Is a bitless bridle the cure?

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My horse has always fought to open his mouth when ridden. Usually happens 10 minutes into a ride and its like he just can't tolerate the bit! In trot especially he lifts his head up to the side and looks in pain.
He's had his teeth done, new saddle fitted and I've recently changed his bit from a single jointed snaffle to a copper lozenge. Slight improvement but not much difference :(
Now thinking that a bitless bridle would cure his issue!
Don't know much about them so any idea what I should look for? (Had a quick look but there's a vast range!). Think that trying one first would be a good idea but can I just put one on and ride away? Any advice appreciated!
 
Is the bridle too tight/too loose on his head? :) if the bit is pulled up too high it can cause a horse to either tilt their head or repeatedly stretch their neck forward with their mouth wide open. If it's too loose he'll keep trying to open his mouth or 'chomp' noisily at the bit instead of quiet chewing. You might want to check his noseband too, make sure it's pretty loose and leave a flash off until the behavior stops.

That's all I can think of in general! Other than that it comes down to riding technique and the horse's personal quirks! I hope it's solved soon though :)
 
I found it helped my mare as she was very resistant to the bit. She is a lot better and back in a bit now. It won't hurt to try it, but do it in an enclosed area probably.

I tried a scrawbrigg but she was too strong for that and ended up going pretty well in a hackamore.
 
keelind said:
Is the bridle too tight/too loose on his head? :) if the bit is pulled up too high it can cause a horse to either tilt their head or repeatedly stretch their neck forward with their mouth wide open. If it's too loose he'll keep trying to open his mouth or 'chomp' noisily at the bit instead of quiet chewing.
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I did think this last time I rode so I let down the cheek piece by a hole but no difference. I'll ask the YO to give me her opinion!
Thanks :)
 
Please be aware that not all horses go well in bitless bridles, and your riding technique has a lot to do with how horses behave (both with a bit and bitless).
 
It could well be... I have my thoroughbred ex racer in a fulmer snaffle which she goes fine in however if she gets agitated or stressed she tends to reject the bit and any contact frustrates her more. Just by chance I've started going bitless with her.. As I'm building up to doing full hacks out alone with her I've been leading her out in hand fully tacked up then jumping on half way round. I had her bridle on with her rope halter over the top and rope reins for the leading part, however for the last few times I haven't been bothered with the faffing of having her bridle and rope halter so I just rode her in the rope halter with rope reins and I have to say she hasn't once got agititated or evasive with her head like she did with a bit despite getting a little nervous. She also responds to my seats incredibly well, as if she can concentrate on me more without the distraction of a bit. Thinking of getting a more 'serious' bitless bridle for when we doing more than hacking :)
 
My lad didnt like the bit either, I think he had never really accepted it. We lunged in side reins which helped loads and he is much more comfortable now, not poking his nose to get away from it. You can get a Dr cooks bitless bridle to try for free I believe... If you don't like it they will refund. I thought about it with mine and do plan to try it in future but for now he is getting on well with the bit, so we will do this later.
 
Mine didn't like the bitless I tried him in Nurtural but wasn't happy in the Sprenger KK either I swapped him to a myler and he was happy as. He obviously has a small mouth so thick bits don't suit him.

I have recently started riding in a rope halter and he is happy in that.
 
timiton said:
My horse has always fought to open his mouth when ridden. Usually happens 10 minutes into a ride and its like he just can't tolerate the bit! In trot especially he lifts his head up to the side and looks in pain.
He's had his teeth done, new saddle fitted and I've recently changed his bit from a single jointed snaffle to a copper lozenge. Slight improvement but not much difference :(
Now thinking that a bitless bridle would cure his issue!
Don't know much about them so any idea what I should look for? (Had a quick look but there's a vast range!). Think that trying one first would be a good idea but can I just put one on and ride away? Any advice appreciated!
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You are supposed to work from the ground first until the horse understands the commands you are sending down the reins and then get on in an enclosed space. good luck
 
Try a cross under or a side pull to start off with. Some horses resent the poll pressure of a side pull, but some find the steering better.

I broke The Tank in with a Dr Cook's and he was fine with it.
 
timiton said:
My horse has always fought to open his mouth when ridden. Usually happens 10 minutes into a ride and its like he just can't tolerate the bit! In trot especially he lifts his head up to the side and looks in pain.
He's had his teeth done, new saddle fitted and I've recently changed his bit from a single jointed snaffle to a copper lozenge. Slight improvement but not much difference :(
Now thinking that a bitless bridle would cure his issue!
Don't know much about them so any idea what I should look for? (Had a quick look but there's a vast range!). Think that trying one first would be a good idea but can I just put one on and ride away? Any advice appreciated!
Click to expand...


