Your experiences of going bitless

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HaffiesRock

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So I have a Haflinger gelding. Always been a dream to hack but an absolute nightmare to school. In the school he just takes hold of the bit and ******s off with you. Tried schooling him in a snaffle, gag, waterford snaffle and still the same.

He had a wolf tooth, so I had that removed to see if it made a difference. First session he was lovely, much calmer and not pulling so much at all. Then went out for a hack and he was a nightmare whic he never is hacking. So strong, pulling my arms out of the sockets, constantly breaking into canter and generally being a pain. So back to the school and some lessons but he just isn't softening. I am doing my best with my instructors help to stay out of his mouth, but when he pulls and pulls its hard not too and riding him is getting very frustrating.

So I am considering trying him bitless (alongside my weekly lessons and with my instructors support). My last Haffy was very strong, but in a rope halter hackamore he was a dream!

So my questions are, who has gone bitless? What was your horse like before and after? What type of bridle do you use? How do you make the transition? Do you always ride bitless or do you use a bit for some things?

**I will further add that the tooth was removed 4 weeks ago, he was vaccinated at the same time so I had the vet check him and the saddle fitter and back man were all out the same week, so it is not a pain issue**

Thank all, banoffee pie for getting this far x
 
Bud was very happy in his cherry roller, until he bit his tongue. Thought I would just give him the time off but he was in his summer field next to the school and was getting really stressed when other people were riding. So I got a cheap Dr cook type bridle off eBay, put it on, tried left and right flexion from the ground and rein back. Got that so I hopped on and hoped for the best. He was lovely in it. Changed back to my cherry roller when tongue had gone down after 4 months as he was a pain in the bum to jump in it. He was acting like a pocket rocket pony in it with jumps, even with grids. And hacking I didn't feel completely comfortable for some reason. Ride with bit now, just until I get the guts up to try it again...
 
With bitless, I think you have to discover what your horse goes for. Some respond better to poll pressure, others more to nose pressure. Bitless bridles don't all exert the same pressure on all areas.

I rode mine in a Dually and a fake Dr Cook for a while, he was the same as in a standard bit/bridle. I don't think you're insured without a bit on the road, though.
 
I rode my old horse for 15 yrs in a hackamore and it was great. Tried a snaffle and had no control. Before I bought her, she used to do endurance in a hackamore with no problem.
 
I ride bitless a lot, in a rope halter mainly. I did make sure that the lateral flexion and backup were good, and trained for that. Check your insurance, some companies you are insured, some won't commit. You can get public liability specific to riding bitless from the Good Horsemanship Society, it costs a little bit more than normal (about £20 per year more).
 
I tried a fake one a few years ago when a kind member on here gave it to me to try :) I can't really remember but I do remember having less control, I could feel that my horse could **** off with me if he wanted to and I wouldn't be able to stop him at all.. He's also an ex racer so didn't want to take too much of a chance..I went back to his waterford snaffle which I have always had him in and he has always been a star in :)
 
I ride bitless all the time. My horse was strong in a bit, snatching at the reins, head tossing, so a friend lent me a Dr cooks, put it on and straight out on a hack! He went lovely. I now have an Easytrek bitless bridle and we both love it. Vet recently confirmed that my horse has an exceptionally small mouth and any bit will cause discomfort so he will never be bitted again.

I think you will find your insurance states you have to use a bridle on the road, no mention of a bit.
 
webble said:
I tried it and had no control. Obvious question but have you had saddle and back checked? Could he be in any pain when asked to work?
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Weeble, please read the last bit of my post. He's had everything checked and is fine. Its a definite schooling issue, but thank you for the comment x

jeeve said:
found my horses really happy and responsive in a pnh halter as they were a bridle.
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That's what I would be trying. Used to ride my old Haffy in a pnh rope halter and he was a million times better than bitted.

Tinypony said:
I ride bitless a lot, in a rope halter mainly. I did make sure that the lateral flexion and backup were good, and trained for that. Check your insurance, some companies you are insured, some won't commit. You can get public liability specific to riding bitless from the Good Horsemanship Society, it costs a little bit more than normal (about £20 per year more).
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I use a rope halter anyway so already have the flexion/back up etc and he responds well to nose pressure. Checked with insurance and they say bridle, not specifically a bit. I wouldn't take him on the road in a halter anyway and probably wouldn't hack in it just school.

niagaraduval said:
I tried a fake one a few years ago when a kind member on here gave it to me to try :) I can't really remember but I do remember having less control, I could feel that my horse could **** off with me if he wanted to and I wouldn't be able to stop him at all.. He's also an ex racer so didn't want to take too much of a chance..I went back to his waterford snaffle which I have always had him in and he has always been a star in :)
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My pony will attempt to **** off with me anyway so nothing to worry about there :D

It's just a thought and something I might try along my route to working htis out.

Thanks all x
 
I evented my mare at pre novice in the Rambo micklem bridle, obviously had to wear a bit for the dressage but jumped her in the micklem and she was very happy. Also broke her in with a rope halter and did everything in that at the time I had no choice as she had a field accident and ripped half of her mouth out. Eventually we went back to a bit but it took nearly two years and sometimes I wish I had continued in the micklem, she also hunted in it and was fine.
 
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