Bitless bridles what do you use them for??

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Black Beastie

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As in title :biggrin:

What issues have you resolved with them?? Why did you try them?? What comps have you done with them on?? What has been the outcome of sustained use??

Feel pree to post pics and vids as looking for a COMPREHENSIVE view :)
 
I used one temporarily on my old pony.

He split his lip in the corner where the bit sat and it would heal but every time I put a bit back in his mouth it would split again.

I wanted to continue to ride so we went bitless for about 2 months. It served a purpose but I could only school in it. He was far too excitable to hack and it didn't give me enough brakes!!
 
I've used them on one horse and would never go back to bitted with her. Her Dr Cook's makes her so much calmer and more managable.

I've used the same model on another horse and he didn't care for it so he's back to a bitted bridle.

And my youngest horse was started in a Nurtural bridle. When she goes off to training she will also learn to work in a bitted bridle to complete her education and make it possible to show her in dressage.

Back to the horse that is best bitless. She has a history as a barrel racer and used to be quite volatile. She has a bony ridge across her nose that I was told was from a tie down or similar device. Whatever happend to her in the past must have been quite traumatic. I once tried to add a breastplate to her saddle just to make it more stable and she completely freaked out. When we bought her she was 12 years old and her papers showed 10 different owners in that time so no telling what her complete history was.
We had a hard time finding a bit that suited her but when we switched to the Dr Cook's bridle she calmed down considerably. In the end we were able to even ride her bareback on the trail. When we bought her her owner was too afraid to even get on her and before we made all the changes in her tack she caused my husband to break his ribs throwing him through a fence.

After that I had a period where I thought bitless bridles are the greatest and no horse should be in a bitted bridle. So of course I got my gelding one too!
And he just didn't care for it. He was much happier once we went back to his bitted bridle. He had been an ex racehorse TB and he kind of likes his routine including the kind of tack he is ridden in.

It will be interesting to see how Minnie respond to the bitted bridle. She actually despises having her head messed with in any way and I ride her (turns, etc.) mostly off of my thigh to avoid annoying her. As much as she object to being steered with the reins, she actually is extremely responsive to the seat/leg.
 
I have used the rope halter as a bridle, reins clipped under the chin. Check out my album for Jack. We did xc training with it, galloped on the beach. I used to hack out as had insurance for that. Basically did everything.
If i wanted to do any riding club things i would have needed to change it to a bitless bridle. At the time i didn't see the point so just left the club.

Youngster is being started with low ring side pull, again rope. She also has a bit for when we are hacking, i no longer have the insurance i did. I may look more into different bit less for her.

With both i ride with one rein with one rein stop. The body coming before this though.
 
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The Draft Mare I loan had some issues with being bitted which escalated when she went through a period of no consistancy for a couple of years, she is now ridden in an english Hackamore which I don't find any different to riding in a regular bit, I only hack though, I don't imagine it would be great for dressage!!

xx
 
I ride Ginger in a Dr Cooks. He doesn't have any issues being bitted so I'd never really thought about bitless until several years ago when we were waiting for the dentist to come and he seemed a bit uncomfortable in his bit. I decided he should probably not wear his bit again until the dentist had been, but didn't want to stop riding so just as an experiment I tried riding him in the arena in just a head collar. He was amazing! He is very responsive to seat and leg aids and doesn't need a lot of rein anyway, and he didn't go any differently in just a headcollar! I also tried him in a rope halter with the same result.

I borrowed a friend's Dr Cook bridle so I could try hacking out bitless and he was fantastic in it- very responsive and relaxed. My hubby bought me my own Dr Cooks for my birthday a few weeks later and we haven't looked back. We have done allsorts in it- hacked, schooled, jumped, ridden on the beach, had days out. I love it :smile:

I would say he goes as well bitless as he does bitted. If anything he can be slightly heavier in my hand bitless, but some half halts resolves that. I do still school him in a bit, mainly because of this, but also because I still want him to be used to a bit if I decide to start doing any dressage again. I haven't competed him in it as unfortunately it's not allowed for dressage.
We use the bitless more often than not though. He still goes well bitted, but I don't see the point in putting a bit of metal in his mouth if I don't need to.


Some pics of him in his Dr Cook bridle

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I think it suits some horses but not others.

Holly- is driven in a Dr Cooks. She came with it and works very well in it. There would be no reason to ever consider putting a bit in now (infact it is part of her loan agreement that she should never be bitted).

Rhia- I experimented with bitless for a while, I ended up with a Nurtural. She was good at first but after a while I realised I was fighting with her more and the little gestures I needed with a bit were turning into more forceful pulls at her head. I'm sure if I had kept looking, another bitless option would have worked. The problem with Rhia is she is very hard mouthed and opinionated- not always- but she is sometimes. She hated having her head restrained all the time with the Nurtural. She is back to a snaffle and loose nose band and is much happier. I do sometimes use it and she is really responsive in the odd ride but if it was used all the time I'm sure I would have the same problem. I do mainly ride with my seat with her too!

