Going bitless, tips please.

[ycbm]

I've never found a bit which will stop Ludo's chomping, I've tried practically everything. The best I can do is the Bomber Happy Tongue, but even then he's busy messing with it. I've always thought he was a horse who should be bitless. Then it hit me yesterday watching him worked in hand in a string halter with a totally relaxed closed mouth that I don't plan ever to compete again and there's no reason not to go bitless.

I have almost no experience of bitless. Where would you start? I'm hoping to use my Micklem, but maybe that's not the right bridle?

All advice welcome.
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[webble]

It's similar to bits in that there are lots of options and not all suit. I would try the Micklem see how you get on. Personally I like the orbitless and didn't like cross under as they don't always release fast enough for my liking. The matrix is a good option as it can be used in several ways to see which works for you and ludo

The flower hackamore with the shank has a tendency to twist so avoid that

 

[FFAQ]

I've only tried the Dr cook's cross under and the transcend simple side pull. I backed my cob in the Dr cook's and my shire had been backed in a headcollar. I think insurance companies won't cover people riding in a headcollar though, so I bought her the transcend when she came to me.
After a while I found my cob went better in a side pull so I sold the Dr cook's.
Both horses also go bitted in a simple snaffle. Honestly, neither horse seems to have a preference between bitless and bitted, but my other cob is definitely happy bitted (yep, that surprised me too).
I have heard great things about the orbitless too. Good luck ?

 

[Ahrena]

You can buy a chinstrap for the flower hackamore from P.S of Sweden (this was several years ago so hopefully more mainstream now) which stops it slipping. My mare loves it.

I hack and jump in that. I use a Dr Cooks bitless for cross country as I didn’t have quite enough steering in the flower.

Also no need to rule out competing with these if you ever change your mind - I used to event BE and BS in these bridles (bar the dressage obviously).

 

[Lyle]

I like the western style loping 'hackamore'. They are a rope nose, with the reins attaching underneath. They seem to teach lateral flexion really easily. It's a good place to start. Simple sidepulls can cause the horse to be quite stiff initially, and they do put a lot of pressure on the face.
My biggest tip for bitless, is make sure they flex softly on the ground in a rope halter, then spend plenty of time teaching the one rein stop before riding at speed. A horse who first feels the pull on the nose from 2 reins is likely to pull against it, so in the early days I only stop via the one rein stop, which once they are good at it, they should be stopping off your seat/voice and you simply then 'bend' them down a pace or 2. Once you're sure you can stop, you can start drawing them to a stop with both reins.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I ride Mim bitless in her Micklem often. She seems very happy in it, and I don’t really notice the difference between bitted and bitless.

I think it might be helpful for Ludo that everything else about the pressure is the same, only the bit is missing.

 

[ycbm]

I think we are starting from a good place as I tend not to ride with much of a contact even when I'm schooling, and he is trained to the seat rather than the reins already. It was seeing him respond to in hand work even though I have never consciously done any in hand work that made the light bulb go on.
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[Highmileagecob]

Whatever you choose, just make sure the groundwork is in place first. if you can handle him easily from a headcollar or Dually, you should be fine. You may find his head carriage is lower than you are used to, but on the plus side, he will use his back and balance himself with ease. Just remember if he is going to go - he will go, whether bitless or not. I switched my cob to bitless when he was seventeen, and after a couple of sessions in the paddock, we never looked back. He was hacked out daily on roads, tracks, in company and alone. Good luck, I hope it works out for you.

 

[Miss_Millie]

My horse is bitless and I like the Orbitless bridle as you can play around with the settings to see which one your horse seems to like best. I just use the sidepull setting as my my horse doesn't like poll pressure. With the orbitless, you can put the noseband on your existing bridle, although you might need to change to shorter cheekpieces.

Tbh, I haven't found it much different than riding in a bit at all (other than my horse is a lot more chill). I have had to improve my seat aids and have trained some voice aids too, which has been enriching for both of us.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Id say Micklem is the best as you can start off with the poll or chin strap on it and work your way down , mine is just an expensive headcollar now. I don’t even tighten the flash strap anymore ? was thinking of just getting a cheaper waldhausen bridle if that is all I need. The micklem is great, as there is the way I have it. Then the chin strap then over the poll. Try him a few short times, you will notice the difference instantly.

 

[ycbm]

Id say Micklem is the best as you can start off with the poll or View attachment 106524chin strap on it and work your way down , mine is just an expensive headcollar now. I don’t even tighten the flash strap anymore ? was thinking of just getting a cheaper waldhausen bridle if that is all I need. The micklem is great, as there is the way I have it. Then the chin strap then over the poll. Try him a few short times, you will notice the difference instantly.

Thanks BB, good to see a picture, I'll try that.

Perhaps not with the rainbow ears ?
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[Barton Bounty]

I guess it's just obvious that we should be in an



Thanks BB, good to see a picture, I'll try that.

Perhaps not with the rainbow ears ?
.

This is the best video on assembling. To try your different parts

 

[Esmae]

I used an english hackamore on my chap. He went really well in it and it let him relax his mouth. I changed the chain for a leather strap at the chin. No more chomping all the time.

