Your opinions/stories on bitless bridles please?

Question

Hi, I have a 14.1hh cob x pony. He's very very gentle, but is also very lazy. His bridle and bit both fit him and he has a gentle bit, but he still doesn't like the bit being put in his mouth. I always check nothing is pinching, all fits well, but he always almost gags whenever I put it in.

When I ride he doesn't buck or anything. Is a bitless bridle the way to go? If so any to recommend? I'm worried I won't have control if I have one!

He had his teeth rasped just a couple of weeks ago.

Answer 1

I am not sure that a bitless would be the best answer however the bitless route is definatley beneficial.  Ideally I would be looking into the root of the issue with him not liking to take the bit.  I would work on sessions specifically dedicated to bridleing him and getting him use to the bit more and more.  Be sure that what he takes the bit that your not hitting his front teeth and that your extremley gentle with him (which Iam sure you are). This can cause a sour reaction too if your hitting his teeth in any way. As far as him gagging, I personally have not once heard of a horse doing this.  Lots of horses will let out a big yawn or lean their heads down into the bit and open their mouths but this isnt necessarily a gag reaction.  Id just keep working on it and if nothing perisists to get better, I would consult a natural horsemanship trainer.  That type of training is ideal for problems such as this.  And if you would prefer to go bitless then this is ok too :)  Just keep in mind that you can do damage with a hackamore and bitless bridle just as you can with a bit so be sure to educate yourself on this method too!

Good Luck! :)

Happy Riding!

Answer 2

Only one way to find out if it will work for him. Try it! I love my Vosal(not meaning Bosal). I own 29 horses & most of them ride in it greatly!!!!

Vosal on page 24

http://www.runningbear.com/Cat-2008-21-3...

Vosal- I have this one.

http://www.quickbits.net/index.htm

Answer 3

How old is your horse? She may have a tooth coming in if she is around 4 years old. If she is older then you may need to have her teeth floated.

  Check with the vet they could tell you, if you don't know how to check it yourself.

Answer 4

You could try a hackamore, just be cautious if you don't have much experience riding in them, they generally have to be ridden on a long rein with little contact.

I would avoid side pulls/ combo bitless bridles, if your pony is well behaved, it may be a bit overkill.

What kind of bit are you using? There are so many options- maybe just a softer, jointed snaffle would work? Happy Mouth bits are plastic (and apple flavored!) Horse usually like them alot, even picky ones.

Answer 5

There is no reason to keep bitting your horse if he is uncomfortable.  Instead of searching for a different bit, the bitless bridle is a good alternative.  I use the Dr. Cook bitless bridle, and highly recommend it.  It offers ample control, and my horses love it.  It takes a period of adjustment, which should take place in an arena...but it is a very minor period.  Both of my horses are retired show horses who were bitted their whole lives, and both respond well to this bridle.  I've used most varieties of bitless bridles, and this is the best I've used.  It distributes forces to several points, so that none are overly stimulated, and it is virtually pain free while maintaining safe control.  

Answer 6

hiya,

i have been bitless now with my mare for a few years, and had no problems. My mare is geting on now and has been suffering with melonamas, she had one on inside of mouth so this is what spurred me 2 take decision. She goes fab in it and really no difference to bit, stopping and turning etc. Perhaps you could try long reigning with your horse to see how he goes. Its definately worth a try, good luck

The bitless bridle I got is a libbys, which you can get online or ebay.

Answer 7

Hi there, you could try a hackamore, which is a bitless bridle. It is instead of the bit and basically just goes over your horses nose. Some horses like this, others dont get on well with the presure on the nose.

Also you must be careful when using one, always get an experienced person to make sure that you have set it in the right place, ie. not too high or too low on his nose.

The hackamore should fit comfortably on the horse’s nose, much like a hat is fitted to a human head. Not too tight, not too loose. It should be fairly soft while still retaining a measure of firmness and shape.

http://www.elvaquero.com/The%20Hackamore...

This explains a hackamore in more detail.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h...

The above link will take you to a picture of an english hackamore, they are inexpensive and the softest.

