Riding bitless = one very chilled out neddy!

cblover

cblover

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I have a traditional heavyweight cob who is very well behaved but forward going. Over the years I've ridden her from time to time in a bitless bridle and other times in a Neue Schule french link.

I noticed her holding her breath and taking large gulps of air when I was having a lesson with Omar Rabia with a bit in so decided to go bitless full time. The difference is outstanding. She's so calm, chilled and happy. I've have a few decent rides out, both solo and in company and I've felt the same connection with her as I did when she was bitted.

In fact, because she's so relaxed, it been even more enjoyable. I'm hoping we can remain bitless from now on. She's 13 and we've done loads together and she's now asking me for a quieter life so no more dressage and lessons for her. No problem with bits either if she's not doing dressage. I'm quite happy for her to be my hacking buddy from now on.

just thought I'd share my positive bitless stories for anyone thinking of giving it a go.
 
Yay! I'm glad bitless works for you and your horse :) what bridle do you use?

I ride my unpredictable ex racer in a sidepull and control is so much better than any bit! I'd ride any horse bitless, for a lot of difficult horses; removing the bit makes them much happier. Just wish people were more open minded.
 
I have a Dr. Cooks for my mare but I'm looking at having a Matrix bridle made to order to fit both her and another clyde x cob 3 yr old I own and will be starting soon.
 
Mine is so chilled bitless he is almost horizontal!
Down side is he lets his bottom lip go floppy and when we speed up, it flaps around, not a good look! :o
 
I am interested to hear people who ride bitless as I have considered it but am nervous as I am quite novice and feel that in an emergency I need the bit to help me stop which isn't a good thing and I am working on it. I find that my clydie x cob pulls the reins out of my hands a lot when hacking. At first I thought she was grabbing the bit so changed to a waterford but she still does it so I think she is just using her head/neck. She is always fiddling with the bit too. She has run off with me a few times so am terrified that if she did this when bitless I would not be able to stop her.....
 
Only one way to find out Tayto! Make sure you are somewhere enclosed and just take it very slowly.
You may find your horse is much easier to stop bitless, some horses with more sensitive mouths who find a bit uncomfotable will run from the pain, so it can be harder to stop them with a bit than without.
 
If it helps, tayto, I started my mare in a sidepull as she didn't like the bit at all when I kept introducing it. She's a very nervous little thing and I'm not much better these days, so I was worried, even though my other pony has better brakes in a sidepull. On the odd occasion I've come across a scary thing, the biggest being a tractor with a large bale grabber on the back, she was quite controllable. Although I pood my pants at the time, I was pleasantly surprised. I do think though that whatever you have on a horse's head, more control is gained through their trust in you than anything else. A truly terrified horse will pull with barbed wire in its mouth.
 
I think I will give it a go, I always feel terrible putting a bit in her mouth so I think I would feel happier if I could have her bitless. I have only had her 6 months so we are building the trust every day and I agree that her trust in me will also help is scary situations! There are so many bitless options - can anyone recommend a good one to start in?

I have ridden her bareback in her head collar, only in walk but managed to stop with very little pressure on her nose.... Maybe she will respond better to a bitless bridle.

Ps sorry for hijacking your post OP :-/
 
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Another bitless fan. Had a TB ex-showjumper, who had performed to high levels but as I saw from photos, always with the kitchen sink in her mouth. I had bought her for LDR and she was constantly on the jog, fighting whatever bit was in and flinging her head about. Changed to a hackamore and she was a different girl. I never rode her in a bit again. And Tayto, I'm not brave these days either, so it was a leap of faith - but oh boy did it work!!
 
I ride Mollie bitless as she's a head shaker and I discovered wearing a brow band upsets her. A normal bridle slips down the neck without a brow band, but a Dr Cook style (cheap ebay copy :redface3:) doesn't. No head shaking now. :)
 
Tayto said:
I think I will give it a go, I always feel terrible putting a bit in her mouth so I think I would feel happier if I could have her bitless. I have only had her 6 months so we are building the trust every day and I agree that her trust in me will also help is scary situations! There are so many bitless options - can anyone recommend a good one to start in?

I have ridden her bareback in her head collar, only in walk but managed to stop with very little pressure on her nose.... Maybe she will respond better to a bitless bridle.

Ps sorry for hijacking your post OP :-/
Click to expand...

Tayto, it is remarkably easy to teach a horse to stop off a neck strap. Try doing this *before* you try the bitless - if you can consistently stop your horse from the neck strap, it will make you feel safer when trying the bitless (and lots of horses, mine included, hate having the rider hanging on to their head when worried, bitted or bitless - yet they can still listen to the neck strap without getting over wound up).

Have a look at a few bitless options: There's crossunders like Dr Cook - some horses like them, some hate them. There are ones with slight poll pressure as well as nose pressure, like the Orbitless (my horse like this). There are "almost" hackamores, like the Flower Hackamore. There are English Hackamores. There are bridles like the Lightrider and the scawbrig that have slight curb pressure. The Micklem (which is what I'm using at the moment) can be used as a sidepull, a scawbrig or a Dr. Cook.
 
Another bitless fan here.

It's not the answer for EVERY horse but works perfectly for some.

Sadly many people get emotionally attached to the idea that a bit will provide more control.
But what they are missing is that working in co-operation with the horse is so much more fun (and safer) than exerting 'control'.

Without co-operation, no amount of hardware would stop a horse.

I have ridden bitless and bitted with my Tank - and he is much more relaxed, happier and safer bitless.

My Arab (who hated poll pressure of any kind) would never have been happy bitless but he was happy in a bit. So horses for courses :)
 
I ride bitless in a Parelli natural hackamore (well, I'm actually riding in a halter with my 12 foot line tied as reins - my natural hackamore is on order :D)

This is the first time Pete's been soft, light and more importantly willing & therefore safe.

We taught Pete to stop by laterally flexing & although after a long' long journey full of troubles, we are slowly getting there & showing no signs of looking back!

I'm hoping he will accept a bit in time, as I'd like to do some dressage in the (distant!) future & I think it keeps some options open, but at the minute we are both having a blast bitless :)
 
Another bitless fan here. I spent ages fighting with my arab who was in a snaffle and then we went bitless and I had a totally different horse.

I think a lot of people have this idea that you need a bit to stop a horse but at the end of the day if your horse is going to go then its goin to go and its probably going to go more because you are dragging heavily on the parts of the mouth which are most sensitive. Its all about relearning that a bit doesn't stop a horse. I would learn the one rein stop JUST INCASE you need it and then focus on building relationship on the ground along with some bitless riding as you go. You will soon forget all about bits and it will totally normal. Start with something soft like a sidepull and see what happens:)
 
Just to add, its really easy to ask your horse to stop with a cordeo or and your seat too which is something I try to do so im not messing with the nerves in the face. Since learning to ride bitless and cordeo, I feel like my riding has gone to a new level. I was taught to ride in a riding school and I really don't remember ever being taught to ride with my seat despite riding in several diff schools. I do however, remember being told 'kick with the legs, pull with the reins etc etc. My girl didn't take long to learn the queues for stopping with my seat an cordeo and its a far easier and kinder way to do it in my humble opinion:)
 
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