Bitless Bridle (Dr Cook)

[wizzi901]

I realise the subject has come up time and time again, but all I keep reading (including on the dr cook site) is how wonderful everyone's horse went in a bitless.

We have now taken Marsden out of the bitless as he was extremely fidgety with it and the noseband continually pulling on him as I had to pull hard for more control than with a bit, was annoying the hell out of him.

It also appears that a big amount of poll/nose pressure is present with these bridles. Orginally his old owner had said he was a bit of a head shaker hence they thought bitless may help...

Not sure what reaction she got with the bitless but from having ridden in a nice fat hollowmouth bit at the week, no flash etc, he was a diamond, different horse, very light in the mouth, lovely outline etc, instead of walking around with his nose touching the sky and twisting his head to one side!!

Has anyone else had PROBLEMS with the bitless? rather than a success story??

(PS it was fitted correctly etc etc).

 

[GatefieldHorses]

we used a bitless bridle on a showjumper we had with a very sensitive mouth. He ran off coz you didnt have so much control and turning was very very difficult. I wouldnt reccomend one unless you have a horse you cant oput a bit in, or has a sore tooth so you need to use it.

 

[madlady]

I've had bad results with a Dr Cooks as well, head shaking, rein snatching, nose poking - in fact just about all the things it is supposed to cure!

 

[Nikiolola]

Yes! Ended up with no control scared stiff of said horse. Would never use one again.

 

[loopylucifer]

rode a freinds horse in one didn't like it much as felt it exerted a strong pressure all over head and yet felt had little control when horse put head down to be silly! it also rubbed quite badly when horse got hot before he was clipped. peronaly feel a normal hackamore is better if you cant use a bit!

 

[Chex]

I used a cheaper version, and it was great for a week or so, but after a month he would pull his head down in canter and gallop off, with no hope of stopping until we reached the other end of the field. But he has always been strong and badly behaved!

 

[dwi]

I alternate between bitless and bitted. In the same way as everyone on here has a different bit then bitless isn't going to work for everyone, I don't see it is a failure of the bridle or of the rider, just a mismatch for what they want.

I use my bitless for brakes when hacking because she can't get hold of it like she can with a bit, I use a bit when schooling for a finer touch

 

[PoppyPony]

yep i got bolted off with in the woods when i hacked out in it NO BRAKES at all

and it kept slipping down to very very low on his nose