Do bits hurt horses? Here’s what Cheryl has to say about it:
“I usually don’t write on forums like this, but you asked for experiences with bits and bitless riding. This may be a long story, but pertinent.
I have had horses ever since I was a little girl, and drawing and painting horses became my passion from the time I could hold a pencil. Of course, I grew up only knowing that a horse had to have a bridle on and a bit its mouth in order to be ridden, although there was one time, when I took my Shetland pony back to the pasture after riding her, and after I took off her halter, instead of racing away like usual when she realized she was free, she just stood there. So, I climbed on her saddle-less back and suddenly she started trotting down the hill faster and faster, and poor little me ended up on the ground very quickly. That was my first experience with “bareback and bridleless riding”.
Do bits hurt horses?
Over the years I have had a variety of horses and up until the last ten or twelve years, had always used a bridle or mechanical hackamore. As a teenager, horses couldn’t go fast enough for me, and the faster they went, the better. I loved racing our QH gelding as fast as he would go – and of course, he always went fastest on his way back home. (As an adult, I learned that it’s not wise to allow a horse to race back to the barn, or back home, and I learned to have them walk quietly.)
At different times during my twenty-something years, I had an Appaloosa that a friend and I had trained together, and a QH filly that we brought to a professional trainer. I had a runaway experience with each of these horses, both on the way back home, both with bits in their mouths and saddles on their backs and no matter what I did, I could not stop or turn them with that bit and bridle. In fact, in trying to turn the Appaloosa to get him to go in a circle and slow down, (this is what I had read one was supposed to do to slow down and stop a runaway), his head and neck turned, but his body kept going forward and he ended up doing a somersault and rolling over the top of me. He got up and continued his race to the barn. (Fortunately, I wasn’t seriously hurt, and got up and walked back to the barn and put the horse back in the pasture.) The QH filly runaway incident came after the Appaloosa, and I figured out there was nothing I could do to stop her, so I just hung on as she raced all the way back home.
I continued to learn and study how to train my own horses, and later had some really wonderful horses (still using the bit and bridle).
Do bits hurt horses?
Several years later, I answered an ad for some horse tack for sale. The lady selling it lived not too far down the road from us, and I asked her why she was selling all of her tack. She explained that one day while she was riding, her horse suddenly reared (seeming to be in great pain), and she was thrown against the fence in the riding arena. She believed that the bit got caught behind a wolf tooth in her horse’s mouth, and caused him so much pain, that he reared up trying to get away from the pain. (He had never behaved like that before, and she had taken the horse to the vet after the incident.) After that, I began reading about and comparing bits and bitless bridles. I actually ordered a bitless bridle for a QH mare that I had at the time. It took some getting used to for both her and I, but she seemed comfortable and controllable. (This was a horse that we allowed people to ride in a bit and bridle and western saddle when we had a picnic at our house one day. It seemed like everyone thought they knew exactly how to ride, and I foolishly allowed several people to take turns riding poor “Dolly”, cringing as they pulled her this way and then that way with the bit. I didn’t allow any of them to ride her again, unless I was leading her and their hands were off the reins.)
Other horses that we acquired included an Appendix QH gelding, who had raced as a two-year-old. When we first got him, we rode him with a snaffle bit, but after reading more about bitless riding, we put either a web hackamore or a rope hackamore on him, and he did fine. We mainly rode the horses around the farm at that time.
Do bits hurt horses?
A few years later, we acquired two, two-year-old Arabian fillies. My fourteen-year-old daughter and I had been studying Parelli Horsemanship, and we began doing all the groundwork for that. A month later, a new found horse trainer friend of ours (who had been training horses using bits and bridles for thirty years) made a deal with us to help us train our Arab fillies using no bridles. He was impressed with the groundwork that we had already done on the fillies, and they were not spooky at all. We had gotten them accustomed to waving things around, jumping all around them, and playing ground games with them. The trainer helped us progress slowly with the fillies in their riding lessons, but one turned out to be a bit cold-backed, and would hump up like she wanted to buck whenever the saddle was put on. The other filly never offered to buck at all. We put nine rides on the fillies the summer after they turned two years old, without any bit or bridle. We rode them with the trainer on rides across his farm, and at a nearby state park. We only rode them with a rope halter and lead rope. We always rode them on a loose rein and they turned to the right or left with just a touch of a pinkie finger on the rein. They slow down or stop when the lead rope reins are lifted, and they back up on command. These two fillies are now eleven years old and neither one have ever had a bit in their mouth. They have been on trail rides all over our state, as well as other states. They are very sensitive and curious and alert, but they aren’t “spooky”. They are well trained. I know my horse, and she knows me.
