Bitless?

[Barton Bounty]

Would you try it?

We have been bitless for 4 years solid now. Its a micklem bridle and its just set up like a headcollar, a very expensive one lol ? He is definitely so much better without it and obviously we trust each other 110%

 

[Caol Ila]

Every day.

I'm starting Hermosa bitless, currently a rope halter with reins but will upgrade to a Western hackamore. I had bitted her up last year, which started off well, then she got weird about it. The vet pulled wolf teeth. She is still weird about it but I've decided to make that a future me problem. Future me might want to show dressage, so she'll need to learn how to carry a bit at some point. Now me is very happy with how she responds to the rope halter.

Fin usually goes bitless. For a while, he was going well in a mechanical hackamore but seems to have gone off it. I rode him in the rope halter with reins today, and he seemed more relaxed but heavy in the hand. I might try him in a bit again. Or something else. He does this... he'll go well in a certain type of bridle for a while, then get funny about it.

 

[Sleipnir]

I did ride my older gelding, Snicks, bitless for several years, because it just felt right. However, in spite of me being undemanding and riding with light hands, he continued to get stronger and more emotional (head tossing and shaking, rein snatching, barging off), and trying out different bitless setups didn't help.

In the end, vets helped me discover that he had nerve damage on his face, likely caused by rope halter abuse in the place I bought him from. I transitioned to a well fitted bit and he is finally relaxed and happy. And, after more than a year of transition, I can again ride him in a flat halter.

Not saying that bitless is bad - I love it! But there are cases when it is NOT the answer, no matter how hard you wish for it to be the best solution.

 

[SheriffTruman]

I started my young Arabian bitless, and he's responding well to it so we keep going bitless. We also hack bitless. He is a reasonably cool guy, but in my experience a bit won't stop them when they take off. If they go, they go.

 

[Peglo]

I used to ride my old haffie in just a head collar. I’d ditched the saddle by this point too. She’d gotten an injury to her lip so couldn’t put a bit in and then once it had healed I just didn’t bother going back to her bridle.

I would happily ride in a bitless bridle with my new one but as we were doing dressage and showing last year and she goes fine in a bit it didn’t make much sense to spend the money on one atm.

 

[Auslander]

Alf is pretty good bitless!! Here he is with a friend on board, practicing using her body to move his!

 

[Barton Bounty]

Alf is pretty good bitless!! Here he is with a friend on board, practicing using her body to move his!
View attachment 105425

That’s fantastic. I think bb could do this ? we are going to try some liberty training ?

 

[Auslander]

That’s fantastic. I think bb could do this ? we are going to try some liberty training ?

I have to keep well away from him when other people ride him without a bridle, or he just follows me!

 

[Sleipnir]

I do also ride him bridleless - as long as there is no pressure on his nose, he's a perfect gentleman.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I have to keep well away from him when other people ride him without a bridle, or he just follows me!

BB would be the same, my nieces have ridden him but no one else will get on him because he is a tb ?

 

[AntiPuck]

I only ride my horse bitless now, bits never sat right with me personally even as a kid, and they didn't sit right with my horse either - it took me a a few months after buying her of faffing with bit fitters etc to try and get her more comfortable, ignoring instructors telling me to put a flash on to close her mouth, etc. before I realised the presence of a bit itself was the problem, not the type of bit used.

She is a far happier and more responsive horse now that she isn't distracted by constant bit discomfort, and after spending time working on stop, turn and backup cues that don't use the reins, I actually have way more influence over her than I ever did when she wore a bit that she ran through most of the time.

There was a study I read recently about how bits impact breathing and even the stride length of the horse, and that really backed-up what I was seeing with mine when she wore one, it affected her whole demeanour.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I only ride my horse bitless now, bits never sat right with me personally even as a kid, and they didn't sit right with my horse either - it took me a a few months after buying her of faffing with bit fitters etc to try and get her more comfortable, ignoring instructors telling me to put a flash on to close her mouth, etc. before I realised the presence of a bit itself was the problem, not the type of bit used.

She is a far happier and more responsive horse now that she isn't distracted by constant bit discomfort, and after spending time working on stop, turn and backup cues that don't use the reins, I actually have way more influence over her than I ever did when she wore a bit that she ran through most of the time.

There was a study I read recently about how bits impact breathing and even the stride length of the horse, and that really backed-up what I was seeing with mine when she wore one, it affected her whole demeanour.

