I’m neither Irish, nor Dutch.
Still, the 2012 Olympic jump off between Gerco Schroder and Cian O’Connor had me perplexed.
They were head to head for the silver medal.
Schroder rode his horse (appropriately named, London), using a bitless bridle.
His control was flawless. He scored a time of 49.79 seconds.
O’Connor was forced to take a gamble. He increased his speed, but clipped one of the jumps.
If you ride bitless, and you saw this, you were probably as engrossed as I was.
Here we had proof on a world stage. Bitless bridles do not compromise a rider’s control.
On the contrary, research has showed riding bitless can aide your performance.
“For some reason it just really works well on some horses,” I heard the commentator say.
I hope more riders and trainers paid close attention. London was being steered from the nose, and not sensitive tissues within the mouth.
Best
Al
is there a link for the video of this ride?
I have Dr. Cooks. I recommend it too. Comes in leather and synthetic.
i would also like to see the ride. i have jumped bitless no problems at all
Would love to see a video and can you give me some sites where I can buy a good bitless bridle. Thanks
Cynthia Cooper has developed a range of bitless bridles such as English, stock, western etc. Check out her site. They are lovely bridles and my daughter (11) has ridden bitless now for years as have I. She ships worldwide.
You can do anything in a bitless bridle that you can do with a bit and most times better as the horse is relaxed and able to think and respond with out worrying about that piece of metal in their mouth.
But get a good one. Google Dr Cooks bitless bride. Some tack catalogs have them but I got mine directly from Dr Cook when first heard of them. Years ago. Used correctly a horse can become very light in your hands.
We run a rescue operation, with 36 horses presently at the ranch. All are into new careers – trails, cattle, reining etc. And all are on bitless bridles. They range from Arabs to Clydesdales.
Working cattle or cutting? Even reigning?
would love to learn to ride bitless. I know it has to be better for the my friend Shadow. She is a 9 yr old paint and the best friend a person could have……
I just got one 2 days ago we will see
Be sure that you accustom your horse with it before doing anything challenging. If you can’t ride him in a halter and lead rope then you probably cant control him with it right away. It takes time to train the response just like any new thing you ask him to do. The failures of the system are not the system, they are typically a failure of the rider / trainer to train the horse for the proper response. Bitless or otherwise, that is a truism. Just ask Buck….
Dr Cooks Bitless bridle is wonderful!! My daughter uses it on her mare all the time!! The only problem with it is that it is not very big. My geldings head is too big for it; Does anyone know of a good quality bitless that is made larger?
Kim, Dr. Cooks Bitless bridles comes in 4 sizes, small, medium, large and draft. I’m sure one of those would fit your geldings.
I love the Bitless bridle, I have rode in one for a couple of years. Rode a Swiss Warmblood who had been smacked in the mouth and his teeth knocked out and he went very well in this Bridle.ANd have tried and used it on my 12 year old TB Mare and worked well with her too
Gerry
I reschooled alot of thoroughbreds. Take that bit from their mouth and they are much happier.
He is riding in a mechanical hackamore. This is much kinder on the delicate bars in the horse’s mouth, but is not quite as kind as a bitless bridle like that of Dr. Cook. The mechanical hackamore uses leverage and, if used too strongly, can seriously injure a horse. I personally use a “jumping hackamore” or “hackamore noseband” attached to a normal bridle.
No leverage. It’s pretty much like using a halter but much fancier!
It does my heart good to see the comments posted here.I have been riding bitless for 25 years and been abused by total strangers who say how dangerous it is while sitting on horses they can barely control. So keep up the evangelism as I suspect in years to come your approach will become the “norm”
Got to get QH and other show rules changed to allow bitless in their classes! Then we will have a true paradigm shift.
😛 I bought a Dr. Cook’s Bitless Bridle a month ago and my horse has been doing so well with it. Even though he’s ‘green’, only 6-years old and never been riding consistently, he responds extremely well with the bitless. I recommend it to all who want to be more humane w/ their horses.
😛 I bought a Dr. Cook’s Bitless Bridle a month ago and my horse has been doing so well with it. Even though he’s ‘green’, only 6-years old and never been ridden consistently, he responds extremely well with the bitless. I recommend it to all who want to be more humane w/ their horses.
