Bitless Bridles and Itchy Girth?

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Merricked

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Hello!

My mum owns a 15hh Cob type mare, Kara, and I a 12hh Welsh Section A, Bradley (I'm 18 but only 4ft11). We have recently been looking into more natural ways of ownership and riding, such as going barefoot with the right feeds and supplements, etc. In our research, we've looked at the idea of riding in bitless bridles and we have done a fair amount of research on it, however we still have a few questions regarding both bitted and bitless bridles.

Kara is a very laid back mare, though if she spooks (rarely) she will bolt and if out with another horse getting carried away - she isn't the easiest to pull up! We have her in an American Gag bit, on the third ring. This causes my mum to be a little nervous when out riding, as she isn't the most confident anyway. However, Kara does tend to chew constantly on the bit and (this is off google, so I'm not sure how correct it is!) we've read that it could mean she is uncomfortable with the bit. Bradley is on a snaffle, yet he also tends to lift his head with the bit in when trying to tack him up, he chews on the bit, stretches his neck down and is constantly pulling faces and shaking his head. He also has a very soft mouth.

I also ride a 12hh welsh section a mare for one of the women down the yard (my small size comes in handy!) just once or twice a week as she's 24 years old and needs some form of stimulation. Now, she's a lead rein pony and as soon as she realises there's no one beside her, she goes crazy! Bolts, naps, bunny hops, and boy does she buck! You honestly wouldn't guess she was an oldie! I was just wondering if a bitless bridle (again, this is information I have gained when doing research) would work better for her when she is being ridden alone? I read one article of a woman retraining her bolting horse in a Dr Cook's bitless bridle and she said after just a handful of rides they are now riding on a loose rein without any bolting! My aim would be to get this mare able to be ridden by herself just in the school and for her to be comfortable.

So after my waffling on, (apologies if none of this makes sense) my questions are:

- What signs show that a horse is uncomfortable with a bit? Would the signs mentioned previously with Kara and Bradley be a hint of discomfort?
- Would you recommend a bitless bridle for any of the three horses/ponies mentioned? If not, what would you recommend to make them more comfortable?
- Has anyone had any experience with bitless bridles, and if so how did they work for you?

Thank you so much!!



*** Also on a different note, when I get Bradley from the field to ride, when he see's his saddle he instantly starts itching at the same place on both of his sides just around where the girth would be. A while ago it would just be before he was tacked up, and after his ride. Now it is getting to the point of him turning to itch at his sides when he is being ridden. He has had mite injections and there are no signs of anything uncomfortable.. Does anyone have any experience with what this could be, or any recommendations? It is really starting to disrupt our rides and I just want him to be comfortable! Thanks again!
Terri x
 
is she using the gag with one or two reins?

Mouthing a lot with no foam or head shaking and pulling (or general bad behaviour) can be signs. Snaffles are a mild bit in good hands, and personally if they go ok I wouldn't change it. Bit less is good for some horses but I personally found I had less control and get like I was socking the horse in the nose every time I had to turn.
 
I have a Lightrider Bitless bridle and would highly recommend it.

However you do need to consider insurance when riding Bitless out hacking, check with your insurers that they would cover it. Secondly, are you sure that the horses are bolting? A true bolt is where the horse will not stop for anything, and are relatively rare. I suspect your descriptions are more that they are tanking off with you, which is an entirely different thing.
 
I have ridden my cob in a French link, a port mouth Pelham, and English hackamore and just once (because I had it for Christmas!) a cross over bridle. He is not a puller, we hack. If I needed him to stop when he didn't want to he would... In a snaffle, chuck up his head to avoid the bit, in the Pelham stop beautifully balanced and politely, in the hackamore stop politely and very quickly if I was anything less than very light with my hands. Jury is out on the cross over as I've only ridden in it once and Harley was polite but slightly confused! I rode him once in a three ring gag, asked him to halt, he went up. Do you have anyone you could borrow various bits from to try (your local tack shop may loan them out) and have they all had teeth checked?
 
