Bitless (help!)

[MelanieD]

I've decided to ride bitless, though I don't really have much choice as madam has teeth coming through and a wolf tooth so it's bitless, no riding or making her mouth hurt for the next couple of months.

I know a lot of people on here ride bitless so help please!!

My horse has a tendancy to be a little 'forward going', is a bit opinionated and has the strength to make her opinions known. However, with bits I've found that using a stronger bit just makes her fight harder when she does decide that she has an opinion so putting her straight in the strongest hackamore I can find is not going to be the solution. I have ridden her in a headcollar once and did have okay steering but no brakes, but then we were headed for paddy central for other reasons that time.

She's had just about no schooling, she understands legs = speed up, beyond that it's all a bit iffy but she does catch on quick and is learning clever stuff like moving away from pressure and weight aids, she's even managed to stop from my seat once when in a really good mood, but not getting any of this anywhere near consistently yet.

Any suggestions which type of bitless would be good for her? I like the scrawbrig (or however you spell it) from Libby's, but mostly because it comes in silly colours so if something else works well I'd be easily convinced to try that instead :)

I've got a rope halter, is the steering okay in that with reins attached to the loop at the bottom (where a lead rope would go)?

Is it okay to use a running martingale with any kind of bitless bridle or rope halter? Her chosen technique for buggering off back to her boyfriend if head up and go, and I'd rather not risk her doing that until we're both used to being bitless.

[Showjumper]

You have lots of choices open to you.

We'll start with the rope halter (http://www.freewebs.com/bristolropehalters) because you already have one. I ride in one. In fact, I'm backing my pony in one. She likes it, and understands it. I have attached rope reins to the knot under the chin. She can get strong in it, but it doesn't take much to control her in it.

You could try a No Bit Bridle (www.nobitbridle.co.uk) which has straps that cross over under the chin. It is stronger and easier to use than a rope halter, as the straps push the head in the direction you want to go, rather than pulling. When you apply both reins, the straps wrap the head and exert a "submit" response in the horse. Yann uses one on his mare, and HairyCob uses one on Pageant...

Very similar to the No Bit Bridle is a Spirit Bridle (http://www.biothanetack.com/bitlessbridle.htm)

The Earth-Horse Bridle (http://www.earthhorseusa.com/photo.html) is a stunning example of a sidepull...I love these - so simple, but so gorgeous!

Or you could go for the Libby's scrawbrig. Not so much steering, but the stop is impossible to misunderstand.

[Yann]

As SJ says I use one with mine, the no bit type. The steering is very good and brakes aren't too bad, but whether you'd hold a very determined horse in one is another matter, but that's obviously not the road you're looking to go down.

It does give some poll pressure though which might help with the giraffing, my horse will soften in it if she's in the mood, and you could use it with a martingale (though it seems a funny combination!).

My horse occasionally gets excitable and though it's hard work I can hold her in it, but if I know I'm going for a blast in company then I tend to stick a bit in. That said for most of our hacking we're normally bitless, and I've had a few funny looks off people as a result:D

I'd give it a try if I were you, it's probably a better bet than a scawbrigg as some people find the steering too vague with them.

[HairyCob]

As SJ says I have used one..... and intend to again, but having just moved yard, figured I needed the security of a bit for a while!

Having said that I hacked out quite happily in a nobit bridle at my old yard- all road work -steering good and brakes no worse than with a bit- ditto what Yann said, you won't stop a really determined horse in one, but then, would you in a bit? I certainly can't stop Pageant even with a dutch gag on the bottom ring if he is really determined!

I'd say give it a go, especially if you have somewhere 'safe' like an arena or field where you can both get used to it- Pageant didn't respond well at first- kept putting his head down, but he soon got used to it!

Good luck!

[Bel]

My Jack had teeth problems when i decided to change to a bitless..I ride in the no-bit crossunder style although mine is a rope one. He's so much better these days..he does still try in on and stuffs around now and then but not as often as he used to. He's much better to stop from a gallop then he was. Even with other horse galloping to catch up i can get him to stop. I have found that his voice comands help a fair bit too. All i can say is give it a go..I'm sure that with a little practice you'll find she works quite well if not better in one.

[MelanieD]

Thanks for all the advice!

I'm going to try her in the rope halter. I've been using it to lead her and found that I have a lot more control than with a bit. I took her out (leading not riding) with some other horses which were being exercised, and it confirmed that it's when someone rides and leads that she has a major paddy (thinking back I can't believe I didn't make the connection before). Even though she was a handful I did have some control in the halter so I'm hoping that with me on board and no ride and lead going on to wind her up I will have pretty good control in the halter.

I'm also planning on getting something that looks more like a bridle. I help out at a riding center and use my own horse to take hacks out sometimes and I'm guessing some customers would not be impressed with the lead horse being ridden in a bit of rope :rolleyes: :D And I'm starting to like the idea of going bitless for hacking so want to experiment a bit.

I've ordered a scawbrig for now, mostly because I could use my credit card so don't have to wait for a cheque to clear before I get the new toy :rolleyes: :) If she doesn't respond to that then I'll definitely be getting a no bit bridle, I might even get one anyway and see if she's even better in it! Not that I'm a shoppaholic :D

I've also scrounged an english hackamore to try.

The main improvement I've found with leading in a rope halter compared to leading in a bridle (the halter is quite a new toy, before it was headcollar or bridle for leading) is that once she does decide to be silly I can discuss things with her in the halter. In a bit she was getting worse if I decided to fight with her, one of many reasons the vet was called out to do her teeth.
I'm hoping it'll be as big a success for riding :)

[HairyCob]

Good luck with your bitless experimentation!:D

Just a word of advice tho...... don't want to teach you to suck eggs, so ignore this if you already know it, but be VERY careful with the hackamore- with a strong horse it is tempting to 'yank' them a bit if they take off, and I'm told that hackamore's *can* break the bones in the horses nose if used too harshly!

Not that I'm suggesting you have harsh hands, I haven't either but I didn't want to take the risk with Pageant that he would bolt and I would panic and put too much pressure on his nose!

[MelanieD]

I've never used a hackamore before so thanks for the warning. I have heard they can be really harsh so I'm only going to use it if the gentler bitless attempts fail. Although I don't have nasty hands I am a little bit worried about her spooking and taking off (she usually just does a little leap, but spooking is a great excuse for a canter when her knickers are in a knot :D), me getting left behind and yanking her.

Farrier is coming thursday, so I'll hopefully be posting about a good attempt at bitless riding then *cross everything* :). Madam seems to have caught on that she's going to have to do some work, so has timed yet another lost shoe perfectly :rolleyes: :)