Another thing to consider... Is it fixed or loose ring, or gag, hanging cheek etc... These are all possible causes of the problem, your horse may go well in one set up but not another
 
Riding bitless isn't a big deal - really it's not.

An enclosed area is sensible, so just start by attaching a pair of reins to your halter and see how he goes.

There are lots of options and if you decide to go bitless, you may need to play around a bit.

My gelding was hopeless in a hackamore - he leaned on it, but was fine in a Dr Cook model. I can't bring myself to have a noseband as low as they recommend, so it sits like a cavassson. He did 3000 km of endurance in one of these and I still hack him in one. He was most indignant when I decided that now he's a retired endurance horse he could do a bit of showing and a bit of dressage and needed a bit ! Which meant trying a few different things and he (note "he') settled on a KK Ultra.

My two mares have both gone well in mechanical hackamores, but when I forgot my bridle at an endurance ride early this season, I just borrowed a pair of reins, attached them to Diva's halter and away we went.

It's not that I'm anti-bits, but for me they come under the "when necessary" heading. I like to break my horses in with just a halter, but I find them too sloppy for general riding, so once they are going then I prefer a hackamore, but whatever suits. :)
 
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I have a bit of an odd fascination with bits/bitless bridles, for whatever strange reason :p But I've experimented with a fair few things, read up a lot on others that I haven't got around to trying just yet because of it :)
One of the main things that seems to be of great benefit is teaching your horse about the bit or bitless bridle/hackamore. if you spend some time on the ground showing them how it works, and what the pressure is like, and teaching them how to respond, they'll be less stressed & it'll be safer. Last time I rode my Sec A on a really regular basis, he was in a hackamore (eventually) and seemed happiest in this, but since then he's been in a Peewee bit which he also seemed to accept very well. I'm hoping to start work with him in the new year - he's never really had any 'proper' training - and after a bit of basis groundwork & clicker training, I'll probably step up to just some time letting him get used to the bit, trying some flexions etc until he's happy. If he's not convinced, I may try another type of bitless bridle as I do feel the hackamore is a bit much for his tiny head!
There are LOTS of bits out there though, and lots of mouthpieces & rings, and some tiny variations can make big differences. I've found that straight/mullen or ported mouthpieces have generally suited my horses + my riding style - gives a nice, non-fussy starting point, which offers a very still contact, which we seem to like as I prefer to ride with an extremely light hand. I think that jointed bits tend to collapse a bit too much in that situation, judging by the horses reactions. However, Dan was still very fussy in the mullen barrel Myler hanging cheek he had, and would bounce it about in his mouth (it wasn't too low, but he does have short lips). He's now in a Billy Allen snaffle, which is quite similar in the mouthpiece, just a bit thicker, and it's a D-ring. :confused: He's lovely in it though, and it's a lot cheaper than a myler, so I'm not objecting :p

One thing that stuck with me from a lecture I went to on lameness by a very good vet, was that a lot of issues originate in the neck - often the base of the neck. I think, considering what you've said your horse does, it could be worth getting a vet to check him out and make sure that there is no underlying issue, could it be perhaps that after a few minutes of carrying himself in a particular outline, or even just carrying a rider, something is hurting?
 
keelind said:
Is the bridle too tight/too loose on his head? :) if the bit is pulled up too high it can cause a horse to either tilt their head or repeatedly stretch their neck forward with their mouth wide open. If it's too loose he'll keep trying to open his mouth or 'chomp' noisily at the bit instead of quiet chewing. You might want to check his noseband too, make sure it's pretty loose and leave a flash off until the behavior stops.

That's all I can think of in general! Other than that it comes down to riding technique and the horse's personal quirks! I hope it's solved soon though :)
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As an add-on to the first paragraph - if you are using a flash noseband try removing it. Ok, so I'm old-fashioned but I'm with Sylvia Loch and a number of other well-known trainers that flash nosebands are the work of the devil and cause more problems than they cure!

Useful for fastening a sandwich case or your mackintosh to your d-rings though ;)
 
No idea why your horse behaves like he does. If there are no physical issues like teeth, without watching you ride no one can say, could be your heavy handed and he doesn't like it.
 
I ride both bitted and bitless (not at the same time).

Shy hated cross-unders, and we found I only have control in a hackamore - but much of the time I ride on a very gentle contact with it. We both love it.
 
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