Bitless bridle for a strong horse...

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We have had no experience at all with hackmores etc., and need some help!!

My mums horse has cut his mouth quite badly and won't be able to have a bit in until it has heeled - vet reckons 6 weeks.
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So, he's going to need some kind of bitless bridle. Any tips would be great, what kind to try? Do you have to ride any differently?? He's not the most sensitive chap and usually hunts in a Cheltenham gag - do you think there is any chance mum will handle him in a hackamore??

Thanks for any replies!
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I would try an English Hackamore and see how you get on. It is not that severe however your horse should respect the action of it (initially at least)

As with any new bit, soft hands initially then slowly gather the contact normally.

Unlike other new bits your stearing might have 'issues' so lots of leg!
 
if he's never had one on before, i'd try it in the school first, and have a neckstrap to strangle him with if things get a bit fast!
they are actually quite severe in action, so i'd imagine it will stop him. have someone experienced show you how to fit it though, because depending on the angle of difference you allow for the side pieces, it can be made sharper or softer. he might get a bit of a shock when he realises it's not a headcollar!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I would try an English Hackamore and see how you get on. It is not that severe however your horse should respect the action of it (initially at least)

As with any new bit, soft hands initially then slowly gather the contact normally.

Unlike other new bits your stearing might have 'issues' so lots of leg!

[/ QUOTE ]

Not that severe in comparison to other hackamores...
 
There are Hackamores with short shanks and leather on the nose and the one with long shanks and metal over the nose which is of course much stronger. With the short shanks you cannot do any harm, dont worry. Some horses react much better on preasure on the nose than on a bit, so just try it in the menage. My horse loves her hackamore and is much better to control than in a bit.
Difference in riding: You have to leave the reins long so that the shanks are hanging loose otherwise you make constant preasure on the nose.
 
Is an "English" hackamore the same as a mechanical/jumping hackamore i.e. one with shanks and some sort of curb chain/strap? I've heard the term used to describe that but in the western world it usually means a straight "side pull" hackamore with no leverage.

The leverage ones are, as said, as variable in severity as curb bits. Length of shank and the material of the noseband/curb strap determine how much "stopping power" you have. I've seen some very "interesting" results with the bitless bridles (there are a couple of different makes now) on horses who rode in quite severe bits normally but went much better in much "less" bridle with no bit. That said, I had a horse who went beautifully on the flat in a straight pull but I made the mistake of galloping in it one day and while the horse didn't run off I was keenly aware I had next to no influence once we really got rolling.

One thing you might find is that the hackamores with leverage tend to produce a different feel when turning. You can't effectively use an opening rein with them and they don't turn the horses head in the same way as a sidepull or a bit so the horse tends to turn much straighter in its body, more like a neck reined turn. No big deal but something to get used to in an enclosed area first.
 
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