Bitless bridles what do you use them for??

Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted Chestnuts

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As in title? Why does your horse have one?? benefits and drawbacks??

Also what competitions have you done in them and the results :) Oh an PLEASE post pics :D

Thank you
 
I SJ'ed my mare in one. She would dive onto my hands on the last stride infront of a jump, meaning she often took out the rails with her forelegs. A hackamore meant she didn't have a bit to lean on that last stride and really helper her keep the rails up. She evented upto 1* and wore a hackamore for the SJ phase (had a waterford for XC, as wan't quite brave enough to try the hackamore, and she was always much more careful over solid fences!).
 
uses


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results ..... had great fun and got completion rossies ( did not do the racing stuff :rolleyes:)



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results ... best ....this was driving trec at three counties demo competition and got 2nd all three days ;)


driving trials

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not allowed to compete so did it at club level hors concurs


why ? errrm ... she had issues with all tack amongst lots other problems when she entered my life .... so we changed lots of things including trying bitless. She liked it so much we just stuck with it. ;)
 
Hackamore for everything, don't compete.
Wear it due to lower jaw wolf teeth. Had edt and 2 vets look at her, all agree it would be a tricky op to remove, so bitless we shall stay.
Looking to get a Dr Cooks as I believe they are more comfortable.
 
Just hacking at the moment but hopefully will do everything in it, I use libbys scawbrig, when backing him I didn't see the point of using a bit if I didn't need to. He has had one in just in case I drop down dead tomorrow and someone decides to shove a bitted bridle on him!
 
Dr cooks. Hacking, sj and xc. I got it to try having tried everything else to have some reliable breaks and it worked :)
It also stopped all the temper tantrums, napping, jogging and solved my steering at speed issues which enabled me to miss ruts in fields and also avoid the wobblerly he'd throw if he jarred himself! Came the the conclusion he didn't like bits....wish I'd got one sooner!
 
Thanks everyone I have an english hackamore im going to try on baby pony sometime this week to see if we can get her over her forwards motion issues ;)


Appreciating all the replies and pics :) Anymore whack them on as hoping to try different types to see what and if it works for her :)
 
I use a biothane 'S' hackamore on my mare, we did do endurance in the past and she can get a bit hot headed and doesn't listen - rein contact is useless at that point and pulling is unpleasant for both of us. The s hac is great as you only need a tiny squeeze on the rein, most of the time we have a very light contact. The noseband is padded with waffle fabric so is nice and soft, and you don't get the 'slack rein' effect that you do with the Dr cooks and scawbrigs- I didn't like that feeling. My horse didn't like the hugging effect of the Dr cook either.

I could always ride my horse in a headcollar better than a bitted bridle as she is very sensitive so reacts very quickly, even to turning aids.
 
I use an English sidepull and hack. Have done pleasure rides in it, though. My friend has done a ODE and HTs (she was allowed to complete the ODE, but officially was disqualified for the bridle).
 
Used to have a Dr Cook's bitless which I occasionally rode my last mare in - bought it on a bit of a whim and eventually ebay'ed it as it was very expensive and mostly collected dust. I also had a loan horse who did everthing, and was very happy, in a hackamore, which was great for brakes but steering could sometimes be a bit woolly:eek:




I find them OK generally, but do worry about some of the promotional material which insists that bitless is always kinder as they do take skill to to use correctly, and can be very harsh in uneducated hands.
 
Used an LG when the gelding had developed tongue problems and was hard to the hand. Flatwork, jumping, hacking for about 6 months. Then slowly back into snaffle as you can't compete BD in bitless. It did the trick :-)
 
Dr Cook for hacking and schooling (all we do).
Reason why? Because my mare was unhappy in a bit, so decided to give it a go and as she liked it, we kept it!
 
I do everything in mine, hacking, sj, schooling and hoping to get out and do some xc this season! I use a dr cook, which I find is great! Also use a normal sidepull and also sometimes just ride in his halter. Find them all great, it takes a bit of getting used to, but I think my horse is waaaaay happier now! I would say give it a go. I love it and I won't be going back, just have to go hc, stupid dressage rules! :rolleyes:
 
We tried a bitless after having a wolf tooth out. Used it out hacking walk / trot / canter and had no problems at all. Having said that, I find it's not quite as "precise" as a bit, and pone tends to be distracted a lot easier in his bitless (cross-under type).
 
We find it takes a lot of groundwork helps precision and horses love it !
It also helps the bond between horse and rider. We find a lot of people just jump on and expect results straight away. Groundwork in our humble opinion is a key element.
We're delighted to read the posts and there are a lot of like minded people on the forum !
 
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