Bitless - can you achieve the same finesse?

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BBP

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Ok, so I keep getting into big arguments about this, but i'm not sure i'm on the right side of the fence! In the best interests of my horse I have been looking into the pros and cons of bitless riding. I am going to keep riding him in a bit as I think it is important for him to understand one in his formative years in training (if nothing else, if I drop dead and someone else goes to ride him, I don't want him to be terrified by a bit) but that doesn't mean I think bitless has no merit.

However, everyone around me is insistent that bitless bridles are a crude piece of engineering that allows for no finesse of signals, and that you cannot achieve any degree of engagement with one as you can with a bit...oh, and that I am a hippy for considering it. This annoyed me as the implication was that the bit is integral to any sort of communication with a horse whilst I would, in an ideal world, like to think that I am working the horse through his body, not his face. I've found myself getting a bit stroppy and defensive about the idea but I don't know if they are right and I am just arguing because it irks me that they put me down all the time.

So, those who have used them, can you achieve the same degree of communication as you can with a bit?
 
that's an interesting question!! I think they are being a bit OTT though...

i've riden horses that are usually bitted in various bitless bridles, and have to say that it is true that it's different and you can't expect immediately to have the same responsiveness. I think this is partly that the pressure is over a greater surface area and therefore smaller movements are less noticeable, but partly also that the mouth is incredibly sensitive and therefore the effect is aimplified. However, i think that the main reason for this is that most horses are initially trained with a bit and to respond to certain amounts of pressure - i think if you were to take the time to train your horse properly in a bitless bridle (and were very careful about timing/pressure release etc) then it would be absolutely possible to achioeve the same thing. Parelli is a great exmaple here - i'm not a fan, and am not a fan of their pressure halters (whihc they name something else and insit is not for pressure, even though they say the reason for using it is that it puts finite amounts of pressure on the head more than a headcollar would), but it's a good examnple of how the horse cna be taught to respond to only minute amounts of pressure if you pay good attention to timing and stuff.

So you're right and they are being narrow-minded, basically, but it would need some thought, care and attention to get the same level of finesse - you can't just expect it straight away.

hope that hleps!
 
I think you can :)

Where I used to ride, one pony had terrible trouble with his mouth, and could not get comfortable with the bit so they went bitless with him. He was still doing lovely work in his bitless bridle.

However the pony I rode went better for me with his bitted bridle.

All a case of individuals and finding what suits your horse, as normal!
 
I have encountered prejudice regarding bitless bridles. I ride my mare in a Dr Cooks and have mentioned in earlier posts that her transformation from bits to bitless was instantaneous. She relaxed, rounded and was much happier generally. I don't know precisely what these people mean by 'finesse'. I prefer to describe a horse to be 'on the aids' as opposed to the term 'on the bit' anyway.
 
This is defiantley an interesting subject :)

I know its not all about how it looks but i am intreuged to see if anyone has any pictures working to a higher level (any discipline) bitless?

(when i say higher level, i mean with some purpose to the riding i.e dressage or show jumping, not necessarily Grand Prix!!)
 
Well.... the nose is less sensitive than the bars of the mouth but it's still pretty sensitive! I could ride a particular horse in a headcollar with two ropes on a western "contact" and only have to lift the reins to achieve change in pace/direction. But getting a horse to say, grand prix etc bitless would probs take and exceptional horse and rider combination. I think the real issue would be the collection and elevation required but not sure.

There is a woman in america who does reining (western dressage) bridleless perfectly.

I definitely thing you're right about getting him going in a bit though, I think all horses who are bitless though choice (i.e. not due to injury/conformation) should at least have some basics in bitted controls as a "just in case" because who knows what could happen down the line.
 
Well Lantern has never really tracked up, or relaxed into an outline however much i tried. Then i decided to give him a go in a hackamore, almost immediately he was tracking up, into an outline and was using himself in ways i never thought he would. The great thing was though that he did then relay this to an extent bitted! I try and use the hackamore every now and again, i'll dig out some photos in a minute.
 
Some photos would be great, thank you! I have nothing against bits, and I am definitely not a hippy!...but I am open minded about what is best and most comfortable for my horse and I think that also fits in with wanting to get the best performance from him. I wouldn't mind about not being able to compete at dressage, but I would be interested to see if he would be capable of doing a comparable test whether he was bitted or bitless, if that makes sense?!
 
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