| Are bitless bridles really kinder and gentler than | | | | stress and resistance in any of these ways: |
| traditional bridles with bits? This is the claim made by | | | | - pulling down on the reins |
| the bitless bridle industry and their supporters. With the | | | | - carrying their head high (inverting) |
| current trend towards more natural training and | | | | - opening the mouth |
| horse-keeping methods, more and more people are | | | | - bulging through the shoulder |
| asking about the benefits of the bitless bridles. The | | | | - bracing through the neck |
| perception is that bitless bridles provide a way to | | | | - travelling on the forehand |
| control the horse without inflecting pain while bits are | | | | - running through the reins |
| harsh and even abusive. | | | | With good, educated hands controlling the reins, the |
| The reality is that all bridles work by applying pressure. | | | | horse will be soft, supple and willing. A soft, supple and |
| Bits are designed to apply pressure to areas of the | | | | willing horse can only be created through softness and |
| mouth - the corners, the bars, the tongue and/or the | | | | suppleness in the rider who has the ability to control |
| roof of the mouth. There are numerous styles and | | | | the horse's body without pulling on the head. |
| types of bits that range from being very soft to quite | | | | The purpose of the bridle is to create boundaries to |
| barbaric. | | | | the head and neck of the horse. The left rein prevents |
| There are also several types and styles of bitless | | | | the horse from turning his head right. The right rein |
| bridles now available. Bitless bridles apply pressure to | | | | prevents the horse from turning his head to the left. |
| the poll, the bridge of the nose and/or the underside of | | | | Both reins together allow or disallow the horse to |
| the jaw (that soft area between the jaw bones). | | | | move forward. The horse bends and turns, starts and |
| These are all very sensitive areas. Many bitless bridle | | | | stops in response to pressure applied to his body |
| supporters claim that the pressure applied to these | | | | through the rider's seat and legs. |
| areas causes no pain to the horse. However, these | | | | A different bridle or bit does not make anyone ride |
| are all tender areas and strong pressure applied to | | | | better. Behavioural problems under saddle are created |
| any of them will cause discomfort and pain to the | | | | through poor training, bad riding or physical discomfort |
| horse. Horses are particularly averse to pressure being | | | | or pain. While a bitless bridle may be the right choice |
| applied to their polls which is why they will pull back - | | | | for some horses or during some stages of the training |
| sometimes quite violently - when first introduced to | | | | process, in the wrong hands, a bitless bridle can cause |
| being lead or tied by a halter. There are many nerves | | | | the horse to experience pain and discomfort. Riders |
| located in the soft area under the jaw and pressure | | | | would be kinder to their horses to invest time and |
| applied here can cause the horse to throw is head up. | | | | resources into improving their riding rather than looking |
| Horses cannot breath through their mouths so too | | | | for the next gadget to "fix" their horse.If you are |
| much pressure on the nose can affect their ability to | | | | looking for ways to make your horse go better under |
| breathe. | | | | saddle, look for help from an experienced trainer who |
| The bridle is simply a tool that must be appropriately | | | | looks for the cause of the issue and addresses that |
| used. In the wrong hands, both bits and bitless bridles | | | | rather than just looking for a gadget to address the |
| will cause discomfort or pain for the horse. Riders with | | | | symptom. |
| bad, uneducated hands pull on the reins to steer and to | | | | Become the rider your horse deserves. |
| stop. Horses ridden in this manner will show signs of | | | | |