Do bits hurt horses?
I was almost going to say I would never put anyone else on my horse with just a rope halter (for safety reasons – mainly because most people are used to a bit – and wouldn’t feel safe riding with just a rope halter), but I also wouldn’t let anyone put a bit in her mouth either. However, last year, I did allow my best friend, her daughter, and granddaughters, for her birthday, to come and ride the horses around in the yard (with helmets on), and with me very nearby. They only rode in a confined, fenced-in area, and the horses and riders all did great even though a couple of the riders started out a little nervous. By the time we were ready to quit, no one wanted to get off the horses.
Within the last couple of years, we purchased a draft horse mare who had supposedly been broke to ride and drive.
Do bits hurt horses?
Since I’m feeling like I’m getting too old to be dumped on the ground, especially by such a large horse, after bringing her home, I talked to an Amish horse trainer, thinking she would just need a couple weeks of “review”, to get her back to riding and driving. (The people we purchased her from had never ridden her, and actually seemed a little afraid to ride her –although they didn’t come right out and say that. They had only had her for six months and said that they were “downsizing”, and the lady they had gotten her from had used her as a brood mare. However, they also claimed that someone else had come to ride her, and she did fine.)
Do bits hurt horses?
After being at the Amish trainer for just two days (who trains the traditional Amish way with bits and all), the man called me (on a borrowed phone) to tell me this was the worst mare he had ever had come to him for training. He claimed she was balky and refused to go, and when he had his son try to ride her, she just turned in circles, and then tried to scrape him off on the side of the barn. Well, of course, I was extremely disappointed and upset that the people I had gotten her from said that she was broke to ride and drive. The Amish man told me about some draft horse auctions that I could take her to, but that I wouldn’t be able to advertise that she was broke. I was really disappointed that I might have to sell her, because I had grown quite fond of her. However, I got to thinking about her teeth, and took her to the vet to have her teeth floated. She did have some sharp points and some rotted teeth. I thought that could have been painful to have a bit in her mouth for that reason. Her mouth was hurting her. After waiting several weeks for her mouth to heal up, and in the meantime, doing lots of groundwork with her myself, I started looking for a trainer who would agree train her to ride without a bit. After contacting over a dozen trainers, I finally found only two who would agree to do this. One just happened to be an Amish trainer who lived near a friend of mine.
Do bits hurt horses?
After just a couple weeks at the trainer, “Trixie” was “almost perfect”, according to the young, Amish horseman. He did all of the training in just a rope halter and leather reins that he clipped to a ring in the rope halter. He kept her a full month, and I rode her the day I came to pick her up. She is magnificent. Now, after bringing her home, she has become my husband’s horse. He had only been on a horse once before he met me, but he bravely climbed up on the picnic table so he could get on Trixie. (Even with a saddle , and my husband being six feet tall, he couldn’t’ get his foot up high enough to reach the stirrup, and even if he could, he probably would have pulled the saddle over.) Trixie goes down the road like a pro with my novice horseman husband with just a rope halter and reins. She is quite sensitive, and tries to please, but sometimes she thinks she would rather go a different way, but it doesn’t take much to convince her. She’s a great girl and I’m glad we didn’t give up on her. As long as she is with us, she will never have to have another bit in her mouth.
Do bits hurt horses?
I would never claim that bitless is the only way to ride. I would never claim that using a bit and bridle is the only way to ride either. Each horse is different and each rider is different. If you know your horse, and your horse knows you and you can encourage your horse to do what you need her to do without yanking on her mouth, and she responds well to the bit, and her mouth isn’t sore, then perhaps the bit is what you will want to use. However, we have found that getting to know our horses and establishing a trusting relationship with them and only using a rope halter, and keeping them sensitive to the slightest pressure from the rope and halter, is the best way for us and our horses. We love them all. We recently had a three-year-old Arabian gelding trained by the same Amish trainer that agreed to use only a halter with Trixie. “Beau” is now our third Arabian who has never had a bit in his mouth.
Do bits hurt horses?
