What are you opinions on bitless bridles?

Question

My horse goes fine in a French Link (which is an extremely mild three two bit...a snaffle is one jointed) but I have always been really curious about bitless bridles. I am not a fan of the regular hackamore as it tends to be just as harsh if not more harsh than a bit, but I am fascinated by Dr. Cooks Bitless Bridle. Is it any better than a basic side pull? Is it worth the money? I am a bit nervous about the fact that it does not give instantaneous release, but people claim that this is not an issue. I do Parelli Natural Horsemanship with my girl, as well as classical dressage and trail riding. I know you cannot show in a bitless, but I do very little of that anyway. I would love your opinions!

Answer 1

stick with the bit you have, bitless bridles put pressure on the soft tissue of the horses nose, causing long term damage.

Answer 2

I haven't had any experience with it, but I've ridden a horse that went perfectly in an english hackamore over fences but was VERY fussy with pressure on the tongue-if he went it a bit the only one he was happy with was one with a slight port.

I agree that if she's going well in a french link, why switch?

Answer 3

first a bitless bridal is called a hackamore. just telling you. haha. and if your horse runs well in the bit you should keep her in it, although my horse ran good in a D ring and a full cheek snaffle and we put him in a hackamore and he has been perfect ever since!!!

good luck with it!!! and look for one of the hackamores that have the ear cutout thing so it stays on their head better!!! i hope i helped!

Answer 4

Frankly, I have never used them, other than a bosal (if you want to classify that in with the bitless bridle) I pretty much stick to the tried and true....thick O or D ring snaffle, then according to how things are progressing, I move on to other types of bits...I'm partial to snaffles, so I'm not exactly objective when it comes to picking/changing  bits...but, because some classes require a solid mouthpiece, I have learned to adjust, but I always keep it to the minimum, as far as severity, the least amount of bit as possible...I don't want the bit to get between me and the horse, it is an aid, not the complete steering wheel.

Answer 5

i ride this horse that pulls ALOT and new bits didn't help

they tried the hackamore but the pressure points squeeze there nose and hurts them like heck

but we tried dr. Cooks and it has the biggest difference

the first time i rode w/ it the horse was pissed off cause relized he couldn't take control and he actually had to listen to me

now my horse is easier to ride and he doesn't feel any pain

Answer 6

I went to a clinic and the clinician was asked about the bitless bridle.  he was not a fan, but he did point out that they have an excellent refund policy.  He recommended a side pull over a bitless bridle.  He also recommended a nice gentle snaffle with a little bend in it to give tongue relief.  

I have not used one myself, but I had considered one until I used a side pull with good results.  I've moved on to a bradoon since I need to have a bit to show...

Answer 7

if your horse is going well in your current bit then i wouldn't mess around changing bits or type of bridle.

if you really wanted to try then use a headcollar with the reins attached to the sides.  that will work just as well.  this is what we used to do at our riding school which was made more fun for  us  by being made to ride bareback..yes,  it was really fun.  

helped with our balance until we laughed so much we fell off.

  

Answer 8

I think a bitless bridle is an excellent piece of equipment to have; I myself really want a Cook's one, but the style and color I prefer doesn't come in my horse's size, according to the measurements on the website. I have read online in quite a few places, galloppal, that there have been complaints about the release. Once the rider activates the reins and the two straps tighten under the horse's chin, some complain it gets a bit stuck and they can't give the horse that immediate 'good job' freeing from pressure when they do something well. I also know that the man who originally helped design the Dr. Cook bridle (can't remember his name), but he sells some kind of conversion kit so you can alter the rings so the chin straps don't stick. This could all very possibly be a marketing gimmick from a disgruntled ex-partner so he can still sell stuff or bad blood and the word got out. It perhaps it is an issue for certain horses with a certain diameter and shape of their muzzle? I honestly won't know if there's any merit to his claims and others until I try it myself. If only I could borrow one. Ha hah. Based on what several have said here about their experience and my general overall respect for their opinions, like galloppal, I will definitely try one once I can get exactly what I like in the right size. They do take returns, but I believe only at its re-sell value. Maybe that's just ebay? Correct me if I'm wrong on that one...

