Successful Natural Horsecare

Bitless Bridle – “Brakes Without a Bit?! Impossible!”

“Of course you’ll have no brakes with no bit in its mouth!” she said, laughing at me.

I stood there, wondering if I had any chance, at all, using my communication skills (which I have tried to develop and improve over the years) to be able to drop a single pebble into her conscious mind and so show her, why this comment caused me to wince…. . What could I say in a few seconds, which might make her question the use of bits, when she next rides and trains her event horses?

We continued to chat informally and I made one comment on how lovely the horses feel when ridden in a bitless bridle.

But what an art it is and such a challenge, not to shove information down someone’s throat. I hate being told what to do and hence, hate telling other people what to do, unasked. Yet there are times, when I feel I should, when appropriate, share my experience.

It is a very fine balance, a bit like a seesaw, trying not to get too strong and heavy or too light and weak and always having in ones head, that the ultimate, is for the person to ask and inquire.

So What Do We Do…?

Nothing………except…… set an example, that is good enough, so that others will want to follow us. However, this is one of life’s trickier challenges and is easier said, than done, as we tend to either:-

A) Give advice, unasked….. so easy to do, or

B) Say nothing. This is also very easy to do…but then we go away and just mutter behind the person’s back.

C) But what is really needed is examples, which we are all able to do, this is the middle line, but very often it is the hardest thing to do, as it requires, in many cases, courage to stand out from the crowd.

The Bit

When I was trying to understand bits, this involved; which bit to use? how to fit them? when to change them? and with all this, came so many different opinions. And boy! …are there many different opinions, from friends, to bit fitters, to trainers……..and yet, the more I studied and listened, the more confused it all became and then I heard about the Bitless Bridle.

I read up on it. And I mean, I really read up on it. I spent hours studying how it worked etc. The result I was convinced enough and we started using and trying the Bitless Bridle. And very simply:-

All the Bit Stuff Goes

By this I mean:-

The fitting of bits, which bit to use, e.g.a snaffle, kimberwick, a curb chain, a mullen mouth, double bridle, or, if we went alternative which Myler bit. And gosh! … there are so many of those, that, they can just eat into your bank account. Well they did ours, when I started trying them before finding the Bitless Bridle.

Then the other bit stuff goes, for example the rubbed and sore creases in horses’ mouths; the biting of the bit, hanging off the bit, hanging on the bit, fiddling with the bit, tongue hanging over the bit, tongue guard, the horse that goes above or behind the bit. And finally, which bit does he go best in? That question…. and the following ensuing debate, finally ends.

What was there left with us to fiddle with? Just the fitting of the Bitless Bridle. As fitting is easy that is the end of the fiddle so there is nothing left to fiddle with.

So what about the Brakes?

If your horse understands you and your communication skills, i.e.your pressure and he will, if you have trained and worked with him, using and I quote Parelli here, love, language and leadership, brakes are guaranteed.
But if you ride a horse and just pull on the Bit and think this is what stops your horse, which is what I did, until I learned otherwise, then brakes may become an issue.

With the Bitless Bridle you cannot camouflage, poor brakes and so poor horsemanship is discovered; a little daunting, but it is something I had to face and then decide if I wanted to get better and not continue to use, my brute force to stop my horse.

“Ahh, but how does your horse go?” I am often asked.

Well, maybe not perfectly on day one, but all that is left, is to learn together, horse and rider.

I have found you can’t force your horse into an outline with a Bitless Bridle, so all that is left is for you to develop your riding and communicating skills. However, with a Bitless Bridle it is so much easier, as the horse is more relaxed and so is much more willing to listen and understand what you are asking and as he begins to understand the pressure of the Bitless Bridle and all in good time, he willingly goes into an outline.

And…. steering is no problem.

What You Can Do…

If you are wanting to change over but are nervous then do it gradually. Use the Bitless Bridle in the school or when you feel safe, then if you are going cross country you can use your bit. Eventually you will most likely change over, but do a step at a time, no pressure, no one forcing you, just play and experiment with it and if you get stuck contact us and I will endeavour to help you.

Conclusion

I will continue to try and lead by example….

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