bitless and barefoot.....

[WeeLassie]

If you are a rider who rides 'bitless' or a person who keeps their horse 'barefoot'.... do you try and convert other people?
I ride with a bit- usually a snaffle (but on certain strong horses might use something stronger), and my horses are shod. I am happy riding like that, and my horses go well.
However if someone wants to ride their horse unshod, or ride in a hackamore or other bitless bridle, thats fine by me. No better, no worse, just different. All people and all horses are different and you must use what suits the two of you best.
BUT - and this really annoys me - why, whenever I meet a bitless or barefoot horse and rider do they always bring the subject up 'Your horse would be better barefoot' 'why dony you try bitless its much nicer' etc etc....They try to convert me, which makes me want to steer clear of these types.
Do other people find this? Or if you are a 'bitless and barefoot' rider do you try and get others to change their tack and transition to barefoot? As arider who uses a bit and has a shod horse I wouldnt dream of trying to impose my way of thinking on someone who was clearly happy using a different set up.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Mine are barefoot, not bitless though. no I wouldn't try and 'convert' someone who hadn't asked

since I've decided not to care much what others do, I am much happier. what I will say about barefoot though, is that the people I know who've do it, tend to be pretty knowledgeable and passionate about it. maybe in their enthusiasm they may come on stronger than they think they are?

.

 

[Snowfilly]

Bitless fan here, in that I've had several horses who went well bitless. Currently one in a Mullen snaffle, one in a scrawbrig and one in a sidepull. The riding school horses I ride are normally snaffle, but one goes in a Pelham and one in a three ring gag so I'm happy to ride in whatever suits.

I will bring bitless up in conversation If asked about how the horse is going, about it's mouth or about bridles. Otherwise, unless people have a dig at my bridle choice, I don't mention theirs.

Barefoot I don't talk about full stop. I don't shoe all of mine but it's a hugely complex subject that I don't know enough about so I keep quiet.

 

[Red-1]

I am not sure weather there really is a 'thing' going on here or not. In fact it can be the other way when barefoot that shod people tell you that you are 'wrong' somehow.

I have been barefoot with 2 horses, current one is shod. That can be moveable, whatever suits. I have ridden without a bit, in fact I have a photo somewhere of cantering in a big stubble field with nothing but a neck strap, but do not recommend everyone does this.

Some of it may be because being barefoot has actually helped people so they recommend it. Like if you were having problems jumping, and were losing confidence and getting injured, then they may recommend a particular jumping trainer. It worked for them so it may work for you. It must be hard of you really believe that barefoot a horse would become sound, yet the owner does not even try it.

I guess some of it may be that they are indeed manically recommending it. Maybe because when you first go barefoot the horse can be a bit sore, so maybe to mitigate the guilt they feel, they recommend it strongly to help themselves feel that they have done the right thing?

I do dressage, so bits are in! But, I also event so I guess I could remove the bit. Personally I am happy with as I have removed the flash noseband and running martingale that were popular in my youth, and my horse seems comfortable in a snaffle. As a trainer though I did recommend changing nosebands and removing martingales (at least for flat work!) for some people as that worked for me, and often those pieces of equipment are mis-used and do not actually help.

I think a fuss is made about barefoot because it is a big commitment. I would say the opposite to what you say is true, if you decide that barefoot would help you and your horse then you will run into people manically telling you that you are wrong! A client's horse had awful feet, flat and collapsed. Had trouble holding shoes. I recommended trying that barefoot, but only if the farrier agreed, as without that you are on a hiding to nothing. The farrier was actually OK with it as he was at the end of the road with options, but the YO at the livery was very dismissive. It made it very difficult, especially if the horse took an ouchy step in the early days (it worked out just fine in the end BTW!).

I find there are lots of things where people take a strong stance. For example, I used to teach confidence, and many times we would start with handling, leading, lungeing and long reining. Many yards had other liveries who were openly hostile to us doing our thing, minding our own business, doing little obstacle courses on the long lines. Personally I could not see why their 40 minute hack round the same old route every time, was any more worthwile than us playing in the school on long lines.

Each to their own!

Maybe it is just down to the social norm that people want everyone else to 'be like them'?

Personally I am glad I have my horses at home, so I do as I wish. If I want to ride bareback and bridle free then it is no one else's business. I took shoes off for a year, that was between me and my farrier. I trimmed the feet myself once I learned how, thank goodness I didn't have anyone to tell me that I should not. The vet liked them anyway, wanted to know who had done them so he could recommend the trimmer!

From what I have seen on many livery yards people would do well to mind their own businesses and be happy that the other person and horse are happily doing what suits them.

Of course, cruelty needs investigating.