Answer 9

if you would like to go bitless i wouldn't recommend the Dr.cook's because the way the rein straps are the reins never stay even so you always lose you leverage.i tried it and didn't like it so i sent it back for a full refund. i have also tried the nurtural bitless bridal that has a bit of rubber on the nose band and a circle-x that keeps the rein straps from sliding/moving. right now i have a stubborn 4 yr old draft cross that gets ideas so im using the bit currently although i do have a nurtural bitless bridle. she did great on the trails with it, but in the arena she is still a little crazy. although i do have excellent brakes with it. my mom also has a draft cross that has had a lot of quality training and very few bad experiences and she does beautifully in the nurtural, not so much in the dr.cooks. my dad also has a draft cross and she does very well in the bitless.

about the instant release. it might not completely release but it isn't pulling on them when you aren't, its just kind of hugging their head. adn with a bit there never really is a "release" because the bit is attached so that it sits higher up in their mouth and it is always pushing against the soft tissue in their mouth. when the bitless is fitted properly it rests  on their nose bone.

im not against the bit, obviously im still using it for the crazy baby, but i do think the horse enjoys a bitless more. on the trail they can eat or drink without difficulty. i've also noticed that my baby girl lets me put the bitless bridle on much easier than when i try to put the bit in her mouth.

the decision is completely up to you. both companies mentioned give you a 30 day trial with a full refund at the end if you aren't happy, which is a good sign. both companies are also great at answering any questions you might have and will even look at a video you make of how you fit it on your horse if you're having problems and tell you what you're doing wrong. i have a preference for the nurtural bridle but the dr.cooks might work better for your horse, it really just depends on the horse.

Answer 10

I agree that if your horse is fine in your bit, then keep it the way it is.

I would suggest the bitless bridle to someone if their horse was avoiding the bit, etc. when they are using just a plain snaffle. My friend uses it on her horse occasionally, but she says she prefers a side pull. I don't know her reasons, but she does. :)

I do little showing as well, but it is a pain when you have to switch bits for a show, especially when it's only a couple times a year. It's best to ride in a bit you can use in a show. If you decide you want to go to a show after a year of using the bitless bridle, you're horse might have different ideas about going back to a bit. But if showing is something you don't care about, or that you are willing to give up - this might not be an issue for you. You can't get much milder then what you have, so if you are comfortable with it and your horse doesn't have any issues than it is easier to just keep the bit you have.

Just so you know, I have never personally used the bitless bridle.

Answer 11

With the right horse and the right rider, a bitless bridle can be wonderful.

However, like every bit on the market, the results depend entirely on the horse and the rider's hands.  A hackamore can be far more severe than a bit and can cause a lot of damage in the wrong hands.  I had a horse who had no brakes at all - she would've gallopped across a main road, there was no stopping her and she was incredibly dangerous.  My mother brought out a hackamore and the mare had a personality change; she was sweet as pie and went beautifully bitless.

But if your horse is going fine in a French link, why bother changing?  Changing for the sake of change, or to see what will happen, rarely works out.

Answer 12

My friend used one of those and she said it had no more effect than a headcollar with leadropes attached.

If you want to give it a go, by all means do but persionally if you cant show in it whats the point in spending that sort of money when you could just attach reins to you headcollar.

Answer 13

I use it on my two older horses, both snaffle bit horses (I still like to use the snaffle at times just to keep them ok with it).  I would disagree that it is the same as riding with a halter and reins...I can and do ride my mare that way at times, but would never put my grandsons on her outside of the arena without the Dr. Cook, which offers considerable control by comparison.

My experience with it is only on my two horses, but I love it, and they do as well.  My horses work collected and perform all lateral work in it, and my grandchildren have plenty of control with it....I have never had a problem with it not releasing immediately...I'm not sure where that idea comes from.  Also, it is incorrect that this bridle damages the nerves according to my research, or I would not use it.

Answer 14

Honestly if your hose goes well in her current bit don't mess about with it.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"