The main reason people object to bitless bridles is the fear of having a runaway. I have ridden bitless for years and on some very high energy horses with no problems. It is wishful thinking that you will have control over a runaway horse with any type of bridle. Won’t happen for you with a true runaway.
Yes Yes Yes, you are so right. Only those of us with that experience know….
Can anyone tell me how these actually work?? I mean where is the pressure point? Also, is the leather better than the synthetic? Just started learning about these, so I guess I am asking kinda dumb questions!! Sorry
Pressure is against the top of the poll, the side of the face at the cheeks, on the front of the nose, and in the western style bosal, on the back of the chin. Leather or synthetic is a personal preference. The issue is, does it adjust well to fit your horse, and is it made well, that is stiching and buckles well done.
They work by guiding the horse’s head. If you have control of the head, the front follows. Then you control the hind end with your legs. No dumb questions, its all good learning for everyone.
I tried the Dr Cook Bitless bridle. We trail ride and occasionally stop to let the horses graze. My mare could barely open her mouth to eat. Otherwise I was quite happy until the day a deer spooked her. I did not have the stopping power that I really needed. I returned the bridle
How do you typically stop your horse? I have heard this from others who do not think that bitless or bosal is safe. If you ever rode a horse that could not be stopped with a bit, you would know that it is NOT the bit that stops the horse. Your horse might have run away with you even with a bit. Doesn’t sound like your bridle was properly fitted. AND it doesn’t sound like your horse is properly trained. Anyway, stopping a runaway horse can be accomplished by pulling the head to the side. A bit doesn’t do that, the bridle and reins do.
I’m am a new rider
and enjoy it. My daughter moans all the time that I am too hard on my elbows and obviously hard on the bit and that I should concentrate on riding with my knees. She and her trainer do horseman training and ride bitless quite often. Wish I was there.
You can be, it just takes getting into the zen place with your horse. Gripping the reins tightly and tightening up your arms is your response to being uncertain of your self OR over mounted. You might be amazed that when you loosen your arms, you horse will stop pulling on the reins. Also, try riding without reins on a lunge line at first and later in a round pen or small area if you horse knows what whoa means. Put your arms out or on your thighs for balance. Practicing that will get you to quit balancing yourself with your arms and ride with your seat. That way, you arms can stay loose and relaxed.
Happy trails,
from an old riding instructor
The horse stops with his brain-not the bit. If you and the horse are not on the same wavelength, you are not functioning as a team.
That is the basis for all the natural horsemanship games and philosophies. Thinking vs panic.
Tink about this next time you handle your horse.
Call it zen or call it teamwork but please work toward that relationship.
after having ridden for years with a bit, i then replaced the bit with a bitless bridle, no break in period, from riding with a bit to without riding with a bit, she has just become amazing, no horse should have a bit, i think its a bit archaic
LOVE bitless! I would ride my mare in a halter, she was every bit as resposnsive as folks claim a bit would be. Some horses might take awhile to make the transition, having previously responded to pain and discomfort for so long as cues, so be patient!
You and your horse will be thrilled!
I am new to horses and do not know jack from jill but after reading your comments, it got me thinking The Indians did not put bits in there horses mouth.
Yes, that is true, but the Indians also didn’t use saddles either and they were practically born riding.
So, bridles with bits and saddles are white mans way of “controlling” when riding any horse who was “broken” and trained using those methods. And, any rider could ride any horse using those tools.
The Indians didn’t control a horse as much as ride along with their horses. A horse can feel intuitively what its rider wants if the horse and rider are attuned to each other. Each indian had his own horse he trained himself.
You can see this relationship by watching an exhibition of someone riding and controlling their horse with nothing, no bridle, no saddle, no rope, nada. Its very magical to see that relationship. Check out Cavalia and go see a show if it is ever anywhere near you.
For someone such as your self, that experience has to be developed. It is a progressive relationship with a horse. So, to start with, you gain confidence riding with a saddle and bridle. In my opinion and experience, if a horse is trained to respond well, no bit is needed,
BUT the bitless bridle OR bosal / mecate / fidor, has to fit the horse and be adjusted properly so that it doesn’t slop around.
