to take my current one bitless our foundation boy was brilliant in just a rope halter.

He’s the most unbalanced, leg platting youngster ever. Lol. he loves to bronk and spin and jump on the spot when he’s playing and he’s all over the place with his legs. Lol. He’s really got nothing positive going for him except his amazing nature and character. He should have been a puppy, not a horse. Lol