Bitless Bridles...?

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Hiya

Has anyone had much experience with these..? are their many types other then a hackamore now available..?

Do they work if you have a strong horse..? I always worry about what would happen if I couldn't stop in one..? :eek:

I take it they are pretty well designed - good/bad experiences

Thanks
 
Thats what I was worried about as I have a strong cob who can be difficault to hold on a head collar if he gets the wind up his tail and thought - ho on earth would I control him with no bit!

I take it you have bit more control in them then you would a head collar..:eek:

He is having mouth problems at the moment so bitless seemed an option..?
 
I have one for our pony, a 12.3hh NF who is as strong as an ox :( I bought it because he runs with a bit, any bit, he is pretty good in it, but I think its a case of retraining him rather than anything else.

He took off with me over a field a while back and I had no brakes whatsoever! I really think they are usefull for well schooled horses, but our pony is a bit of a fruitcake!

I've tried it on my older cob who can be a bit of a donkey and he was really responsive in it, but then he is ridden in a loose ring snaffle all the time and doesn't have any problems with his mouth.

You can hire them for 2 weeks;Here is the link http://www.bitlesshorse.co.uk/

Best to try in a safe menage first!
 
Four different types (that I can think of):

Side pull ie Scrawbridge. Gentle and work on nose pressure. Handy for non-bolshy and sensitive horses.

Headcollar styles ie Bosal, parelli style rope halters - gentle, communication is through seat and legs rather than hands. Horse and rider need to be properly trained to this method.

Cross pull ie Dr Cook's, Be Kind bridle. Work on nose and poll pressure. Less severe than a hackamore but stronger than the other styles. Horse needs to learn not to lean on it. Work well with mouthy TB types especially.

Hackamore - English, German, S style, LG/Happy Wheel. The grand daddy of bitless. Work on nose and poll pressure with leverage. Handy for strong horses who can't tolerate a bit.

The main secret or success with bitless bridles is that the horse and rider should be able to rely on seat and legs rather than just legs and hands. A horse who leans through the bit and trundles along on the forehand would be hard work bitless. Inverted, spooky, sharp horses (who have had back and teeth thoroughly checked) often benefit from going bitless.

I personally broke in my draft in a Dr Cooks and he is now ridden in an S Hackamore.

My arab was professionaly broken before I got him. He HATES any poll pressure (even panics when I put a headcollar on) so he is happier in a Myler.
 
Have only had experience of hackamores. I had a strong zany TB mare and I was trying to get into LDR with her. She pulled from start to finish of any Ride and flung her head about;to my great shame I bruised her mouth during The Red Dragon Ride in Wales, and vowed I'd never rie her in a bit again. I had a hackamore custom-made for her by a firm called Plas Equestrian who happened to have a stand at the Red D. venue, and we never looked back. She didn't pull nearly as much, and after the first initial (unwarranted) fears I never even thought about what I was riding her in.

The two important things are to be shown how to fit it correctly, and to take advice on how to ride in it from someone who already rides in one well - many instructors haven't got the experience. You need a lot lighter hands than with a bit, and you must "pull and give".

A friend of mine rode in a Scawbrigg and rated that very highly, but I've not used one. That suggestion from another post of the place where you can hire one for 2 weeks sounds excellent. Do try it, I think you'll be converted.
 
I have a strong, stubborn, cheeky cob mare and ride her in an English hackamore. I started having problems with her tanking off and just running home when I tried hacking after I bought her. Went for re-schooling. My instructor told me the only way I would ever get control with her was with a horrible Spanish bit with loads of leverage - I took one look at it, told him I would never use it on my horse (seriously, it was like an implement of torture!), stopped having lessons and decided to try bitless. She had never really been happy or settled in a bit (I tried a pelham - she was in this when I bought her and I hated it - full cheek snaffle, dutch gag...). Anyway, the first time I rode her in the hackamore the transformation was amazing. She was a happy pony. Hacked out with her ears pricked, walking forward for once, and, most importantly, I had brakes.

That was 4 years ago and she's never worn a bit since. I have now also changed my Haffy gelding to an English Hackamore and he is so much more relaxed. Again, better brakes than I ever had with a bit, he will work relaxed through his back, on the bit, on a loose rein...I love it.

The only thing to remember is to be light with your hands and ride with your leg more, but really, you don't need much rein to have an effect because they can be pretty harsh if used incorrectly.
 
Rose Folly said:
Have only had experience of hackamores. I had a strong zany TB mare and I was trying to get into LDR with her. She pulled from start to finish of any Ride and flung her head about;to my great shame I bruised her mouth during The Red Dragon Ride in Wales, and vowed I'd never rie her in a bit again. I had a hackamore custom-made for her by a firm called Plas Equestrian who happened to have a stand at the Red D. venue, and we never looked back. She didn't pull nearly as much, and after the first initial (unwarranted) fears I never even thought about what I was riding her in.

The two important things are to be shown how to fit it correctly, and to take advice on how to ride in it from someone who already rides in one well - many instructors haven't got the experience. You need a lot lighter hands than with a bit, and you must "pull and give".

A friend of mine rode in a Scawbrigg and rated that very highly, but I've not used one. That suggestion from another post of the place where you can hire one for 2 weeks sounds excellent. Do try it, I think you'll be converted.
Click to expand...

I agree wholeheartedly with this.

I had an instructor who refused to teach me without a bit. Such a shame amd so narrow minded!
 
Hello

He is currently ridden in a KK Spenger with lozenge...been in it since he was broken at 3 so 3.5 years - NEVER had any problems until recently, he is unhappy in the mouth and trying to tilt his head to the side an open mouth when ridden....he also wont canter left after years of having no problem...he has just had his teeth done and wolf teeth removed about 4 weeks ago but is still uncomfortable in the mouth...fine on lunge with a canverson but not when i lunge in a bridle....

Back,& saddle done, vet checked for kameness and he is 110% sound....

so I thought i would try a bitless just to see if he goes back to going like a dream like he used to then i will deffo know there is a problem in the mouth area....if in bitless all is still not well then i will know that its not that and g down other routes..... this horse has always been well schooled and now wont take a contact go forward properly..or canter!! :confused:

Getting vet back out to open mouth with gag and make sure there has been no problems with the healing or an infection or something as I am stumped as to what is wrong!!
 
If he is not safe to ride around the school in a headcollar, I would borrow a Dr Cook's.

Obviously try it in a safe area first.
 
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