Riders know best what bridle suits their horse?

M

macarthur

Active Member
Joined
25 June 2009
Messages
38
Visit site
As a rider do you know what bridle best suits your horse? what bit? or no bit? are you influenced by the rules in the choice of tack? If we have to adhere to the rules what happens for example - when the horse has a tumour in the mouth and cannot be bitted ever again - Then shock horror! you cant compete in dressage or 3-day eventing anymore. Is this fair? Why cant Riders be the ones to choose what bridle best suits their horse - who am I to say what might suit your horse or you mine? so why do we go along with the status quo - why not change the rules in the UK to allow freedom of choice to lie with the rider - don't the equestrian federations trust us?! what do they FEAR? :-(
 
I don't have the answers to all of these questions, but my guess is that originally the rules on bridling and tack generally were to ensure a fair playing field, hence the rule that horses at a certain level wear only a snaffle, and so on. I would think it becomes an administrative nightmare for stewards etc if you start widening the rules to allow a wider range of bridle and bit types. And wouldn't you say that there must be some rule on the ironwork allowed in a horses mouth? - we have all seen some horrors pictured here - would you like to allow them in competition, especially at low levels? The rules therefore ensure that horses are judged by their correctness, willingness and level of control in a simple set of tack which is broadly the same for everyone.

I don't disagree that it's a shame for a horse to be excluded from competition in the situation you describe, but am not sure there in an answer that ensures fair competition.
 
I think there would need to be some interesting rules if this came into play.

Dressage For instance- horse goes well in a hackamore- massive poll pressure- how is it then fair to compete against a snaffle bitted horse who isn't allowed an equal poll pressure bit?
 
Isn't Dressage about self carriage? forcing an outline in a bit or bitless or any type of bit is not correct is it? My thoughts are that the horse its fluidity, harmony correctness and execution willingly are what judges should be looking for - simplicity in the pairing. if we worry only about the bit are we saying its only bit pressure that allows success?
 
One would hope that a judge is capable of distinguishing a horse in self carriage from one forced into an outline.

Perhaps we should only compete with no tack at all? - otherwise it's impossible to tell the effect of the specific tack on an individual horse.
 
I understand the need for a level playing field in competition, however, I do think it is wrong to penalise a horse and rider combination for being bitless.
 
makes you wonder doesn't it! - after all its about the communication between the rider and the horse through training. It should not be about force or control - yet in dressage we talk of submission and then a willing partner - Ho hum! what we ought to be rewarding is less is more - and looking for a partnership where the tack is just there for light communication seat and leg and hand...
 
I went to the Kely Marks/Monty Roberts demo at Solihull for my horse with a loading issue and Bailey took part in the demo. To cut a long story short as a result of the demo I got a Dually halter and decided one day, out of the blue, (because I am a very curious person and like to try different things and experiment) I decided to ride Bailey in it.

Within half an hour the horse was doing walk to canter, canter to walk transitions, leg yielding, a sort of shoulder in - lol, flying changes, walk, trot and canter and rein back without a second thought. I felt I had more control of my horse than I'd ever had and he felt lovely and soft and relaxed.

So sometimes bits aren't all they are cracked up to be. I did think that I would like to try jumping in the dually, but felt that this might be a bridge too far.

When I told Kelly Marks what I had done she seemed quite suprised and said she wouldn't have recommended riding in the dually as she had obvioiusly met Bailey in the flesh and could see what a huge strong lad he was. But I really trusted him that day, more than I have ever trusted him I think.

As for bridles, a horse with a large head looks better in 3/4 inch cheek pieces than a half inch cheek pieced bridle. And rolled bridles are horrible!!

I remember on a previous yard when everyone wanted a continental three ring gag!
 
See I play horseball, so the tack rules that we have are for safety sake ie no full cheek bits and no elasticated girths.
And we don't allow bitless as you are required to wear a standing martingale- if their is an option to show how this would work bitless im sure it could be discussed.

However the communication is all from leg and seat as you are holding onto a ball or waiting for a pass!

Applecart- rolled bridles are not horrible! I have a fine TB and it suits her just fine- it wont however suit my ISH so she will not be wearing it!
 
dianchi said:
See I play horseball, so the tack rules that we have are for safety sake ie no full cheek bits and no elasticated girths.
And we don't allow bitless as you are required to wear a standing martingale- if their is an option to show how this would work bitless im sure it could be discussed.

However the communication is all from leg and seat as you are holding onto a ball or waiting for a pass!



Do you know what the reasoning is for no standing martingales with bitless bridles? Is it to do with the lower position of the noseband? Would be interested to know. :)
Click to expand...
 
Shy's bitless and always will be - he hates whatever bit I've tried him with, and quite frankly, that's fine by me. Shame, as it rules out showing, which is just stupid.

And no, a bitless is NOT used to exert poll pressure - it can do if needs be, but you need very gentle hands if you are using any form of nose area restraint.

You would NEVER attach a martingale to a bitless noseband !!! Unbelievable tbh - if the horse pulled up on it, it's breathing could be severely damaged. Bitless bridles need to be used by people who understand them.
 
