Unconventional tack question

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Tinypony

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What would your reaction be on meeting a rider out in slightly unusual tack? Would you assume that someone riding bitless couldn't possibly be in full control of their horse? I've had comments such as:

"I wouldn't even lead out without a bit, let alone ride".
"You're braver than me, I'm too old to take those sort of risks" (younger than me I have to add!).
"I wouldn't feel comfortable riding with you in case we had any problems".

Just wondered, maybe I'm so far away on my own planet I've lost the plot?
 
I ride my lad in his Halter (rope halter come side pull hackamore) I've had some comments similar to you when people have seen him jogging along looking rather crazy! despite this, i am always in total control of him. I actually rode him in my little XC field today (not jumping anything) in a bit and very much lacked any control at all!!
 
I get that all the time. People just assume that a bitted horse has more control, and a bitless one has no brakes. it always makes me laugh when people say silly things like this. But its not their fault really. sometimes people just dont have the chance to see different styles of riding, so i am normally happy to explain about my choice of tack. Sometimes they understand and believe you, others are just too far gone to ever realise where im coming from. Hopefully people will see the light, in that horses ridden without a bit are perfectly safe.
 
horses for courses and all that. I wouldn't do it myself but I'd happily ride out with you. I hate hacking alone and I don't see why you'd be in less control than plenty of people.

Rude horses are rude and unstoppable bitted or not and polite, well educated, horses tend to be polite bitted or not. Or that's how it seems to me!
 
I often ride out (and school) in a rope halter and get lots of those sorts of comments.
It's just ignorance as they don't realise the horse is trained to stop in the bit or halter.

I said to one person "Do you think if I put a bit in an unbroken animal's mouth and pulled it then it would stop? No? We TRAIN them to stop"

Sometimes falls on deaf ears but sometimes not.....!

(I also ride my horse in a bit too!)
 
I was riding a pony that I backed myself, and I've been taught how to train horses bitless (rope halter, bosal, then bridle in fact), so I know exactly what I'm doing and so does the pony. Your responses are heartening. :-)
 
In some countries and disciplines people don't think twice about riding bitless. It seems to me that some people have a very narrow knowledge base, if you see what I mean.
If an emergency I'm actually more comfortable riding in a rope halter than a bit. I cringe taking a firm 1-rein stop in a bit, although it's still quite a severe move, I'm more comfortable doing it (when absolutely necessary!) in a rope halter.
Bitless can require more finesse than a bit. Many don't realise how a well-fitted bosal works and how careful you need to be when using one.
 
jesstickle said:
Rude horses are rude and unstoppable bitted or not and polite, well educated, horses tend to be polite bitted or not. Or that's how it seems to me!
Click to expand...
Me too. :) Training aka education is the key imo.

I've no idea about bosals, will have to have a google.
 
When I was on holiday I rode a lovley exracer in a bitless bridle and she was fab came back perfectly even after a gallop along the beach, the lady later told me she was given her as a problem horse and as soon as they took the bit away she was brill. I didnt really notice a difference to be fair from when I have ridden with a bit. On another note I ride my boy to the field in his head collar and can stop fine, as someone else has said its all about training and I can stop my boy without any reins and often practice this several times at the end of a schooling session.
 
My pony was started by me bitless (rope halter) and seldom wears a bit. My Arab was very heavy on my hands and unresponsive in his mouth when I got him, so I retrained him to be ridden in a rope halter and rode everywhere like that for a year to give his mouth a chance to recover before reintroducing a simple bit. (Rockin S snaffle). My older horse seemed a bit thrown by the bitless experience, and as he works beautifully in a bit I never bothered to go bitless with him.
There is a whole different line of study to using the bosal. It's a rigid loop over the horse's nose, normally held with a single leather/rawhide strap. It is fitted by taking wraps of rope (the mecate) around the bottom of the bosal/nose piece. It should fit quite snugly just behind the jaw and not have too much movement, or it will rub. It is designed to always be used on a casual rein, taking up the slack out of one rein at a time when giving a cue. A bosal is such a sensitive tool to use that you don't even lead a horse by taking your mecate rein and walking forward. The bosal is for riding only.
There's a lot of interesting reading if you look for info on vaquero cowboys. Try googling The Eclectic Horseman to see what I'm playing with. I think it all relates surprisingly closely to classical equitation.
 
I wouldn't dream of commenting (even to myself) about someone else's choice of tack. If I even noticed I would just assume that they know their horse and what they can/cannot get away with. I come from an era where riding out in a headcollar and bareback were just a daily occurrence and I think people tend to think this is dangerous nowadays because you just don't see it done.
 
People inexplicably think they can judge you on hacks in my experience. I can remember some eejit we came across regularly on hacks who would make equally silly comments, as I often long reined or just led a youngster in hand. Then there was the old chap who told me that I shouldnt ride on the track in question because it ruined it for walkers. Apparently it being a bridlepath in an area with 10 footpaths to every bridleway didnt make any difference, because he didnt think the horses should ruin the bridleway for walkers. Strange man.
 