When Freja arrived I used the Nurtural with her as it was the only bridle I had that fitted. I don't think she really liked it either and is now in a bit and going much better. I might re-visit it in the future though.

When I start Albert I am going to teach him about bits but I bet he will be bitless. Rhia was broken by heavy handed men- as was Holly- I don't know about Freja. Albert is so gentle and untouched and you don't even have to touch him for a response at the moment so I imagine the lightest amount of pressure will be needed. He will work well in a rope halter. Haha I could be so wrong.
 
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I have retrained a mouth shy horse in a bitless, then reintroduced a bit once he was not evading and going hollow any more
 
Gilly you guys look awesome!

Just thought of one more thing to throw into the discussion: Black Beastie, remember there's a huge range of 'bitless' bridles as well and I believe some can have a stronger/harsher action than some bitted bridles. It's not always the case that bitless is gentler/milder/less strong, etc. Depending on design (leverage, etc.) some hackamores can be pretty severe for example.
 
I have an english hackamore and another friend is sending me a sidepull bridle to have a bash with. ;)
 
We use one on a RS horse that is so loose it is effectively a headcollar, he is used extensively for novice riders and has a very soft mouth so this is a good compromise.

We also use one from time to time on the TB's if they are cutting teeth etc, generally they work as well while schooling as they do in a bit.
 
I use a variety of bitless types. Shay was bridle shy when I got him and he now happy except a bridle, Ceryn was horribly head shy, but has only ever used a bitless.
Mostly I use them because I prefer them :)
I've done trec, endurance, fun rides, showing and showjumping in them.
 
when i brought moet back into work after her injury she was not keen on being bridled with a bit. So i decided to start off in a cross under bridle, then moved onto a Dr Cooks bitless bridle. It did wonders for us, i rode her everywhere in it for about 18 months and then 2 years ago i went back to a bit. We went back to a bit as i wanted to do local dressage and stuff, and i think that long break from the bit did wonders for her as she was absolutely fine to be bridled with a bit ever since :)
 
You can team chase in a bitless, in fact by the looks of it do almost anything, except dressage and showing.
I am looking into trying something different for young cob.
 
can someone help me please? - I frequently use the be nice pressure halter on my horse ans sometimes stubbornly still resists quite happily - other times just the headcollar being shown to her makes her behave - im probably about to try bitless as we are having issues - but i pull it to make come forward in the be nice whereas if i ride and pull to stop surely this will give conflciting messages?? or are horses smart enough to realise the difference between someone pulling them infornt? also - i use the be nice to back up - but i do walk into her at the same time - if i ride and pull i dont wanther to start going back although i know i would prob need to use my legs as well as i guess she wont see the relationship....anyone had any issues with bitless bridles after using pressure halters? or does this just make things easier as they know about pressure already???
 
Horses are so heavy. I don't pull them by their halters or bridles.
My horses lead very nicely. If one has trouble remembering how this leading works I take the lunge whip with me and give the cue to walk on. If the horse doesn't respond I gently reach around with my left hand and use the lunge whip tip to just lightly tap the horse on the rear to make the forward cue more obvious.
It also may make them think I am magic! since I can reach far behind even though I am standing right there beside them in front.
Did that a few times with my youngest horse when she didn't respond to forwards cues on the ground. I never hit her with the lunge whip. It's really just a cue and I use the lunge whip because it's long and I won't have to contort myself to gently tap in back.
For back cue while riding I say forward with the leg pressure but put a barrier up with my hands/reins (not pulling back really)
Different things work for different horses/people but this is how it works for us. :)
 
Ex-racer TB Roo was very fussy in his loose-ring french-link snaffle. He'd throw his head around and fidget constantly. In a Dr Cook he was relaxed, quiet and we had better brakes! Here's my friend Abby-the-tiny-teenager (think pea on a drum!) jumping him with no issues....

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Yeehaaaaa Domane I just love that picture !!!!


I rode my old TB mare in a Dr Cooks and the change in her was immense. I backed and started Coby bitless using a rope halter, i also have a nurtural bridle which he didn`t get on with (similar to the Dr Cooks in a cross under way) he doesn`t like the 'tightening' feeling they give, and that is understandable as the rope halter has never given that effect.

So made a bitless bridle to accomodate what he likes, and it works a treat.


Dixie isn`t bitless just yet, as she was broken to drive and understands the bit, so for now i`m leaving her with it.
 
Well I nealry got a black eye and have went back to testing different bits and mouthpieces!! She REALLY took offence to it :(
 
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