something different-bitless dressage!

[Hallo2012]

I have hacked/jumped the midget bitless for over a year now-it gives that very delicate pink side of his face a rest as everything rubs it, and he settles better as he feels able to take a bit more of a pull instead of curling up so deep he ends up galloping headless (disconcerting on a 13hh....) so when our local college started to offer an "any tack incl bitless" section i jumped at the chance to see if my control was as good as i think it is..................

E45 entered without reading the test...................turns out to be quite a fiddly one!

Raf was absolutely on the red line in the warm up, potentially thinking "serious circling area but wearing my do as you please anything goes bridle......lets not hedge my bets I will do as I please"!!!! However he did settle as soon as he went in to the test arena.................having no bit really makes you use your seat to prepare each movement and highlights the advantage of a give & retake to relax the neck rather than having a crafty fiddle down the rein (a positive lesson to learn definitely).

Aside from one scruffy halt and a slightly scrappy walk to canter, he did a really sweet and flowing test, very pleased with 75.17% and the highest score of the whole day (bitted and bittless)

He had a semen collection yesterday, hacking in the dark tomorrow and then BD on sunday...and hopefully another bitless elem in sept!

I keep pestering BD for a bitless section but dont hold out much hope of it changing soon

 

[SEL]

Inspiring! I have no choice but to ride the 13h microcob bitless and it is really challenging me as she gets onto her forehand - didn't bitted

Fabulous to get the best score of the day and he is looking as gorgeous as ever!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Well done he looks lovely ?

 

[ycbm]

Excellent! Congratulations on that score. I hope you succeed in getting bitless sections in BD. If Reaseheath? have proved it can go well, why shouldn't there be?
.

 

[planete]

Love it! Well done.

 

[DabDab]

Oh brilliant, I didn't realise they were trialling this. Well done, that's a brilliant score and he looks great in the pic.

What are the rules then? Sidepull only?

 

[Hallo2012]

Excellent! Congratulations on that score. I hope you succeed in getting bitless sections in BD. If Reaseheath? have proved it can go well, why shouldn't there be?
.

yes Reaseheath and Foxes have started to do a few too on unaff days.
I’ll keep pushing BD!

 

[Hallo2012]

Oh brilliant, I didn't realise they were trialling this. Well done, that's a brilliant score and he looks great in the pic.

What are the rules then? Sidepull only?

no rules as unaff and it’s an any ta k section so eg the SJ can use a martingale if they want and the little showing tots can use their Wilkie.

I’d guess to have ANY chance of BD allowing it they would have to allow a selection of fairly standard bitless options and give a max shank length and eg allow only leather back straps not chains. Mines just a rope noseband no side pull and my friend uses a fairly short shank English hackamore or a rope head collar but I think it would have to be English style bridles so with a Browband and secure throatlash ?

I can see it’s a big re write of the rule book but it’s 2021.... well overdue IMO!