 

[Shooting Star]

Nope I don’t try to convert others and don’t know anybody else that does although I know plenty that will happily share the difference in their horse from making a change in the same way that somebody may excitedly share their ‘lightbulb’ moments in training / schooling / competing.

 

[LittleBlackMule]

Mine are all both, but I don’t say anything unless I’m asked, and even then it’s usually “why don’t you use a bit/shoes?” and my answer is simply “because I don’t need them”.
Then the response is invariably “well if you don’t do much with your horses..” yes because 25/32k endurance rides and all the necessary fittening work in between isn’t doing much..

You seem to feel that barefoot/bitless people are evangelical about it, but my experience of people who need bits and shoes are the same, I’m forever being told that I will lose control at some point without a bit, or that I will never be able to school at any level (my current mare excels in her lateral work and will collect almost to the point of piaffe), and that I am ‘lucky’ to get away without using shoes and my horse will probably suffer damage in the long term..

People will always criticise and try and impose their own opinions on anyone who doesn’t do what everyone else does.

 

[stormox]

Just use what suits you and your horse and dont worry about other peoples opinions! However I do understand a bit (no pun ) where you are coming from because I have seen some very strong opinions on FB pro bitless and barefoot, and it does seem everytime someone asks about a lame horse an answering poster will put 'take the shoes off' in a very uncompromising opinionated manner.

 

[buzyizzy]

Agree with LittleBlackMule, people who have their horses shod and bitted do make assumptions about us bitless and barefoot folk. I've had many riders say to me when they see mine are well behaved, well of course I could go bitless if mine was as quiet as yours. Also had the comments along the lines of you must save yourself a fortune with no shoes, er no, and like LBM, well you don't compete much so I guess they don't need shoes. Also had the one about how do you ride on the roads. I have just spent the first week riding again after a break and yes, for my peace of mind and not wanting to damage my back again, I did put the big un in a snaffle. After today's ride tho, I think he'll be fine bitless again, and I can trust him not to throw a wobbly. I know a lot of peeps say they are put off going bitless or barefoot because of the evangelical lot out there, but honestly, I'd say it was other way round

 

[saddlesore]

Mine is barefoot and I’ve just ordered a side pull! I’ve had him since he was 18 months old I haven’t shod him as I haven’t needed to. Hoping that remains the case. I ordered a side pull as he’s strong and fussy and thought I’d try another way rather than ‘bitting up’ again. I have no interest in trying to convince others to do likewise, that’s up to them.

 

[buzyizzy]

Just use what suits you and your horse and dont worry about other peoples opinions! However I do understand a bit (no pun ) where you are coming from because I have seen some very strong opinions on FB pro bitless and barefoot, and it does seem everytime someone asks about a lame horse an answering poster will put 'take the shoes off' in a very uncompromising opinionated manner.

I appreciate your comments, but surely if the horse is lame, it's best to start with removing the shoes if they are wearing them.

 

[SEL]

I've got 2 without shoes and I regularly see horses I think could go barefoot with some effort - but I don't preach it precisely because of the amount of effort required.

Bits for both, although the younger one was backed bitless.

On FB I tend to find if someone is getting evangelical about 'bitless and barefoot' then they often want to throw 'treeless' in too. My mare hates treeless saddles with a buck inducing passion!

 

[BBP]

My pony is bitless and barefoot, and I’m happy to tell people why I went bitless if they ask about it (never had shoes so it wasn’t really a tactical decision) but I only really talk about it if people ask.

I don’t really like the evangelical types as I think it turns people away from what you want to enthuse them about. Some of the forum comments drive me nuts! I would rather if people are interested that they see my pony and think ‘what a lovely pony and doesn’t he go beautifully for his rider’ and become curious about him being bitless.

I’m very lucky that I get very little negativity from bitted riders, I have a very hot sharp little horse at times and some of them may think im a bit nuts, but usually they don’t comment. but I don’t compete in mainstream horse sports and my dressage instructor couldn’t give a stuff if I have a bit or no bit. The closest I’ve had was a ‘traditional’ saddle fitter who came out and initially told me if I wanted him to work properly I needed to put a bit in him (we hadn’t warmed up at all) but by the last saddle she told me what a lovely horse he was and how impressed she was with him, so that was nice.

 

[stormox]

I appreciate your comments, but surely if the horse is lame, it's best to start with removing the shoes if they are wearing them.

Obviously yes take the shoes off if necessary to find out why its lame. But I meant someone will post 'change to barefoot' rather than just take shoes off to find out the reason for lameness.

 

[antigone]

We are bitless, barefoot and treeless! My little horse and I arrived where we are via a long and complicated route. If my little mare was happier and went better with shoes/with a bit/in a treed saddle then she would have them. I wouldn't dream of trying to convert anyone but if they are interested I would be happy to discuss it.