Do you both feel more relaxed now? Like the pressure is off a bit? I do, ?

 

[BBP]

Mine was bitless for most of his ridden life in just a rope bridle with extra noseband padding. I had no problem with using bits, but he just seemed happier bitless. In allergy season when his facial nerves seemed more sensitive I wasn’t sure if bitless was the right choice as it just causes a bit more movement of the straps on the head, so my choices were bitted with no noseband or bridleless, so mostly I rode off the neck rope. He was just the loveliest horse to ride bridleless.

 

[Lyle]

Yes, I start mine bitless ? I use a rope 'loping hackamore' which is essentially a leather bridle with a stiff rope noseband, and the reins attach underneath the jaw. It's nothing like a hackamore that English riders would think of. It's meant to be ridden on a soft/loose rein, and I find it doesn't put a lot of pressure on the face, you can't actually tighten the noseband. Lots of lovely ground work, and teach the horse to one rein stop first, then lots of cruising at a pace to teach them not to speed up/brace their neck. I love hacking in it and the horses seem to really enjoy it.

 

[scruffyponies]

I used to ride my first pony in just a headcollar with a single rope. It was great when we were doing something he liked (showjumping), but he had a habit of randomly tanking off down the driveways of grand houses.
After we had cantered down the gravel, or across their tennis courts, he would screech to a halt at the front door, looking very pleased with himself.

Since without a bridle there wasn't a thing I could do to stop him, I consigned him to a bit, as it was too embarassing.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I used to ride my first pony in just a headcollar with a single rope. It was great when we were doing something he liked (showjumping), but he had a habit of randomly tanking off down the driveways of grand houses.
After we had cantered down the gravel, or across their tennis courts, he would screech to a halt at the front door, looking very pleased with himself.

Since without a bridle there wasn't a thing I could do to stop him, I consigned him to a bit, as it was too embarassing.

Sorry! I did have a chuckle at that ?got to love their personalities ?

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Tried it with my coblet (profile pic). I've had her since she was just-backed as a 4yo; she's rising 10 now.

Had always wanted to try bitless. She isn't a strong cob, never has been, so thought OK let's see how it goes.

Tried her in an Orbitless, as from beginning of last year or so. All went well to start with - then she started poking her nose out in canter & hollowing-out her back, and tanking. Not like her at all. I just had no brakes at all and knew she just wasn't happy.

Went back to what she was used to before (Happy Mouth straight-bar) and she was fine. Different pony. Cantered on her yesterday and she was as light as a feather in hand.

Basically it wasn't broke and I was stoopid enough to try and fix it.

Before even considering going bitless what I would say is to counsel anyone to thoroughly research the different types of bitless bridle and how and where they operate; take a detailed look too at the anatomy of the horse's skull/nose area and note where the nerves are and how these are likely to be affected by placing something on those points.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Yes, for over ten years I rode old Dobbin bitless. 99% of the time he was a perfect gentleman, but I totally agree - when they go, they go! I did notice his head carriage dropped lower, and he was able to use his hind quarters properly. He was also treeless, and at 28 yo is still sound.

 

[maya2008]

It’s just another variation in the whole arsenal of options to be honest. Suits some horses, doesn’t suit others. Restricts you in some situations too (dressage, pony club).

I would never give a bit to a kid straight out of a riding school though, so used to have an array of crossunder bridles when we had sharers. They didn’t get a bit until their balance had improved. I also had a pony with a funny shaped mouth who disliked bits unless they were very thin. She obviously didn’t do well in dressage because we had tension simply because there was a dressage legal bit in her mouth. Loved jumping, and would do so bitless or in a Tom Thumb.

Current ponies are all bitted. I don’t use nosebands though unless required for something we are going to. Haven’t found a need and it’s just more tack to clean.

 

[Caol Ila]

Yes, I start mine bitless ? I use a rope 'loping hackamore' which is essentially a leather bridle with a stiff rope noseband, and the reins attach underneath the jaw. It's nothing like a hackamore that English riders would think of. It's meant to be ridden on a soft/loose rein, and I find it doesn't put a lot of pressure on the face, you can't actually tighten the noseband. Lots of lovely ground work, and teach the horse to one rein stop first, then lots of cruising at a pace to teach them not to speed up/brace their neck. I love hacking in it and the horses seem to really enjoy it.