Try this in your round pen or pasture. Can you control your horse with your halter and two lead ropes as reins? Probably not the same as you can with a bridle and a bit. So, the horse has to learn what you want now that you are not using a regular bridle that he was trained to respond to. Its all about communicating with your ride.
I would often ride rental barn hacks when I didn’t have my own horse. Once I clicked with a particular horse, I always tried to get the same one each time so that I could “communicate” better.
Happy Trails!
i do use only the halter with western reins clipped to the side rings, and also can ride with a loop of rope or leather around their neck falling to the withers. my horse instinctively heeded the whoa when I pulled back gently on this. The loop is not tight, and you will see native americans use this same tool as a way to stabilize themselves while riding (kinda replaces the saddle horn) – it sits around the base of their neck, by their breast on the bottom and at the withers at the top, loosely…pull back, you get a whoa. also naturally used as a neck rein. no halter needed.
I have been trialing a bitless bridle with my 15 year old TB. He responds beautifully until I ask him to go somewhere he doesn’t want to go. Then he simply refuses to go. Any tips?
i would venture to say it’s not the bit…do some ground work (see Horse Illustrated’s recent article on “respect”) and be patient with him. It boils down to a measure of trust.
I would like tohave a bitless bridle here to work with smepf the horses here we have 50 residents on the average. Is thre a donation possiblility of a bridle? we have many standard pieces of head gear, but no budget for a bitless one. We are very interested in this for the horse’s sake. Many thanks!
Kat and the volunteers and the many whinnies
Spirit Acres Farm Equine Rescue and Sanctuary
Mntgomery, Texas
I’d love to see all horses in a Nurtural for sure but in the end it boils down to which bitless makes the most sense to you! I’m thrilled with all the bitless bridles available. I worry about the cheapest ones – that they won’t stand the test of time and use and thereby give bitless a bad rap.
Any cheep made tack gives itself a bad name. Saddle, bridle, doesn’t matter. Crappy western, English or Austrailian saddles didn’t give the other brands or those styles bad name. Of course, there are always riders who will cheep out on tack. To bad, when you purchase good tack, it lasts a lifetime. I have tack that is over 45 years old and still very serviceable.
Bitless is the way to go. Who wants a piece of metal in their mouths, not horses for sure.
I backed my stallion bitless and bareback and never looked back, and he is barefoot as well.
Natural is the way to go
Our 4 year old QH goes better in a Dr Cooks than with a bit and stops just as well. In fact it’s easier because if he does get a bit strong I can apply more pressure if necessary without worrying about hurting him or ruining his mouth. He’s learning a one-rein stop and it doesn’t seem to make much difference whether he has a bit in or not for that, so theoretically we should always have the stopping power.
Are bosals not harsh? Don’t know myself. Just read it
you don’t need a bitless bridle or bridle if the horse is educated,just leg,seat,and voice aid,and I have proof with the way my horses perform 😉
when i started on my 17.2h hano, he would take the bit and run faster on the trail instead of heeding to the whoa. Had to turn him sharp to stop, or leap out of the saddle to avoid a grove a trees. I had an idea to school him in the ring. i had two aids: a plain halter with reins snapped to the side rings, and a piece of leather, slack, on his neck falling to the withers. i mounted him bareback, and used verbal and leg cues to w/t/c, and first tried the neck loop to whoa. worked the first time, and every subsequent time, naturally. he got it. next i tried the reins attached to the halter, and from a canter, the pressure from my pinkie fingers alone on the reins brought him to a complete stop – on a dime. i was convinced since that day. never rode with a bit again, and he never ever has had the issues I was accustomed to on the trail. no running off, no gathering the bit and pressing forward like a racehorse. now a perfect gentleman. ❗
Seems like most or all of y’all are relating to English type riding. The people I’m around, in western seat, all disagree with a bit less bridle. Especially when you get into types of competition. Speaking of cutting, barrel and etc.
When you compete there are requirements for tack. Read the rules. Then practice, a lot, so that your positon, balance, and hands are not the cause of discomfort for the horse. You can regulate speed and pace just by changing your breathing. It requires being able to follow the horse so that the horse can relax and hear (feel) what you are doing up there. Then you move and take the horse with you. Your horse will love you.