Decisions were made because of problems - if I had found a treed saddle that fitted her she would be in it and so on. Part of it for me has been finding good people to help and advise - I was lucky to find the people I did when I did - and I wouldn't call any of them evangelical. I think you have to go with what suits your horse but it annoys me that you cannot compete at dressage bitless.

I also think that some bitless bridles are quite severe and can be used as incorrectly as any bit. Often its the riding that counts more than the tack.

 

[MDB]

I ride barefoot and bitless and where I live most people tell me I need my horses shod and bitted. I don't view it as them trying to convert me, I am happy to engage in conversation about it if asked. We don't agree but that's fine, sometimes people will tell me things about their horses and their reasons for managing them the way they do. It is often very interesting and I sometimes I learn something new. It doesn't change the way I manage my horses but it gives me a greater understanding of what other people do. Why don't you use the opportunity to listen to how other people manage their horses. I find it very strange that every rider who rides barefoot and bitless that you come across is always trying to convert you. Perhaps you are getting unnecessarily defensive?

 

[Boulty]

I would never try to start the conversation but if someone questions me on it I'll give my opinion / reasoning behind what I do and why I do it. Mine is barefoot (and I would never have another shod now) but mostly bitted because I've had a few equipment failures bitless and I feel we have more arguments about brakes in exciting situations than I like to have when we don't use a bit (also I like to be sure of my brakes in company for safety reasons).

I try not to have an opinion on what other people choose to do with their own horse as long as it isn't dangerous. Perhaps the only time I may give an opinion re shoes is if someone were asking me for advice regarding a shod horse with foot problems otherwise I let people do what works for them so long as they don't judge me for doing the same

 

[Shady]

Bitless, barefoot and treeless here, same as Antigone and i am forever defending my choice of a treeless saddle over here. The French hate them and call them mattresses, very few will try one and would rather have an ill fitting saddle or one saddle that they drag around forever putting it on any horse they ride. If somebody asks me about the choices i have made i am happy to give my opinion but iv'e learnt over the years that people can be quite prickly and defensive when you don't immediately gush over their own choice of tack and horse management so i never say anything first!

 

[WeeLassie]

. I find it very strange that every rider who rides barefoot and bitless that you come across is always trying to convert you. Perhaps you are getting unnecessarily defensive?

Well being honest, I only regularly come across 2 particular ones in real life, one a parelli type who rides an arab and wears a cowboy hat, and a shorter, plumper lady who rides a 14hh pony and seems to have thick rope reins. They are both very pleasant to speak to however they are both a 'my way is right, and metal and horses shouldnt mix'...
But I see a lot of very anti bit/shoes posts on Facebook started by the most innocent questions. So (and maybe I am wrong) it comes over that bitless/shoeless advocates are rather against the more usual shod and bitted riders and would like us to try and change.

 

[huskydamage]

I have one horse who is bitless and barefoot, the other is bitted and shod. I do whatever suits me and my horses. Don't understand the whole one size fits all thing, everyone and every horse is not the same. I am not anti shoes and bits at all, but i also enjoy natural stuff and bitless. I don't consider myself on either 'side' really if there is a split here.

 

[antigone]

Bitless, barefoot and treeless here, same as Antigone and i am forever defending my choice of a treeless saddle over here. The French hate them and call them mattresses, very few will try one and would rather have an ill fitting saddle or one saddle that they drag around forever putting it on any horse they ride. If somebody asks me about the choices i have made i am happy to give my opinion but iv'e learnt over the years that people can be quite prickly and defensive when you don't immediately gush over their own choice of tack and horse management so i never say anything first!

I think there are a few over here with a treed saddle that "fits everything". One I met was also a saddle fitter. Enough said. I never really have to defend my choices as everyone around here thinks I am a bit bonkers anyway!

 

[Gloi]

I have mine barefoot after my old horse had his feet destroyed by years of shoes. Watching his feet slowly improve once the shoes were off was a revelation and if I meet people having the problems I had with him when he was shod I'll tell them what I did but otherwise I just get on with it and leave others to do their own thing.

 

[Cocorules]

Mine is bitless because I never managed to get her to accept a bit. She is not shod because I have not needed to do so.

I never bring it up but other people do and are normally critical. They are critical because they think I lack steering and I limit myself to good ground.

They are right that my steering isn't as good as it could be but it is good enough as we only ride off rode and bitted hasn't worked. They are also right that I avoid bad ground but that is not limiting where we are i.e. there is no where we.cannot go but I do.pick the best route through in a way that I wouldn't if she were shod. However her hooves are in better condition than I think they would be in shoes.

