Matafleur
Well-Known Member
I'm hoping someone can help me out here as I have no experience of bitless bridles at all, including hackamores.
A bit of background, I have a now 6 yr old KWPN that was competing Pre Novice last season and that I had hoped to have a crack at Novice on midway through this season. She had a small lump in the corner of her mouth just where the bit sits that the vet thought was probably a sarcoid. We had it treated with the Liverpool injection at the end of the season and she has now had 2 months off living out 24/7.
I had hoped that the mouth would have healed by now and we would be able to crack on but it is not healing as quickly as I'd hoped and she still would not be able to take a bit. She is well in all other respects and I would like to try and start her fitness work now even if I am unable to school.
So my questions are:
1. How effective are bitless bridles and which are the best? I'm worried that I won't have any control!
2. Am I going to have to spend a fortune on a bitless bridle that might not work and that I'll probably never use again?
3. Are they any non-bit requiring alternatives to fittening? I'm thinking lunging, but would prefer not to do too much, swimming, riding & leading (but I don't have access to another horse and not sure if mine would appreciate it!).
Any advice much appreciated as I am dying to crack on now that the weather is a bit better.
Thank you
A bit of background, I have a now 6 yr old KWPN that was competing Pre Novice last season and that I had hoped to have a crack at Novice on midway through this season. She had a small lump in the corner of her mouth just where the bit sits that the vet thought was probably a sarcoid. We had it treated with the Liverpool injection at the end of the season and she has now had 2 months off living out 24/7.
I had hoped that the mouth would have healed by now and we would be able to crack on but it is not healing as quickly as I'd hoped and she still would not be able to take a bit. She is well in all other respects and I would like to try and start her fitness work now even if I am unable to school.
So my questions are:
1. How effective are bitless bridles and which are the best? I'm worried that I won't have any control!
2. Am I going to have to spend a fortune on a bitless bridle that might not work and that I'll probably never use again?
3. Are they any non-bit requiring alternatives to fittening? I'm thinking lunging, but would prefer not to do too much, swimming, riding & leading (but I don't have access to another horse and not sure if mine would appreciate it!).
Any advice much appreciated as I am dying to crack on now that the weather is a bit better.
Thank you