Good luck, hope your horse is more comfortable in one. x*x

Answer 8

My horse rides well in a bitted bridle. He's a little above the bit, but I think it has more to do with the fact that he doesn't know how to carry himself, not that he chooses not to because of the bit. I try to be as humane to my horse as I can and even the most mild bit still has to be uncomfortable. I'm sure over the years horse's have grown accustomed to bits and saddles. Recently though I've noticed my horse rides a lot better without a saddle. I love riding bareback and because I didn't ride him too much while I was at school my horse lost some muscle in his back so his saddle fit differently. I didn't want to lunge him so I just rode bareback all summer, he's been great and we both had a ton of fun. This make me consider a bitless bridle and a treeless saddle. After a ton of research on the bitless bridle I ordered it on like Friday and am eagerly waiting to receive it. I ordered Dr. Cook's bitless bridle after reading the information on his website. I'm also going to continue researching treeless saddles and maybe take off my horse's shoes if his feet can withstand it. I think the more the horse can feel like a horse the happier they will be. I have no experience bitless bridles, but Dr Cook's website has testimonials and pictures and stuff ..  

Answer 9

as long as your horse is calm enough I think it is deff. worth a try. We use one on one of ours and she likes it a lot

Answer 10

We use a Dr Cooks bitless bridle on our pony.  Sounds as if we were in the same situation as you, no problems really with the bit but we did notice she yawned before we put the bit in and when we took it out which iv heard is a sign they're not happy with there bit.  And yes i was so so worried i wouldn't have any control with the bitless but its actually fine, my pony used to bolt and since we used the bitless a) she hasn't tried to bolt and b) i feel that if she did i would be able to stop her much quicker than if she had a bit to resist against.  

Try the Dr Cooks, i really cant fault it.  You also get it for a trial period as well so if it doesn't work out you can send it back.  If you do get one, i would ride in an enclosed space for a few times before you hacked out, just cos its totally different for not just you but the horse as well - it might take a bit of getting used to!!

Hope this helps!!

Just read the comment above me, and have to say I totally agree with it, its exactly what i found with my pony!

Answer 11

i love the bitless bridle. i use it on both of my horses. they love them too. it gives me more control, even though i am not connected with the mouth.my horses respond better to it and really enjoy the freedom. good luck with yours!!

Answer 12

i have been riding my 7 year old mare in a dr cook bitless for about 2 months now and i can honestly say that the transformation has been amazing - i could never have predicted the response. I decided to try bitless because my mare had a habit of tensing through her jaw which in turn caused her whole body to tense up and so not only did it mean she couldn't work correctly but she was constantly stressed out and evaded the bit. I borrowed an english hackamore for a week and really liked it but i wanted something milder as hackamores can break a horse's nose. I opted for a Dr cook and have never looked back. My mare is now totally relaxed, listens to me at all times, has stopped evading me and is carrying herself better than she ever has done in her life; i am happy to say that she is well on her way to true classical self carriage which she was very far from in the past. control is better with a bitless as it does not provoke the flight instinct in the horse at any time and is impossible to evade.

My horse is now ridden with a bit at least once a week so that she doesn't get out of the habit of it, riding with the bitless bridle has also transformed her bitted work which i never expected.

i highly recommend going bitless and wish you well :)

Answer 13

Some horses just open their mouths quite wide, theres a pony at my yard that does it and it looks like he is in a little pain but we got out the vet and checked all his tack and all was well, the vet said he just had a wider jaw than other horses so he can open it widely. You can try a hackamore but not if you are novice. they are quite strong because of the leaverage and the pressure on the nose - it is more sensative than the bars of the mouth. Make sure you never ever pull suddenly and roughly and always pull gradully to stop, never tug suddenly.

Good luck and have fun!

Answer 14

ive been very happy with dr.cooks bitless bridle. i can tell my horse is alot happier and more willing to work. for the first day or two my horse was a little confused but basically got it. (different pressure since the reins cross under their chin) i actually feel like i have better control with one.

good luck!

Answer 15

Well, while I'm a big fan of not using more than what's needed, I also don't believe in bringing a knife to a gunfight.

I have a couple that can easily be ridden in just a halter and leads.  I ridden others that, thanks to some previous idiots' sawing on their mouth, I want a bit more brakes than my simple little gag bit, or the bitless.

See if you can borrow one and try it in a controlled environment.  If he seems to take to it, then make the investment and continue your "trial."

It is never going to offer the control that a bit will, but many sensible horses don't require that anyway.