Dr Cooks Bitless Bridle - Are You Scared to Use?

[horserugsnot4u]

I'd quite like to try one of these and wondered about other people's views on them. Are you/were you frightened to ride with one in case you couldn't control your horse? Was it better than you expected and now you wouldn't use anything else? Any views/experiences appreciated. Thanks

 

[M_G]

I'd quite like to try one of these and wondered about other people's views on them. Are you/were you frightened to ride with one in case you couldn't control your horse? Was it better than you expected and now you wouldn't use anything else? Any views/experiences appreciated. Thanks

I had one years ago (when they first came out/became popular) and my horse hated it and would just rear and rear but poped a french link back in & well behaved horse returned

 

[itsonlyme]

I loooove them! 2 of mine are in them (Molly is driven in it too). I haven't tried the pony in one yet, but might do if she comes back to ridden work.
Molly is very VERY forward-going, but I'll happily gallop her across open fields without brake problems! They're doing them in the rainbow colours now too, so that's a must-have!

 

[claribella]

I ride bitless although just in a rope halter usually but I find I have better control and my horse goes better. At the end of the day if your horse is going to bolt then it will bolt regardless of bit or no bit. I would recommend looking on youtube as to how to emergency stop because if your horse does run off with you then a flex of the neck and disingaging the hind quarters is a sure fire way to get it to stop. If you can then practice in a school or something first. Do you have one at the ready?
Im looking at buying a new halter at the moment because the leather splice on my reins has broken so I cant do my bosal knot and keep the end of the rope contained.

 

[vineyridge]

The Micklem bridle also comes in a bitless version called the Multi-Bridle. I had one of those. It offers three levels of bitless control, the harshest of which works very much like the Cook. I liked it and my horse liked it.

 

[mytwofriends]

I ride one of mine in a Dr. Cooks and have never had any braking issues.

 

[Bertolie]

I have an Easytrek bitless bridle (chaper version of the Dr Cook's) and both me and my horse love it. Some people suggest you use it for the first time in an enclosed area incase you have no control but I just bit the bullet and took my boy out for a hack (with a sensible companion) the first time I used mine. My horse has an extremely small mouth and is uncomfortable with anything in it, the change in him since using the bitless is amazing. I would never go back to using a bit.

 

[Pale Rider]

If you're not happy using one of these, you shouldn't be riding.

 

[Bertolie]

If you're not happy using one of these, you shouldn't be riding.

What a load of tosh!

If you are not happy using one of these, then dont use one. Where does it state you should only be riding horses if you are happy to use a bitless bridle?

OP if you really want to try one then I would suggest you use it in a school/arena/enclosed area the first couple of times to allow you to see how your horse reacts

 

[mytwofriends]

If you're not happy using one of these, you shouldn't be riding.

Bit harsh maybe?

 

[Scarlett]

Like anything some horses like them and some don't - Dr Cooks are quite 'strong' in the context of a bitless bridle, tbh I wouldn't use one, but some horses like them and some don't. I would try using it from the ground first to judge the horses reaction before getting on board.

As for being scared, no, absolutely not! Bitless doesn't mean uncontrollable, theres far more to a schooled horse than pulling on a bit. Maybe it woud be best to seak professional assistance to help you use it the first time.

I ride with a bit most of the time and to compete, but I have a Micklem bridle and often just ride with it on the simplest setting - comparable to a side pull. It's funny how easily my big exracer TB steadies up and stops when he has nothing to pull against.

 

[Irishbabygirl]

That's a little harsh Pale Rider isn't it? I've ridden all my life but never in a bitless bridle and I too would be a little worried for the first time if I were to try one. Surely that's natural and what the OP meant?

 

[Brightbay]

My horse has been bitless for the 6 years since he came to me at 4 - had been backing with a bit and the dealer I bought him from rode him with a bit.

I just restarted him, teaching the rein cues with a rope halter from the ground to begin with and then ridden.

I rode him for a while in the EasyTrek (similar to Dr. Cooks), but I was never happy with the precision as it's slow to release and can stick, so I changed to milder bridle which just has a sidepull action (it's called an Orbitless). This works very well for us.

You just need to be willing to take the time to train the horse to understand, same as you would with a bit - some horses will understand without much training, some (those who are strong with a bit) may need a little more time. Assuming that the horse will understand the action of the Dr. Cooks without you training it is like e.g. changing from cooking with electric to cooking with gas - the principles are the same, but you need time to get used to a different cooker Confidence in the horse comes from knowing that you have tested out how well they understand you. If you are concerned that your horse is not controllable with a bit, you probably have a bit of work to do to improve their understanding of your signals anyway

ETA if you are still wanting to try but concerned - do as a poster above suggests and get hold of a Micklem multibridle, set it up with two sets of reins, one on a bit and one as a side pull. Ride off the sidepull for a while and see how your horse responds.

 

[jsr]

I tried one on the bouncing cob! Thought as I don't have brakes with a bit I might have without. Good theory but he was still nuts, but for good measure he threw in a rear too (he never ever ever rears this was the first and only time!) so decided it's not for me. Instead invested time and money and ended up finding a bit which suits his flabby mouth and gave me the control needed without hurting him. I would prefer to ride bitless but it doesn't suit my horse so I don't. Try one in an enclosed area not as I did in a open yard with access to 3 miles of field tracks...whoops last seen gallopping towards the tracks leaving a trial of 'friends' laughing and pointing.