I bought Hermosa a loping hackamore, and I might see it some day. The companies that sell Western tack in the UK seem very vague about their stocking. It looks like they have it in stock, but then after you order, they say they have to order it from the US. Bloody hell. I would have bought one direct from the US myself if I'd known and had more choice.

 

[SEL]

I've got one bitless. She has an issue with her soft palate and was a head shaker bitted. Tried loads of options but hackamore is what she likes. She is trained to pull upon my voice.

Backed the Appy bitless with reins on the dually. Transferred to a bit when i thought we might do dressage and she protested when I tried to go back to the dually. She's one of those horses who seems to get security from her rider having a contact.

 

[HorseyTee]

My welshie can go in just a headcollar. Tbh he's been taken out bareback in just a headcollar, but only on quiet lanes, but he is very good.
I don't have a bitless bridle for him but when I do rode him it's completely on the buckle anyway, he responds very well to voice or a slight pressure with your body.

 

[AntiPuck]

Do you both feel more relaxed now? Like the pressure is off a bit? I do, ?

"off a bit" ?

Yes, very much so! She used to head shake, move away from her bridle when tacked up, etc. so many stress signs that have just completely disappeared after taking the bit away (and using the same headstall, so it was definitely the bit)

 

[Barton Bounty]

"off a bit" ?

Yes, very much so! She used to head shake, move away from her bridle when tacked up, etc. so many stress signs that have just completely disappeared after taking the bit away (and using the same headstall, so it was definitely the bit)

I couldnt put my finger on it with BB , we did the vet work up, physio saddle fitter bla blah blah and yet he just constantly made faces and chewed on the bit and pulled the reins out my hand. The first time I tried it was stomach churning lol ? but what a difference

 

[Miss_Millie]

My (possibly unpopular) opinion is that if you need to use force from a bit to stop a horse, you're doing it wrong. Doesn't mean that bits are inherently evil, but many people do use them as pain devices as an alternative to training really good stop cues from the ground. Same with clamping a horses' mouth shut with a flash so they can't 'evade' the bit

 

[CanteringCarrot]

My last horse was often ridden bitless on hacks. We primarily rode with a bit though because we competed and I found one that he was comfortable with. I could ride him in a double, plain snaffle, bitless, or with a neck ring.

I used a side pull made by Kieffer. Looked like a traditional leather bride, just no bit.


I think I'll introduce my riding 2 year old to a bit sometime this year. No idea exactly what I'll start him in when it comes time to back him, but I've got plenty of time to figure that out!

 

[Barton Bounty]

My (possibly unpopular) opinion is that if you need to use force from a bit to stop a horse, you're doing it wrong. Doesn't mean that bits are inherently evil, but many people do use them as pain devices as an alternative to training really good stop cues from the ground. Same with clamping a horses' mouth shut with a flash so they can't 'evade' the bit

Someone I know had just had to have her mare put to sleep and I was being nice by saying, if you ever miss riding, come up and you can have a shot on BB, she said no thanks he doesn’t have a bit, I said ‘and’ is it a problem that you can’t hang off his mouth? If it is , you probably shouldnt ride anything ?

 

[Miss_Millie]

Someone I know had just had to have her mare put to sleep and I was being nice by saying, if you ever miss riding, come up and you can have a shot on BB, she said no thanks he doesn’t have a bit, I said ‘and’ is it a problem that you can’t hang off his mouth? If it is , you probably shouldnt ride anything ?

I was taught from a young age that you stop a horse by 'pulling the reins'. This was at a BHS riding school. There was never any talk of riding from your seat or using verbal cues. It seems strange to me that incredibly imbalanced beginner riders are first sat on a bitted horse. It would make more sense to start them off in a side pull and move on to a bit once there is no risk of them jabbing the horse in the mouth and injuring it.

But that would also require the horse to be trained very well from the seat. I have only ever ridden one such horse (not at a riding school) and it was magic. Just a 'steady' voice cue and a slight squeeze of the knees and she would slow to a halt.

 

[maya2008]

My (possibly unpopular) opinion is that if you need to use force from a bit to stop a horse, you're doing it wrong.

Ground cues only go so far when they are young, or when they are excited. They aren’t robots.

Reins are also a very sophisticated method of sending cues in educated hands.

 

[Miss_Millie]

Ground cues only go so far when they are young, or when they are excited. They aren’t robots.

Reins are also a very sophisticated method of sending cues in educated hands.

Yes, rein cues are excellent. But if pulling on the mouth using a lot of force is the only way to stop a horse then it needs more training.