Going Bitless

Alternative Method or Instant Happiness for Everyone? 

Until recently, bitless riding has been either performed skilfully by western riders or used by "alternative" riders. Most traditional dressage riders, be it classical or modern, have been sceptical about the whole no bit thing. Bitless bridles are common when the horse has had his wool teeth removed, teeth coming through in younger years or sores in the mouth. The thought of actually performing in a bitless bridle has been dismissed by many, including the international governing body for all Olympic equestrian disciplines, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), which does not allow a bitless bridle in a dressage competition. Time for a change?

The bit sits between the incisors and the molars of a horse, on a stretch of toothless gum. The tongue is channelled underneath the bit which sits on the edge of the horse's mouth with approximately 1-2 wrinkles on the horses lip. The bit shouldn't be too small or too big. A good indication of whether your bit fits or not, is to stand in front of your horse and pull the bit straight on the rings. If you can fit your pinkie on either side between the horse's lips and the rings, your bit has the right fit.  Common problems for bit evasion include wolf teeth (embedded in the gum between molars and incisors, usually rather painful as they are flat on top but have jagged edges on the bottom which push into nerves when under pressure), teeth hooks, wrongly fitted bit or bridle, to thick mouthpiece or too sharp bit. Not so commonly known problems of bit aversion are a poorly fitting saddle, unbalanced rider seat, back pains from a fall or just habituated behaviour. Most racehorses have been taught to gallop faster the more pressure the jockey puts on the bit, as he uses the reins for balance. Confronted with being ridden by a non-jockey, most racehorses do what they've been taught and speed up with pressure, which can be very confusing and frightening for the rider and the ex racehorse.

Not well known is the fact that the lower jaw, which is only covered by a thin layer of blood vessels, gum and nerve endings, is so sharp that you can cut an apple on its edges! So if the bit has a lot of down force onto those edges, they will create pain! A lot of horses try to open their mouth or push their tongue in between the bit and jaw. Mouth gaping is mostly avoided by tightening up nosebands but that only forces the bit and tongue further onto the jaw and when used inadequately in a sawing motion, the bit will be dragged back and forth over those jagged edges. If your horse frequently opens his mouth and lets his tongue hang out, trying a new bit could be an option. There are a vast variety of bits available on the market. Myler and Sprenger KK Ultra bits will avoid pressure on the tongue due to their unique shape, and therefore create a less painful experience for your horse. Dutch gags and gags will put pressure on the poll and take the bit off the tongue which a lot of horses thoroughly enjoy. Curb bits, like Pelhams, Weymouth, Kimblewicks, will have to be fitted with a curb chain though and that will pull the bit onto the tongue again. Those bits are usually recommended for use by professionals and riders with very soft hands. Then again there are people like Instructor and ex member of the French Cadre Noir, Philippe Karl, who encourages his students to keep their hands at waist height to avoid creating pressure on the tongue.

After having read all this, in what category would you put your horse? Is he an ex-racehorse that has problems with bolting and takes the bit "between his teeth"? Are you a petite rider on a massive Draft Horse or Warmblood? Do you feel your seat isn't balanced enough and your horse frequently seems to lean or run through the bit? Are you in pony club and have problems holding your pony back? Are you riding dressage and you aren't allowed a bitless bridle during competition? Or do your ride western and would love to see your horse in a bosal?

Whatever you do, don't be afraid to try something new. Some horses do well being trained bitless at home and go with a bit during competition. I know a lovely girl who takes her horse out to ODE's and jumps him bitless but swaps to a bit for dressage. Prior to purchase consider what your needs are. As with bits, there is a variety of bitless bridles available but some should be used by professionals only.

Here the most common ones:

The Bosal is commonly used by western riders and does not allow a pulling action to either left or right as its reins are fixed under the horses jaw. It should only be introduced under professional guidance.

The Mechanical Hackamore comes in two varieties, one with a soft fleece noseband and short shanks and one with an either flat hard leather noseband or a thin metal rope covered with leather or fleece. Those hackamores can do a lot of damage and should not be used if you're in doubt of whether you and your horse have reached a certain level of obedience and skill.

The Sidepull or Rope Halter with Rings is very common with Parelli riders as it acts just like a more direct form of a plain headcollar. It has sufficient left and right guidance and is very mild.

The Dr Cook Cross under bitless bridle would be the most advisable to use when going bitless. A leather strap runs over the horse's poll, crosses under its jaw and through rings attached to either side of the noseband. It acts very direct and releases very quickly but is also gentle.

Before you use your new bitless bridle, it is important to ensure that your horse has some respect and obedience for it. Some horses will take to it instantly and love the experience but some will be rather confused and wonder what it's all about. Make sure you use an enclosed area for your first trial, preferably a small paddock or a fenced arena. Lead your horse around with the reins over his head and ask him to mirror you while you go along, stop, turn and back up. When you stop, stand next to his head and exhibit some downwards pressure onto the rein under the horse's mouth. Keep a steady pressure without pulling or jerking. When the horse lowers his head to the pressure, let go immediately give him praise and repeat. For a rather shy horse, you can't go wrong with a treat. Horses are very quick to learn with pressure and release, so when he gives, you made him understand that pressure on his poll means head down, which leads to praise and release. Progress to the next exercise and stand next to your horse on either the left or right side, approximately in height of your saddle girth and place the hand farther away from the horses head onto his wither. Take up the rein on your side with your free hand so you divide one rein in half. Slowly and steady pull your hand towards the horses wither, again without jerking. Most horses will start circling, but keep both hands steady on the wither and let him circle around you, he can't go anywhere. As soon as he stands still and you feel the slightest slack in your rein, let go and praise him. Repeat on either side until the horse readily gives. This will teach him to yield to pressure produced on the left or right.

Once you are confident your horse understands, mount and get a feel for your bitless bridle. How much pressure is needed? How fast does the horse react? Am I confident and happy with this situation? Is my horse happy?

Remember, that in the end, it doesn't matter which gear you use. If you use it correctly and your horse and you are equally happy, then you are doing the right thing. As with everything, opinions differ from person to person. The bitless bridle will not provide a quick fix for every problem, as does no bit, but it could be a step towards a more relaxed and enjoyable relationship between you and your horse.

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