Yeah, assumed it must be that, I ride in a Dr Cook BUT I dont have my noseband so low, dont really agree with it tbh, and have never needed to, it works just fine at the normal height, I also dont have it done up tight, just the same as a normal caversson.
But then my horse doesn't need any sort of contact, the weight of the reins will do, along with seat and voice.
I also ride in a bit, just a simple mullen mouth, usually for lessons, schooling etc or hacking in new places, just because it give me a sense of security, daft really, but there you go....
 
Shysmum said:
Shy's bitless and always will be - he hates whatever bit I've tried him with, and quite frankly, that's fine by me. Shame, as it rules out showing, which is just stupid.

And no, a bitless is NOT used to exert poll pressure - it can do if needs be, but you need very gentle hands if you are using any form of nose area restraint.

You would NEVER attach a martingale to a bitless noseband !!! Unbelievable tbh - if the horse pulled up on it, it's breathing could be severely damaged. Bitless bridles need to be used by people who understand them.
Click to expand...

I think any tack needs to be used by people who understand them
 
macarthur said:
As a rider do you know what bridle best suits your horse? what bit? or no bit? are you influenced by the rules in the choice of tack? If we have to adhere to the rules what happens for example - when the horse has a tumour in the mouth and cannot be bitted ever again - Then shock horror! you cant compete in dressage or 3-day eventing anymore. Is this fair? Why cant Riders be the ones to choose what bridle best suits their horse - who am I to say what might suit your horse or you mine? so why do we go along with the status quo - why not change the rules in the UK to allow freedom of choice to lie with the rider - don't the equestrian federations trust us?! what do they FEAR? :-(
Click to expand...
How is this for a starter to the debate? http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://chn.ge/1iqBp0q&h=_AQF5ke1A
 
applecart14 said:
I went to the Kely Marks/Monty Roberts demo at Solihull for my horse with a loading issue and Bailey took part in the demo. To cut a long story short as a result of the demo I got a Dually halter and decided one day, out of the blue, (because I am a very curious person and like to try different things and experiment) I decided to ride Bailey in it.

Within half an hour the horse was doing walk to canter, canter to walk transitions, leg yielding, a sort of shoulder in - lol, flying changes, walk, trot and canter and rein back without a second thought. I felt I had more control of my horse than I'd ever had and he felt lovely and soft and relaxed.

So sometimes bits aren't all they are cracked up to be. I did think that I would like to try jumping in the dually, but felt that this might be a bridge too far.

When I told Kelly Marks what I had done she seemed quite suprised and said she wouldn't have recommended riding in the dually as she had obvioiusly met Bailey in the flesh and could see what a huge strong lad he was. But I really trusted him that day, more than I have ever trusted him I think.

As for bridles, a horse with a large head looks better in 3/4 inch cheek pieces than a half inch cheek pieced bridle. And rolled bridles are horrible!!

I remember on a previous yard when everyone wanted a continental three ring gag!
Click to expand...


I think rolled bridles look fantastic on Warmbloods -

[Content removed]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well, see, you are assuming that bit = cruel, hard, etc. and bitless = nice, kind, gentle, etc. whereas neither idea is correct - and ANY piece of equipment needs to be understood to be used fairly. Somebody was querying why standing martingales couldn't be attached to a bitless bridle's noseband, and the reply should alert all of you who think bitless is "nice". And quite possibly Kelly Marks' surprise at someone else riding in a dually is for the same reason: bitless works by pressure, sometimes a GREAT DEAL of pressure, and sometimes (inadvertently I'm sure)misused by riders who don't understand quite how they are achieving these lovely, miraculous results.
 
Because this one you didn't start with "bits are evil" as your undertone!

Lets go Bitless etc etc

This was a bridle aimed thread not a bit one!
 
couldnt disagree bad riding is bad riding!! - bad hands = bad hands... the bit or lack of it wont help! what we are asking for is choice for the horse - the rules will still stand - if you cant ride, ride badly, you wont get placed... nothing to fear for either camp! I am most certainly not saying bit cruel - bitless nice - but I can say some riders fall into both those camps and some buy horses that had cruel owners and cannot tolerate bits anymore... its for those we fight for. :-)
 
Well, can I suggest that you stop fighting and just get on with it? There are plenty of horses which are not capable of competing in dressage, gaited horses for instance, that just go and do something else.
 
"Riders know best what bridle suits their horse" a quick look on here at some of the many "what rug" threads for example would show that there are a huge number of "riders" (I assume you mean owners) who actually haven't got a clue.
 
Actually -horses know best what suits them.

Tried mine bitless - several times, with different bridles, and he hated them all. He knows what he likes, and that is a cavesson noseband, done up loosely, and a loose ring french link snaffle with a plate, not a lozenge. He also likes his double - shock horror...
 
^^^ This totally. Listen to the horse I guess. It's a two way thing.

I hate it when the mouth gets strapped shut or the stronger bit is used, just because the rider is not listening to the horse.

If Shy preferred a waterford bit to anything else, then fine. It's up to him how he communicates with me.
 
Last edited:
Auslander said:
Actually -horses know best what suits them.

Tried mine bitless - several times, with different bridles, and he hated them all. He knows what he likes, and that is a cavesson noseband, done up loosely, and a loose ring french link snaffle with a plate, not a lozenge. He also likes his double - shock horror...
Click to expand...

This ^^^^
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top