Bitless Bridles

Welfare oriented communication interface

The bridle needs to allow us to communicate pace and direction without disrupting posture. And it is at this point that we run into a potentially serious problem should we use a bit.

No matter how well designed a bit might be it still relies on discomfort, or at the very least irritation, to have an effect. Simply put the horse is forced by mechanical pressure to submit - willingly or not. What is hoped is that the horse will learn that evasion is impossible and submit with good grace - or else the practice has been to use harder or heavier bits until it does. But there is a question about just how well they work - or don't, and for how many horses they don't work, plus what the result is when they fail.

Once this scenario gets going the bridle has failed completely as a communication interface and instead has turned into an interface across which rider and horse fight each other - with the horse’s mouth as the battlefield. This 'battle-of-the-mouth' spoils any pleasure the two may have got from the experience and effectively destroys any possibility of harmony or partnership.

Take a look at horses out in a paddock, do you ever see them repeatedly showing head-shaking behaviour ? Now put a bit in the mouth - without reins attached. In many cases head-shaking is a repeated behaviour. So the argument that light rein contact necessarily means no discomfort is far from being an absolute.

What’s more, if the horse has to hope that the rider will have such excellent control over their hands that light contact will always be maintained then what of those used for teaching, or by riders without the necessary skill and level of practice required ? Surely all or many will be subjected to painful episodes ?

Now, instead of escalation of the conflict by use of harder or harsher bit let’s look at removing the source of the dispute. No bit - no battle. Without the feel or threat of pain the horse is able to relax and adopt a more natural and less tiring posture.

What is quite surprising is just how quickly a confirmed 'puller' can change into a happier and relaxed horse. There is a lovely moment when using a bitless bridle for the first time - when the horse realises that things are different. Paces are noticeably lighter, transitions smoother, rhythm and cadence sweeter and funkier. All those things that were always there are now allowed to come through naturally instead of being blocked by a 4 1/2" piece of metal !

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