Which Bitless bridle for a TB ex-racer and experiences please.

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EMC

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Fred is settling in nicely to his new home, we have ridden both in the indoor and outdoor school's very nicely and have been doing some groundwork and generally playing/bonding again. For those who aren't familiar he is a race horse, I rode him in training and have since bought him. After a month at grass he has come home to me.

My long term aim is to have him barefoot and bitless, obviously this depends entirely on his comfort. With regards to barefoot he currently has his hind shoes removed and his new farrier is happy with the strength of his feet. The fronts will take a little longer.

With regards to bitless I am leaning towards a Hackamore having read information stating they may provide more 'brakes' if necessary as in training he was very strong on the flat (although this could well be him pulling through the pain of being held on a short rein.) I would rather make the change now at the start of his retraining than halfway through.

What other bitless bridles are availible? Does anybody have any experience of having an ex racer bitless? How was the transition period for you?
 
Hi I am barefoot and bitless.
IDx, 5 TB ex racers. All bare foot and bitless, but EP trimmed not farrier.
I use a Dr Cooke bitless, all fine, although I think they r more effective if u can school in them too as most people find u need to use ur seat a lot more ( I did at first but then realised I was actually riding correctly now and not steering with my hands any more!!)
1 TB (17 yr old), was ok, but didn't school him as was happy hacker. I would say he was no different to with a bit. More recent one is again ok, but works in more of out line in a bit (6 yr old off track), but chomps on it and not been schooled in bitless yet. 2 others rode like they had been in it all their lives (calmer than normal if anything). Last one, only arrived a week ago and has been turned away for 10 months so will let u know how we get on, but walked her out in hand in it today no probs!!
 
I had my old TB in a Dr Cooks' bitless. He was fantastic in it. I galloped him across fields and also on the gallops in it - never had a problem with brakes any more than I did with a bit! He took to it straight away too. As Waltzing Matilda said - you need to use your seat a lot more.
 
Thankyou all for your replies...really good to hear of the horses going well bitless.

Our local tack shop hires out a Micklem bridle for £10 a week so I think I may try the bitless version on this, i think it is supposed to run along the same lines as a Dr Cook. If he goes well in that then judging by your responses we might not need to go for a hackamore.
 
Some years ago I bought a TB mare who had showjumped to junior international standard but had been retired as her front legs were not up to it any more. She had been jumped with the entire kitchen sink in her mouth! I bought her to see if her legs were up to LDR.

I am deeply not into schooling, but I found her an irritating ride as she flung her head around the whole time, mouthed the bit in irritation, and her brakes were suspect. Having to my mortification bruised her mouth while doing a Long Distance Ride, I vowed I would never ride her in a bit again. The bruising happened during the Red Dragon Ride at Builth Wells, and with loads of shops on site I had a hackamore (incidentally the most beautiful bridle I've ever owned) custom made for her by Plas Equestrian.

It was a turning point. I was lucky that my constant riding companion had always ridden in hackamores, so she taught me how to change my style. It took Rose about four hacks to get the message, and from then on we never looked back. The head tossing and mouthing stopped, and she rode rather more like a cow pony - long necked, prick-eared, looking about her but listening to me. And I never had any trouble stopping her.

I would recommend a hackamore highly. My friend also used a Scawbrig, which she liked a lot. You do need advice from someone who rides in a bitless - and not all instructors can do this. and you do need to have very light hands. A hackamore in particular is all 'take and give', with much more of the give. See if someone will lend you a bitless of whatever sort you think your horse might like before you splash out. I think you will be well pleased. Good luck.
 
Micklem has 3 bitless options, the one they class as severe is the same principle as the Dr Cook. For that reason alone, I went for the micklem. I was in a hackamore but swapped as I now have to use it longer term and wanted something more comfortable.
Horse goes well in both. I use the mid setting for bitless and haven't had to move up to severe.
 
I think It would b good for me to see the micklem bridle on a horse up close and personal as I am not convinced by its action... With a bit attached it appears that it would rest on tge nerve areas it claims to avoid, and the 'less sever setting' seems to just work under jaw/on nose, whereas the more sever setting, spreads the pressure over face more evenly (like the Dr Cooke), and offers better steering as pushed face round rather than pull from side if nose? I'm confused.......?? :-s
 
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