 

[jinglejoys]

The problem is when people use it just as another gadget to control when they haven't taught the horse ground manners or learnt how to use them.As someone else mentioned first teach the horse to give to pressure,practice practise,and learn a one rein stop at a walk trot and canter (Haven't got to the canter myself yet ) learn to ride without having to use a bit and teach that to your horse then maybe you'll think "Why a bit" instead of "why bitless"
I use a rope hackamore on Malaga cos that's what he's been started in but on Old Picasso who's only had a bit thrust in his mouth with a chain and a yank by a Spanish Farmer,I used a myler bit as I reckon at 30 he's had enough already

 

[Ladyinred]

All ours are ridden in Dr C's or similar, including manic sponsored rides. Friend hacks her Sec D stallion out and about in one and has more control than with a bit.

 

[Tai.Ni.Po.Ni]

My horse loved it ! I use to hack, jump and school in it with better than a bit !

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

Just a quick note. If a horse actually bolts, not to be confused with you not being able to stop, they lose all self preservation. So bitless or harshest bit out there, trying to disengage or doing tricks probably aren't going to work. But until you know what a bolt is you won't know the difference. Very few people are ever truly bolted with. Happened to me twice on the racetrack in America. One outcome was horrific. The other the horse did indeed mill into a chain link fence. I bailed before hand. One rein stops and all the cute fail safe's we're taught, nope. For a runoff, yes.

Terri

 

[moana]

I regularly use them, for driving as well as riding, and know a number of other riders who use them very happily.

 

[MrsMozart]

If you're not happy using one of these, you shouldn't be riding.

I'll tell my horse that. Tried her bitless and she sat her ar$e on the ground and wouldn't go forward at all. Kept rubbing her nose.

Pity as I'd rather ride bitless.

Will try again some day with maybe the same, maybe something different, but as she's okay with a bit, we'll keep riding

 

[m3gan]

I ride my boy in one and it is never been a problem, highly recommended (even for a ginger Arab)

 

[PennyJ]

We borrowed a Dr Cooks bitless bridle to use following wolf teeth extraction, so work could carry on for our little fat mare. She absolutely loved it and went better in it than she does in a bitted bridle. It was with great reluctance we returned to a bitted bridle, the local branch of the Pony Club were not happy for her to do their stuff in it.

 

[NagsEquestrian]

I've used a Dr Cook and other types of crosspulls, but ultimately my horses learnt to lean on them, or just plain didn't like them.
I tend to stick with rope halters, sidepulls and hackamores now.
I always do groundwork in new bridles first so the horse can get the feel of them.

 

[micki]

I thought about trying my lad in one but as i have an english hackamore i tried him in that and he goes fantastic in that so i am sticking to that for a while. I might try one at some point though as i don't really want to go back to a bit with him as he is much more relaxed without a bit to ride. What is the difference in the feel for the horse between one and an english hackamore?

 

[millsandboon]

I ride an ex-polo pony in one. He has been over bitted and pulled about and is subsequently very unsettled in his mouth. He is much happier in a bitless bridle. I have no breaking problems at all even galloping in groups. I do sometimes have steering problems if I need to turn a tight circle with little notice. The only time I felt he really needed his bit back in was when I took him hunting.

 

[horseandshoes77]

Used one on my mare after she was ridden by someone who split her mouth and had great results when hacking and schooling etc... shes normally quite calm at these...then decided as she was soooo good... i would take her to our local unaff sj well i did 3 laps of arena after first jump!!! and then well she realised her fun jumping was even more fun cos she didnt have to listen to me at all, i had to grab her head at the cheek and drag it to her bum and then she just pulled away and flew 2 laps of arena until the lovely man who was on the gate grabbed her.... hubby brought my bridle with bit and we managed to pop a jump before we left...now have a spare dr cooks hanging in tack room if anyone wants to borrow/buy !!(beta one in medium black

 

[Taisypops]

I ride my forward going mare in one with no probs at all, we hack out/canter in fields/gallop on the beach all with no issues x

 

[Kokopelli]

I sometimes ride my very fizzy strong tb in a lunge cavesson he goes much better. I would try him bitless but cavesson works just as well and he's less worked up in one.

 

[Shantara]

Here's Nedrick in his
He hated it the first time I used it. Plenty of head throwing and stropping, but now I've used it a good 10 times and he seems to have warmed to it

I know it probably looks wrong, but he was having a good face scratch before the pic!

 

[Nitro mouse]

Hiya I have just had two lessons using an orbitless bridle, think if you would like to try one, its best to get someone to come out with a variety of different kinds of bitless bridles as they can work in different ways. The pressure release on some are quicker than others. Some can be quite harsh too. So my advice would be talk to an expert who can come and assess you and your horse to see what would work best for you both.
I have found it an interesting experience, I have an twenty year old semi retired horse and I wanted something to do with him that was a little bit different and new, without being too much for him to cope with. But he seemed to enjoy the challenge as much as I did, bless him.