I thank God for keeping me safe during all the spills and all those years when I didn’t wear a helmet. I thank God that He has created the horses I’ve had to be very forgiving. I also thank God that He has shown us that we can actually have a relationship with our horses built on trust and leadership principles. I thank God for what He has taught me over the years about horses, about myself, and about Him and His creation. May we never stop learning, and never become too arrogant to think that we have “arrived”. We are all on a journey. Let’s just try to make each new day better than the day before.
Happy riding everyone.
Cheryl”
A big thanks to Cheryl for sharing her thoughts on ‘do bits hurt horses?’
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Thank you so much for a wonderful story.I share your love of horses,thou I don’t go bit less,I have very light hands,and ride more with my seat.Some day I’ll try working the bit less way. Annie
Hi there
I thank you for these lovely thoughts. I have horses who I will not sell on for the same reasons. 😆
🙂 Thank you for sharing this beautiful’testimony’which has inspired me tremendously. I am on the bit less journey also and am greatly encouraged by learning from others who share their knowledge and experiences. Lovely to read.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences Cheryl. It iwas a really inspirational read, and very familiar, especially the ‘rushing home’! My first loan horse would turn his head enough to touch my boot when bolting – very scary!!
I am experimenting with riding our horses bitless, long reining them first out and about so I can judge their reactions and sticky points. I am beginning to learn that rather than control I really need to develop trust and understanding and the ability to have them listen to their rider at times of excitement and stress. When this is in place Bitless riding is a breeze and the horses really respond well to the trust I place in them 🙂
My OTTB was deemed too crazy to try to retrain by a “professional rider”. He was basically abandoned in a pasture to survive on crappy cow hay with several other “crazy” OTTBs. He has been the best horse I have ever ridden. I have taken him to Ala., Texas and several other states to compete in trail rides. He has never bucked or run away with me. At first, he was a bundle of nerves and it took a lot of patience. He would shake his head and showed dislike for every bit I tried. His teeth were fine. I now ride him bitless and he loves it. He is so much more relaxed and obviously enjoys the ride. I can run him full speed across a pasture and he comes right back down to a walk with minimum effort. I am 66 yoa. Never too old to learn. Bitless has been fantastic for us.
Thank you for writing such inspirational stuff.
I understand it fully, though I never owned a horse of my own I’m learning so much from this forum.
Sad greetings
I really injoyed this article. I just bought my first horse in fifty years. She is a five year old Moarb.I got her in May of this year. We are still learning to trust one another. But getting better all the time. She rides good and listen well..She still needs more desensitizing. ( horse spray and water). She came with a mechanical hackamore. She will also accept a eggbut snaffle, but I ride with very light hands, the hackamore that came with her. I think after more ground work she could also go with halter and rope. (but after more sacking out) lol
I am novice rider, and I am VERY bad with my hands. I am unbalanced, and consequently, if I think I am going to fall, my hands automatically go up in the air. Actually, at my age, I have no business being on a horse—my very green formerly wild mustang especially. But I was the first one on Annie’s back. Because of my very bad hands, I will ride Annie in the round pen with a halter only. (I suppose riding is not the correct term here, more like sitting.) I can tell you that with Annie if I cannot control her without a bit, I do not have a relationship with her. So, bits, like shoes, do not make a lot of sense to me. I am thinking of training Annie to a cart. If I do, she will probably be bitless there too.
Vicki
Hi. Cheryl have a very good story, but, how many days a week she rode her horses or how many hours a week she did ground work with her horses ?
Over 70% of horse owners ride one ride (1 to 3 hours per ride) per month and no ground work, just brush and tackle the horse and then go. Do you know that ?
You the day-dreamers (college people) come out from your dreams at common people that don’t have access at in formations ( internet) or don’t have time to study because have to work over 60 hours per week and don’t have time to play with their horses daily like you do.
You that you fight that hard for bit less go at TheHorse.com and find what damages the bit less does to a horse because the riders drive the horse like drive a bulldozer
You that want for every horse to be bittless better go and study the human behaviors and compare with your personal behaviors and see what you find
You don’t love the horse but you love to satisfy your personal pleasures.
NOT every human or horse go in same bracket with you personal.
Yes, are horses that you can ride with out bit or halter but them are led than 2% and over 20% are extremely dangerous to ride because of abuse and human greed.