 

[SEL]

I borrowed a bosal from a fellow livery and attached it to microcob's existing bridle. Instantly happier pony.

When I left that yard and it's owner needed it back I bought a hackamore. To get it to fit I had to use bits of various bridles so it looks a bit like it's been dragged out of a junk yard but she's happy. I did get a new bosal but apparently the hackamore is her bridle of choice.

I train all mine to pull up on a voice signal anyway but I pretty much forgot I was bitless and just rode her as normal.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I was going to try this one as his micklem is on the last hole round his jaw, very inexpensive but then I looked at the ring where the reins attach and it looks flimsy

 

[Gloi]

I was going to try this one as his micklem is on the last hole round his jaw, very inexpensive but then I looked at the ring where the reins attach and it looks flimsyView attachment 106534

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this but I tried one of these with mine. In the school he was fine but I took him out up the track and had to take hands off the reins to fiddle with a gate. He took the opportunity to snack and I found it hard to pull him up. Although the noseband was snug it slipped up his face. He then knew I found it hard to stop him eating, which I don't in a bit, and was just a bit of a greedy thug cob after that so the bit went back in.

 

[lme]

Bigg Comfort bridles do a bitless bridle with a few options. The leather is really nice quality.

 

[Caol Ila]

Fin is now back in the Bomber Happy Tongue. For the moment anyway.

He had been going well in his music shanked mechanical hack for a while. I tried to change him to a bosal and a flower hackamore, but he sometimes tries to take over the steering and marches off in a direction you might not necessarily want to go. With bits or the longer shanks, you can stop him with a light touch but with the mild bitless bridles, you were in the trees.

He started acting like the poll pressure of the hackamore was uncomfortable, hence going back to the bit. He seems happier in it at the moment.

Hermosa is being ridden away in a Western loping hackamore. I'll change to the bosal when ready, and then maybe a snaffle bit.

 

[cauda equina]

When I was investigating going hacking bitless I used 2 reins for a while, one on the bit and one on the nose so I still had a safety net if things went wrong, which would be easily done with a Micklem

 

[Barton Bounty]

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this but I tried one of these with mine. In the school he was fine but I took him out up the track and had to take hands off the reins to fiddle with a gate. He took the opportunity to snack and I found it hard to pull him up. Although the noseband was snug it slipped up his face. He then knew I found it hard to stop him eating, which I don't in a bit, and was just a bit of a greedy thug cob after that so the bit went back in.

Ahhh well I wont bother lol, I want some kind of control lol ?

 

[maya2008]

Depends how sparky your horse is, and what you do, as to what will suit!

My old TB could literally be ridden in a headcollar past the age of 6, so long as she was in full work. Headcollars (including rope ones) tend to shift on their faces when you apply pressure though, so we had a crossunder bridle that stayed put nicely. I’ve tried to find a modern one I like but none are quite the same and that one is no longer in production. It was basically the same control as a snaffle, with the added bonus that you could school exactly as if there was a bit in, then transfer to a bit for a dressage comp with no issue. I schooled in it up to Elementary, competed in a snaffle, easy. The Micklem looks similar and would be a good place to start.

Hackamores with shanks give much better brakes, but what you gain in brakes you lose in steering. I have used the flower hackamore (adjusted well and ridden with a light contact on both reins it didn’t twist) and for more brakes the English hackamore. Harder to pull their heads up from grass in these if you have a horse who likes snacks though!

All mine are currently bitted as they are happy that way, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go bitless again if I had one that needed it.

 

[Caol Ila]

Depends how sparky your horse is, and what you do, as to what will suit!

My old TB could literally be ridden in a headcollar past the age of 6, so long as she was in full work. Headcollars (including rope ones) tend to shift on their faces when you apply pressure though, so we had a crossunder bridle that stayed put nicely. I’ve tried to find a modern one I like but none are quite the same and that one is no longer in production. It was basically the same control as a snaffle, with the added bonus that you could school exactly as if there was a bit in, then transfer to a bit for a dressage comp with no issue. I schooled in it up to Elementary, competed in a snaffle, easy. The Micklem looks similar and would be a good place to start.

Hackamores with shanks give much better brakes, but what you gain in brakes you lose in steering. I have used the flower hackamore (adjusted well and ridden with a light contact on both reins it didn’t twist) and for more brakes the English hackamore. Harder to pull their heads up from grass in theses if you have a horse who likes snacks though!

All mine are currently bitted as they are happy that way, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go bitless again if I had one that needed it.

Yeah, I initially backed Hermosa in the rope halter, but as we worked on the steering, I soon became unhappy with it because it twisted on her face and muddled up the cues. I got the loping hackamore with the hope of being able to ride her in my (quite expenisve) bosal.