I've only had one comment from a stranger, and that was because she was having difficulty fitting her Dr Cooks to her horse. She asked me exactly how I had fitted it, where it should be for control and why her horse wasn't taking to it. I felt it was a good conversation and she took a while to feel my horse's head bones. Most people don't notice unless it's pointed out to them and I've not been out of control with it.

In fact, there are more comments when I ride bitted! It seems there's a rumour going about that she actually is unable to be ridden bitted, not true but she prefers to be bridled bitless for sure!
 
When I ride in the arena my boy is very responsive to the voice and legs. I keep thinking to try him in just his headcollar, haven't found the nerve yet. Reading this post has made me think I should definitely give it a go.

Jane
 
I have sympathy for you all. I know the looks I get from not having a noseband IMHO the most pointless bit of tack on my horse, can only imagine what you get for only having a noseband. :D
 
Its just ignorance on the other peoples part.
I don't personally ride bitless as it does not work for my mare. Her bit is like a comfort blanket, don't ask she is strange!!
But I would have no problem riding or riding out with a horse in a bitless bridle/hackamore. Why should I? If it works it works!
 
Nobody was being nasty in their comments, and I'm quite friendly so people do often have a bit of a chat when I'm out. I have just had a lot of comments in a relatively short space of time, and it made me think a bit. I don't have a moments doubt about being in control on foot or riding. I'll get off if one of mine gets really upset because I know I find it easier to help them through when I'm on foot. It's just the result of the experience I have and the training I've done. I was sort of taken aback to realise how many horse people assume that I can't possibly be in control without a bit, or as safe as I would be with one.
I prefer to ride in a rope halter or a simple snaffle. The weight of responsibility feels a bit heavy on me when I'm using a bosal. :-)
I like bitless riders to start young:
DanridingTeePee2.jpg
 
I have never ridden in a proper bitless bridle. I can see their merits and until I try one for myself I can't comment on any failures on their part. I am curious - can you get your horse to work forwards up into it's bridle in one? I'm only asking as a horse I used to ride in work had the most beautiful carraige and way of going in a snaffle with hardly a touch on the reins and I saw him at a show recently in a bitless bridle with his head as high and as far out as he could get it. It might just be the rider, she isn't what you would call a natural and so he decided to go how he wants to go.

I may try riding a couple of mine in halters later just to see the difference. All of mine are show ponies and go from the leg with next to no rein contact so I guess I should be ok ... if I come back in a plaster cast you lot are to blame! Lol!
 
EKW, horses can do anything bitless that they can in a bit. Some will disagree with me, but it's the truth. With my current motley gang of equines I'm not working in collection bitless yet, but my cob got to a lovely level of work in his rope halter, showing some real self-carriage and elevation.
I guess that the route for getting there might be a bit different. I don't know, I used a lot of lateral work, rein backs, transitions, and generally never, ever tolerated any leaning on my hands. I think that my idea of a contact is rather different to that of most riders I know. I want just the weight of the rein in my hands, not a conventional contact at all.
I'm not keen on some of the bitless bridles, I don't like Dr Cooks for example because I don't like the closing action on the head, and I don't think they release well. They seem to be a good option for people who want to ride in a more conventional way but without a bit. For me it's a simple as possible, so bitless tends to mean a rope halter. The bosal can help the horse with head carriage in quite a subtle way though. It's the way they are balanced, and the little bit of weight under the chin.
 
What do you think of the micklem, tinypony? Im quite fancying that myself. I agree I think the dr cook has a horrible action. Have ridden in rope halters, but I guess my style is a bit more similar to traditional and I dont yet have the knowledge to get them onto their hocks without a contact of some sort (appreciate that may well sound backwards!) so find riding in a dually a good compromise.
 
I've seen several horses go far better in a HAckamore/sidepull bridle and are far happier than when in a conventional bridle.

My friend hunts her mare in a side pull as she has far better control than in a bitted bridle.

Enjoy your horse in whatever bridle you feel she is happier in.
 
To be fair, I am an ignoramus. I had never paid any attention to bitless bridles til I got my share horse Fred, and he is ridden in a hackamore. My instructor came and when she saw it, she said (shouted slightly) what on earth are you doing riding him in that?? I said what?? She said it's a really harsh bridle and that horse does not need it!! I didn't have a clue about them but she said they're harsher because it works on the poll. Now I don't know if that's true or not but I would imagine any tack used incorrectly would be harsh. Luckily I have light hands and a good seat, but I am no expert...
 
I've galloped racehorses in a hackamore and that was an experience and a half! The horses in question usually pulled your arms out and ended up with really sore mouths hence the hacakmores. I had less control all over in them but to be fair the horses weren't schooled to them and we were bascially going in straight lines. I always had a safe horse in front of me to use as a brake if mine failed in the hackamore and my safe horse was also my bumper car to make sure I managed to turn around to head back up the gallops.

Having read this thread I might go and get myself a bitless bridle to try out. I would never use it in the show ring as it just isn't proper but I see no harm in giving their mouths a rest hacking and playing about.
 
We ride on holiday in France and the horse I ride is bitless. As a nervous novice I was advised to be light with him as it is more severe than a bitted bridle. Actually, I got on very well and, although the horse was quite strong, I felt in control and he seemed happy.
 
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