This is such a wonderful encouraging story for me. I run a farm sanctuary for pigs, donkeys, ponies and horses. Most of the horses end up with me because they are too old to perform and become a burden for their people. The ponies are usually bought for children and then thrown away when the kids outgrow them. Other horses that end up with me are horses that are just to difficult to ride or manage. I have long ago suspected that a bit or snaffle in a horse’s mouth must hurt them because every horse I have ridden (and I have ridden a lot of different horses in my life) seemed uncomfortable. I started riding bitless and bareback and never looked back. I have realized that many of the ‘difficult’ horses at my sanctuary can be ridden with a bitless bridle once they trust you. Now both rider and horse can enjoy the bonding experience.
Astrid
😀 I read your entire story and it held my interest until the end (which is an amazing feat in itself!) I want to thank you for taking the time to remind us that it is again ‘all about relationship’. Our relationships with others, and those people and beautiful animals we have been entrusted to care for…. But most of all trusting the relationship we have with our Lord and savior to teach us, to encourage us, and to never give up on us. I was touched by your honesty. It was refreshing to hear a ‘horse person’ giving such an encouraging message that was so inviting to trust in the relationship and not staunchly stand by some mode of training. I’m new to having horses. I absolutely adore them, but just as a new parent will receive ‘advice’ from this one or that… About the ‘right’ way to raise your children… I received tons of ‘advice’ mostly good advice, but at times some of the advice came across more as rules and ‘have to’ or I’d ruin my horse. Being a person who values relationship over rules… I trusted myself. And have ended up quite pleased with the relationships I am building with my horses. I too am changing to a Bitless bridle and finding great success in it. And like you, I’m not going to say that I won’t ever use a bit again…
Working in medicine we have a saying that can also be applied to training and riding our horses…. “It all depends and nobody knows for sure.”
Thank you again for reminding me to trust in the relationship.
Lacey
Hi,
Enjoyed your article! I too, have worked my way out of bits and into bitless for the same reasons. One horse had bad teeth, and got to where he wouldn’t accept the bit and that was creating a pulling back problem, so I tried bitless, and he is so happy and a wonderful boy. The other would just work herself into a nervous wreck while riding, so I decided to try the same on her…she is a different horse. While I wouldn’t suggest it for everyone, I feel that if you know your animal and recognize that their behavior is quite different with a bit, the next thing to try would be bitless. They are wonderful! I will now try to change my new horse out of a bit and into bitless….I think they really appreciate us for setting them free of the torture.
From the day my dressage instructor swore at me so badly about my horse/hands etc. and would not listen to my side of the reason, I dumped her shortly afterwards and went bitless with all my horses. From that day on I have never looked back and my horses are so happy.
I even backed my appaloosa stallion bitless and bareback and he has proved to be the most amazing horse ever.
Cheryl you are an inspiration to all and its so good to know there are many out there who actually understand and feel for their horses..thank you
I picked up a free rescue horse brood mare who was totally head shy and threw her head every time I tried to touch her neck,ears, and mouth. After working with her for a month to earn her trust I can now touch her all over. I made her a bitless bridle and she seemed amazed that it didn’t hurt. I have been riding her for three years now.
I used to work for the South Australian museum, in the natural history department. We were given the task of finding an intact horse skull. Of the 20 or so domestic horse skulls that we looked at, every one had broken teeth and or cracked upper pallet. All caused by bits. Eventually we came across the skeleton of a Brumby (Australian version of a wild mustang). Never ridden, and perfectly intact. That was around 25 years ago, and I immediately stopped using bits on my horses.
These days I only ride with a Dr Coopers bitless crossunder bridle. Of the four horses I’ve been riding in the last few years, each one has responded wonderfully to it. I’ve seen it cure head tossing, mouth opening, running through the brakes, and wild eyes.
People say they ride with light hands, but what if you fall off, or get a fright? How light are your hands in that moment?
My horses can ride collected with zero rein pressure, because I taught them using Clinton Anderson’s Method. It’s so easy. They also stop dead on “Whoa”, change down gait with “Easy”, and steer with leg pressure. It’s wonderful to communicate with the entire horse, instead of riding her mouth.
I have been riding bitless for a number of years, and find that this works quite well for me, for all of the reasons this article mentions. I have four “rescue” horses at the moment (one is not rideable due to a physical condition), all of which were “problem” horses. I ride them bareback with a halter and lead rope, wherever, and they all behave wonderfully. I have done Parelli-style ground work with them, which also makes a difference in their attitudes. I know that each horse and rider are different, circumstances vary, but I really believe that if you develop a trusting bond with your horse and take the time to work with it, you and your horse can work as a team, instead of as master and slave.