 

[Caol Ila]

I like the western style loping 'hackamore'. They are a rope nose, with the reins attaching underneath. They seem to teach lateral flexion really easily. It's a good place to start. Simple sidepulls can cause the horse to be quite stiff initially, and they do put a lot of pressure on the face.
My biggest tip for bitless, is make sure they flex softly on the ground in a rope halter, then spend plenty of time teaching the one rein stop before riding at speed. A horse who first feels the pull on the nose from 2 reins is likely to pull against it, so in the early days I only stop via the one rein stop, which once they are good at it, they should be stopping off your seat/voice and you simply then 'bend' them down a pace or 2. Once you're sure you can stop, you can start drawing them to a stop with both reins.

Which loping hack do you use?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My advice would be borrow a bridle to try first. Luckily I borrowed a very nice bitless bridle to try my horse in and he completely panicked in it. I got a very experienced lady to ride him that rides bitless alot. We hastily popped his bit back in and he was fine! It could have been an expensive mistake!

 

[GoldenWillow]

J has a tendency to be fussy despite trying so, so many bits, he's got a lot better in the last 6 months due to a couple of factors but I have swapped between bitted and bitless for the last 6 or so years. I did a lot of inhand work bitless first and he already had emergency stop from neckstrap installed (it was the first thing I taught him when I got him). I initially tried bitless with him in a headcollar and reins before I bought any bridle to see what kind of feel he gave me. I do have a Micklem but having ridden in cross under bridles before I didn't want to use that setting and headcollar and reins was easier ? I use a side pull, the Micklem does have side pull setting but the pressure points are very slightly different to a side pull attached to cheek pieces and I find J prefers it. He hated an English hackamore. I haven't tried any of the wheel type hackamores. At some point if I have some spare money I'd like to get a Transcend.

Transitioning I used side pull with bit for hacking for a while to make sure I had full control. I checked with my insurance company and I was fully covered as long as what I was using was considered (sold as) a bridle. I'm not sure if that would rule out some halter/bosal set ups.

I found very little difference between riding bitted and bitless with him, especially hacking. Schooling it makes me more aware of my riding and I think makes me ride better!

 

[paddy555]

cheapest way to start is reins on a headcollar in the school/enclosed track. Costs nothing and you get a good idea how they are going to go.
I have used an English hackmore for the last 50 years. Tried a scawbrigg but didn't like that sort of principle because it didn't release quickly enough. The English hackamore has leverage so instant release. If you neck rein you can steer easily in an English hack.

 

[ycbm]

cheapest way to start is reins on a headcollar in the school/enclosed track. Costs nothing and you get a good idea how they are going to go.
I have used an English hackmore for the last 50 years. Tried a scawbrigg but didn't like that sort of principle because it didn't release quickly enough. The English hackamore has leverage so instant release. If you neck rein you can steer easily in an English hack.

I think I'd probably go for the Flower if I took this route, purely aesthetics of his fine head and the clunky appearance of the English Hackamore (though I have a 30 year old one out in the garage it think! ).
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[Red-1]

I used to use a good old English Hackamore including for SJ. I like that it has a quick release and the pull is weighted and the leverage long, so the horse can respond before the chain tightens, just because the rin being taken up moves the metal sides.

In good hands I think they are 'kinder' than the Orbitless. I had a client with one of those and i disliked it, I brought a Hackamore for her to try and the horse was 100% more relaxed as it could relax to the feel before anything tightened.

However, a friend likes these... Transcend Bitless Bridle | The Pre-Eminent Bitless Experience

I have no personal experience of them though.

I hate those that do a fig 8 round the face as they simply don't release quickly enough.

 

[AntiPuck]

If you mostly ride from seat aids, you can take your pick of the bitless styles, really.

If you want to start simply, a sidepull or wheel-type hackamore (like the Orbitless, Zilco flower hackamore, or the Nalanta bridle) are potentially good options. Scrawbrigs like Transcend (who also do lovely sidepulls) or the Lightrider bridles also seem to be popular choices, and they come in lots of styles for different aesthetics.

I personally use a Zilco S-hackamore for hacking at the moment, as it was easy to attach to my existing bridle (although transitioning to a Lightrider as we don't need the leverage), but I also have a beautiful Transcend side pull for 'schooling' as it gives much clearer cues than a shanked hackamore.

 

[Boulty]

A friend who has all hers bitless & has tried all sorts over the years with her sensitive mare really rates the transcend. Doesn't harm that if you go with the leather version they look pretty much like a traditional bridle just with no bit. I personally tried & liked the Lightrider (which is fairly similar) in terms of giving me a similar feel to having a bit in & having decent steering etc but did find in very exciting situations I had to take a stronger pull than I'd like to have brakes (I could have slightly better brakes in a flower hackamore but steering then went out the window & again if things got exciting I just had to hold on & pray!). I was stupid enough to take the orange one on hound exercise for the first time in the flower (went surprisingly well as I just basically let him do whatever he wanted ?) & we also did the Burghley sponsored ride in one (that went less well & I had absolutely no speed control by the end!). Used to hack a fair bit in the Lightrider but after a few failed experiments decided that it was for hacking alone only as he was far too much of an idiotic show off in company to come to a reliable stop in good time (tried to do an entire TREC comp in it once... Day 2 was interesting & I had no arms left by the end of the PTV course)