Which bitless bridles?

I like my Dr Cook's bridle. It's gentle (compared to a hackamore) but still has enough leverage to be effective.
 
Oberon said:
I like my Dr Cook's bridle. It's gentle (compared to a hackamore) but still has enough leverage to be effective.
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^^^^^^same here

Mines wasnt leather but i get along so well with it im replacing all the part with Dr cooks. I love it for general hacking and show jumping but for xc and hunting i use my snaffle
 
I ride two of my horses in a dr cooks, im just starting a youngster hacking in a dr cooks he is going really well in it, so hopefully i will not have to bit him, Another horse i ride in a hackamore, he is very strong and i feel he doesnt respect the dr cooks, but goes better in the hackamore.
 
Hi! I tried a Dr Cook on my strong welsh cob as I couldnt find a bit he was happy in.
I had brakes in it but found the steering wasnt brilliant.
He has now been in a hackamore for a while and he loves it, I can stop, even when doing fast work and he is relaxed in it. He even works in an outline.
These can be quite severe in the wrong hands, so you need gentle hands when using this.
I dont have a contact unless I need to, so basically only use it so stop and steer him.
 
Thanks for the answers - Dr Cook's seems very popular! I have googled and it seems to be not much more than a head collar with cross-under straps for steering.

Is it more of a "hacking" bridle or can you get your horse to work into an outline and use his back?

I know a hackamore can be quite severe in the wrong hands, but it does sound as though a horse will lighten up with it more.

Any more suggestions?
 
Isn't working from the back and coming into an outline a seat thing rather than a bit thing? I can't do dressage for toffee, so what do I know?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex88onfPc_0&feature=related
 
The vet who designed the bridle has written several articles.
http://www.bitlessbridle.co.uk/articles/

There are types of bitless. No matter what 'brand' you use, they work on the following principles;

1) Hackamore (works on nose and poll leverage)
2) Bosal (works on nose pressure, need to be trained to disengage the hind to use them effectively)
3) Sidepull (works on nose pressure with added communication on steering)
4) Crossunder (works on nose and poll pressure and pushes on the cheek to indicate steering)
 
Oberon said:
Isn't working from the back and coming into an outline a seat thing rather than a bit thing? I can't do dressage for toffee, so what do I know?
lol.gif


Absolutely!

I suspect my horse is not happy with a bit (everything physical OK)
so I am looking into alternatives to encourage her to work over her back and be relaxed in her jaw. This is why I am trying to find the best alternative before I start spending my hard earned and limited cash!

Thankyou for the link to Dr Cook - it was very informative.

This horse was a "rescue" case, so no idea how she was treated/ridden in the past.
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I use a Dr Cooks on my mare. I tried all sorts of bits on her without much success. The first time I rode her in her headcollar, her entire outline changed - lowered head, working through her back and a pleasure to ride. I bought the Dr Cooks and we haven't looked back. The one thing I do find irritating with it, is, that unless the noseband is done up tight - I hate over-tightened nosebands - the cheek straps rise up -giving the appearance of hamster cheeks:o - bringing the noseband with it and thus not being in the correct place.
 
Tammytoo said:
Oberon said:
Isn't working from the back and coming into an outline a seat thing rather than a bit thing? I can't do dressage for toffee, so what do I know?
lol.gif


Absolutely!

I suspect my horse is not happy with a bit (everything physical OK)
so I am looking into alternatives to encourage her to work over her back and be relaxed in her jaw. This is why I am trying to find the best alternative before I start spending my hard earned and limited cash!

Thankyou for the link to Dr Cook - it was very informative.

This horse was a "rescue" case, so no idea how she was treated/ridden in the past.
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Well done for looking outside the box.

You can trial a Dr Cook's and see if it suits.
The good thing about them is the design is so popular, there are plenty of 'rip offs' much cheaper if you are strapped for cash (like all of us:))
Here's one that's not terrible
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BITLESS-E..._Equipment&hash=item2a15cf463d#ht_4502wt_1185

What I like about them is that you can use them on a previously bitted horse without doing much extra training and they pick it up quickly.

I am a terrible rider but I broke in my Tank in a Dr Cooks and he managed fine. He moved on seat and weight aids and was perfectly placid and happy....I then went bitted (on an instructor's demand) and he became strong, spooky and unhappy. Stupid me!
Here's a pic when he was 4 in his bridle. Notice it does sit lower than a cavesson - perhaps that pic shows it about half an inch too low.
indi4first.jpg
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I tried a Dr Cook on my Arab mare and she went bonkers , realy disliked it , god knows why , well i think she couldn't get to grips with the steering but you can have them on a trial period so i sent mine back no probs , i'd love to ride Paddy bitless but the experience with the Dr cook has put me off really..
 
Irishuamerryxmas said:
I tried a Dr Cook on my Arab mare and she went bonkers , realy disliked it , god knows why , well i think she couldn't get to grips with the steering but you can have them on a trial period so i sent mine back no probs , i'd love to ride Paddy bitless but the experience with the Dr cook has put me off really..
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Some horses really hate poll pressure.

I'd love to try my Arab but he freaks out sometimes when I take his headcollar off, if it snags on his poll. He hates poll pressure, hence he's staying in his good ole snaffle:)
 
Irishuamerryxmas said:
I tried a Dr Cook on my Arab mare and she went bonkers , realy disliked it , god knows why , well i think she couldn't get to grips with the steering but you can have them on a trial period so i sent mine back no probs , i'd love to ride Paddy bitless but the experience with the Dr cook has put me off really..
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Snap....same here on my Arab gelding. The only time I have ever known him buck with a rider on. Sent mine back too after getting a lecture about how mine was the "only " horse ever to not get on with it. He does go beautifully in a scawbrig though at home. Not sure I would have enough breaks elsewhere though.
 
I use a leather sidepull. Very sturdy, no steering problems and it sits in the same place as a cavesson. Brakes are no worse than with the snaffle, either.
 
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