Love your story. I just got a TWH mare (my second TWH) my FIRST mare. She does not like the full cheek snaffle I was told to use to retrain her in a more balance frame. Gaited horses tend to be ridden from the mouth and not the seat or leg aids. I put my geldings ‘Bitess’ on her and she seems so much more relaxed. While I don’t think we’re ready for a trail ride. I’m looking forward to seeing her continued progress. Thank you for sharing
My 8 year old horse “Domino” hates a bit! He does great without!
Thank you so much. I also enjoy riding bitless. I was training one mare and decided to try bitless. She just seemed distracted by the bit in her mouth; playing with it and not really listening to me. She was so different bitless and responded better to me.
So, when I started Lil Bit I just went bitless. She picked up things so much faster like my other mare had. It also helped our relationship. I am considering trying bridleless next with her next
. 🙂
Hi Cheryl That was such a beautiful and heartfelt story. It just goes to show that through pererverance, going with you heart, tolerance, patience, knowing your horse and trust go a long way with animals, especially horses.It reminds me when I was young and growing up in Sydney, Australia (where I still live we call it “God’s country” it is so beautiful))and how I would mostly ride bareback. We would ride anyhorse regardless of it’s size or if it was flighty or not.Nowadays being older I am very aware of the dangers of being around horses and how unpredictable they can be at times. I also know that the bond between you and your horse is such an amazing and rewarding feeling, they are your best friend. Thankyou for sharing your experience with us and definitely we owe so much to God for looking over us and giving us this majestic animal to enjoy. Jenny (Sydney, Australia)
Cheryl,
Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful life story of you and your horses. The bitless bridle is the only way to go for me and my horses.
To be one with your horse and show them you are their best friend with kindness. They will dedicate their life to you. This is proven time and time again.
As a 70 year old horseman that has spent 66 years mounted on good horse I worry about the folks that have so much to say about the cruelty of a bit, or the totally inhumane use of Spade bits. Maybe if they studied the anatomy of the Equine body with special attention to the mouth. Or study a bit into the training that goes into the use of that mean Spade bit by the Buckaroos of the Great Basin area of our world. Watch them…Watch their hands when they are reining or roping.
I don’t want someone asking me how many DAYS it will take me to get their horse straight up in the bridle. It.takes years to do that. To do it correctly.
😉 Thanks Cheryl I wish I could find a trainer that would train Bitless, I have 2 Dr. Cook’s bitless bridles and I and my horse’s do great in the round pen. now its time to ride.I also have a Treeless saddle, but never been in the saddle with one. it just seams to be best for any Horse and rider, I wish I had friends that think the same. thanks again for sharing. WALAKOTA
Yesterday, was at a ride, I didn’t had time to finish to groom my horse because a friend called me to help her with her horse to bridle him because she could not. The horse is in same pasture with my horses, I give them treats, scratch them, play with them, I don’t make differences, all are horses.I bridled took him out, walked him, holder to put the saddle on I rode him for few minutes, then I told “OK, now you can ride him, but be carefull”. Do you want that horse to be rode bit less ?
In same pasture are other 2 horses, Chief, and Cloud, that are ridden bit less.
That horse when I feed he come in barn and go in stall to eat, but when I don’t feed he eat outside the barn.
For that, all of you start and learn the human behavior (s).
I have ridden horses for more than 65 yrs, I truly love horses. My experience includes both bit and bit-less. I have found that personality of the horse, training and hands determine whether one is safest bitted or bit-less. The controversy will continue; neither one is the “best” in all situations. I do espouse balance seat and natural horsemanship.
Awesome! It’s the only way to ride!
Was leading one of our cow horses back to his pasture with just a rope halter and lead. He alerted me that he heard something unusual in a back pasture. Jumped up bareback to investigate. Found a strange bull squared off against our main herd bull. Ended up driving the hooking bulls nearly half a mile before I could separate one into another pasture. So, I firmly agree that a bit isn’t vital.
Hi, thank you so much for sharing so much about bitless riding!!! This is what i wanted to hear for so long. I want to ride my horses bitless!!!. I am new in town, and don’t know much people here in our area, but I pray God will help me to train my horses bitless, or send someone along to help me with their bitless training. It is the most beautifull story i have ever heard. It is awesome!!! Thank you so much for your honesty and sharing heart, it is highly appreciated.