Thank you for all your replies!

equi - Just the one rein. Bradley (who rides in the snaffle) does often tank off when out for a hack with others (very competitive little pony!) and can be quite stubborn when trying to pull up, however due to the amount of head shaking and chewing at the bit I'm nervous to try anything harsher. Any ideas?

wench - Good point, didn't think of insurance at all. Thank you! Not the kinda girl familiar with the lingo - they both meant the same thing to me! :o Kara will just turn and gallop off when she has a bad spook, but when out with others its more of a competitive, I-have-to-be-in-front thing!

Spot_the_Risk - I'll ask around our local tack shops and see if they'd be willing to loan a few out. Kara has had her teeth checked and they're not due til later this year, Bradley and the little mare both need theirs doing so will make a point of booking them in some point soon.

Thank you everyone!
 
It may also be worth getting their backs and saddles checked as well.

Sounds like your having similar problems with all of them. May be worth getting some lessons from an instructor.
 
Backs and saddles have all been checked and they're all fine.

I personally don't see how excitable ponies and queries about changing the bit equals lessons from an instructor..
The 12hh mare is an old lead rein pony, who freaks out and bolts/tanks when not on lead rein. Heard bitless bridles have been used to retrain bolting ponies, and wanted some opinions on that.

Kara gets excited when out with other ponies when cantering, or if she spooks she'll bolt/tank off - whatever the difference may be! - was only questioning whether an american three ring gag bit was right for her, or to change bit, or even try a bitless bridle just to help my mum feel more confident on her.

Bradley has only come back into work the last six months after being out of work for around three years. He's a wonderful little pony, but again gets excited when out with other horses and cantering. On his own, there are no problems at all. Was again only wondering whether or not to change the bit or go bitless because he seems to be quite uncomfortable with a bit in his mouth.

Thanks.
 
I personally think, that when you change to bitless you have to change your mentality as well, this is just my thoughts though, I'm sure others will disagree with me.

I use my seat more to turn and stop, instead of my reins, I have a loose contact on the reins so I don't apply constant to the nose (which I've found can actually reduce the responsiveness to the aids). I've changed the way I ride and my horses have thanked me for it.

My cob would lean on any bit, he was very heavy and unresponsive in any bit and very strong, we used a pelham and a grackle out hacking. I went back to basics with him, using more 'western' methods in a rope halter. I hack him out in an S hackamore as he is still quite a big strong horse when he wants to be, but I can also ride him in a rope halter. I rarely use the reins, he neck reins and stops off seat aids, but I can ride more 'english' if needs be, without the contact though. We have the hackamore for safety reasons in case he gets spooked and I need to stop before we get hurt.

When picking a bitless you need to find the pressures your horse prefers and go from there. I am a big fan of the wheel type bitless attachments, you can change how they are buckled your horse. :)
 
I personally think, that when you change to bitless you have to change your mentality as well, this is just my thoughts though, I'm sure others will disagree with me.

I use my seat more to turn and stop, instead of my reins, I have a loose contact on the reins so I don't apply constant to the nose (which I've found can actually reduce the responsiveness to the aids). I've changed the way I ride and my horses have thanked me for it.

My cob would lean on any bit, he was very heavy and unresponsive in any bit and very strong, we used a pelham and a grackle out hacking. I went back to basics with him, using more 'western' methods in a rope halter. I hack him out in an S hackamore as he is still quite a big strong horse when he wants to be, but I can also ride him in a rope halter. I rarely use the reins, he neck reins and stops off seat aids, but I can ride more 'english' if needs be, without the contact though. We have the hackamore for safety reasons in case he gets spooked and I need to stop before we get hurt.

When picking a bitless you need to find the pressures your horse prefers and go from there. I am a big fan of the wheel type bitless attachments, you can change how they are buckled your horse. :)
 
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