Another question, by looking at the Dr Cooks bridle and the mechanical way it works it seems you have to ride two handed, am I right? In western seats that I’ve somewhat participated in and taught we’ve used two. Yes, you can trot and lope but not in any compition I know of using two hands as in English. Yes, there is reigning and know there must be a few others but don’t think this would work in most disciplans
Debra if you want a good example of western bitless riding look up Pat Parelli riding at Liberty. 🙂
I have a 1/2 arab, 1/2 saddlebred that I ride in a sidepull, and I am also a whipper in with a hunt. When the other riders saw my bridle, they thought I was nuts! But my horse goes really well in it (good brain, very sensitive to aids – not your typical NSH). And he’s actually too sensitive in his poll for a Dr Cooks bridle. I love that he can eat freely and keep something in his gut. However, I also tried my PB Polish Arab bitless and was nearly killed several times, so I feel it is very individual to each horse, though always worth a try. There is also a huge difference between what each horse will respect in the arena vs a full gallop in the field, so I will alter accordingly.
Here is how that kind of control works. The horse’s engine is in the hind end. Control the hindquarters and it does not matter what is in the mouth,or on the head. All my horses will go softly and quietly no matter what bridle I use and even jump a course with a piece of string around their neck. The string is for my benefit more than any need of the horse. Check out the old dressage masters.They have much to teach us.
We just got a horse that the owner said he uses a bit less bridle. This horse has not been ridden in a year. But it seems he feels confused and I dont feel like there is much control. What am I doing wrong I am thinking of at least getting a hackamore or something. Any suggestions would be great. thanks
I have two horses, with opposite personalities. One is a nervous shy gelding, the other is a playful lead mare. Both were transformed when I converted them to their Dr Cook’s bitless bridle. The shy gelding lost his terrible head tossing habit, and the mare calmed down from her previous frantic energy.
I bought a leather bridle and a beta synthetic. I prefer the leather bridle, because it moves more smoothly (less friction) and releases pressure faster.
Be very careful! Bitless does not mean kinder. A horse can move the bit around in the mouth to where it is comfortable. It can also clearly show if discomfort is experienced in the mouth. Bitless applies pressure to nasal bones, facial bones, poll and cheek bones. Theses areas have no mobility like the mouth and tongue and the horse cannot adjust the pressure at all in order to increase comfort. It also cannot avoid the pressure except by shaking the head. I have seen extreme discomfort borne miserably in bitless bridles and pressure halters while ignorant owners blindly thinking they are being kind. Bits are supposed to be used intelligently as part of the ART of horsemanship.
I love my bit less when I started my baby he would shy away from the bridle so I got a bit less and he loves it but my older horse likes his bit so I use both kinds and personally don’t have a problem X
I have a fabulous challenge to fulfil, can you help me please? I live on a farm in the mountains of South Africa and have been asked to take total care of four horses. Two of them are ex-polo ponies and the other two move like champions, apparently related to Dubai super-champions. These four horses have been living totally free in two massive paddocks on the farm,with its own dam.
I need to take full control of their health, well-being and training and prepare them to take guests on gentle trail rides on this exquisite farm.
I have had horses of my own before, but have always been within the safe haven of an established riding centre or horse farm, with knowledgeable people always around me to guide me.
I don’t know where to start. Can you help? Where, online perhaps, can I find somewhere which will guide me step by step in issues like, getting them dewormed, getting them used to being ridden again,trying to work out if I can change them to being shoeless etc. They have not seen a vet for years. They look in excellent natural condition. Please can you help me to do right by these gorgeous horses?
Thanks for your help,
Robynn.
How can I see this video and where can I find the kind of bitless bridle you’re speaking about? Is it a hackamore?
Having ridden with no tack at all, why am I not surprised? If using a bit I’ll almost always use a rubber coated snaffle.
Ride my Arab bit less now since last summer and Stormy does so much better and I find I use leg cues so much more than use of Reins and she loves lowering Her Head to receive the Bridle Nose Strap…. 😎
A proper snaffle is most likely just as easy on the horse as a bitless if properly used. Never think that damage cannot be done to a horse’s nose with a bitless bridle.
I ride my thoroughbred in a ‘light rider’ bitless bridle, available from natural horse world . Brilliant bridle! I agree, if you are on a runaway horse, no bit in the world will stop him. It comes back to time and patience in groundwork