 

[dollyanna]

Nope, I never ever try to convert anyone. I actually prefer not to talk about it - if someone asks then my reason is always "because I have not yet found they needed them" (applies to bits and shoes) as that is the truth. I would rather avoid the conversation with bitted and shod people on the whole. Invariably I end up with a half hour, longwinded explanation as to why their horse needs shoes, bits etc. I don't care what you do with your horse as long as it is healthy, safe and well, just leave me to enjoy mine in peace. I am curious though about just why so many people feel the need to defend their use of bits or shoes to me, when I have never asked them to or commented on it, or even brought it up.
IF someone asks me for more info and it is an open question with no hidden agenda of attack then I am happy to discuss my training and management with them as much as they would like.

 

[Blazingsaddles]

No, I don’t mention it unless it is in the conversation. You do what makes your horse happy in his work. What works for one may not suit another.

 

[DabDab]

I keep my horses barefoot, and I have done for years, so I genuinely don't even consciously think of it as a choice I've made anymore. So no, I don't try to convert people, or ever bring it up in conversation, because it just wouldn't occur to me. Quite a few people ask me about it, but mainly in a very polite, conversational way. It's definitely the thing I get asked about most often in relation to my horses though.

Although interestingly, 10-15 years ago when I first had horses barefoot people never used to ask about it, probably because they just thought I was a bit odd. But in the last 2-3 years I find people ask more and more, so I figure that they have heard more about it now and are genuinely interested (not that I'm much use, I never really know what to say, particularly as the opening question is usually quite vague).

I have a couple of friends that ride bitless (I don't usually) and I can't say as they've ever mentioned it particularly.

 

[ycbm]

I've never had anyone comment on the fact that my horses wear bits. Now that barefoot is mainstream I never mention it unless someone asks me. But I have had complete strangers tell me my horse needs shoes. The best one was on a car park made of big stone chip, where I was riding my boy across it to check that he was as rock crunching as usual, and a total stranger told me he needed shoes. As he stomped across some serious stones, I asked him why he thought my horse needed shoes and his answer was 'your horse needs shoes'.

I am however, still evangelical about resolving lameness originating inside the foot being treated with shoe removal unless there is a fracture or clear bone spur. And I'll tell anyone with a lame horse that whether they want to hear it or not, for the sake of the horse and the owner.

 

[laura_nash]

I keep mine barefoot. I will suggest going barefoot online when people are asking for advice if I genuinely think it may help their situation, I don't see anything wrong with that since people are asking for suggestions. I believe there are a few HHO's whose horses are alive now because they went down the barefoot rehab route thanks to suggestions from others online. I'm not one of those "barefoot always" people though, and it is unfortunate that some people online do get a bit "evangelical" about it, suggesting shoeing is evil etc, but unfortunately you tend to get extremists with everything.

In the "real world" it is far more the other way, as others have said. I first took my boy barefoot when he was on a livery yard, with the support of the yard farrier, and I had a lot of negative comments and un-asked-for opinions, suggestions that I was evil, deluded, stupid etc for riding him on the road without shoes. I think that can make people a bit more pushy, for instance I suspect I over-reacted online now and then during that period to people commenting about not being able to ride barefoot on the roads because of the comments I was constantly fighting.

Generally I don't discuss my choice with people unless they specifically ask me and seem to be genuinely interested and open minded. I have only once actively tried to persuade someone, when I attempted to convince a fellow livery her horses inability to walk when he lost a shoe was not "just him" but indicative of a serious issue and his heart-bar shoes and long shoeing intervals might have something to do with it. Unfortunately I didn't get anywhere and a year later he was diagnosed with navicular syndrome and heading down the dark pit of box rest and remedial shoeing when I left that yard.

I also ride treeless, but I have a Heather Moffat saddle which looks quite normal so very few people ever notice that.

 

[MagicMelon]

I think it depends on the person, as I also get it the other way. I keep my horses barefoot BUT I do shoe if I need to. The one I compete, I usually keep barefoot all year but shoe for eventing season (so I can use studs) so I do a bit of both. Ive had far more strangers tell me I should shoe my horse than the opposite. Absolutely none of their business. I don't tell people what to do with their horses, but if someone on here said their horse was lame or something when shod then sure I'd suggest trying barefoot (same as I'd suggest the opposite sometimes too). Id never do so if there was no problem though. It does annoy me that there's still this mentality in the horse world that you must shoe your horse automatically - ask people and most wont have a geniune reason why they shoe, they just "do" because they assume its the right thing to do. But each to their own.

I dont ride bitless, I probably would try it but its pointless when I cant event bitless so its ridiculous people suggesting it.

 

[Yardbird]

I find that barefoot is so normal that the conversation never occurs.