Working in bitless bridle?

[sarahblue]

After a run-away a few weeks ago, our mare ended up with a nasty gash in the side of her tongue. She is healing, but we are considering trying to work her in a bitless bridle.

Anyone have any experience on this? Thoughts?

[mink]

thing that comes to my mind is if you couldnt stop her with a bit how are you going to stop her without one?

[sarahblue]

Good point….I thought after I posted, that it might seem a funny idea for that very reason. I should clarify…the run away was a combo of a spook & human error (lines were not in hand). In general, she is a very steady, responsive lead mare, which is the only reason I would consider bitless as an option.

[Jim Ostergard]

I decided to switch over to the bitless bridle when we first started training my 4 year old. That is all he has ever had on and so far it seems to work well. Since he is new as well as young, I don’t let go of the lines like I would with the older guys when loading the scoot or hooking up a twitch. I have now started 6 year old fjord in one and want to give it a go when I put these guys together. I would agree with Mink that if they are going to run I don’t see how a bit would stop them if they really wanted to go. Be interesting to see how this goes once we get back into the woods.
Jim O.

[sarahblue]

Thanks, Jim. Any specific kind of bridle you have used? I’ve been looking at the Dr. Cook bitless bridle.

I think it is worth a shot, since I think it will be several weeks until the wound on her tongue heals and it would allow us to get her out working again so she doesn’t lose too much condition before the season really gets going.

[Jim Ostergard]

@sarahblue 34644 wrote:

Thanks, Jim. Any specific kind of bridle you have used? I’ve been looking at the Dr. Cook bitless bridle.

I think it is worth a shot, since I think it will be several weeks until the wound on her tongue heals and it would allow us to get her out working again so she doesn’t lose too much condition before the season really gets going.

I have only used Dr. Cooks and like them as well as the people behind the scenes. I saw a video of a trainer in western Mass switching a number of horses with problems over and was impressed. The woman who got my haflinger-quarter horse started (he was three, just gedled and never been tied when we brought him home) started him in it and he twtiches wood and otherwise drives fine with. If you email Carole at Dr. Cooks Bitless bridle site she will answer any questions. I sort of figure that something like this is worth a try. Good Luck.
Jim

[Anonymous]

this is something I have been trying to figure out too. I stopped using a bit as a kid for riding because it seemed like an accessory and as a kid I didnt know how to use it right anyway. I even rode with some bailing twine tied into a halter sometimes because that is all I had on hand. I just tied up a rope halter yesterday that Im gonna try on my new horse as I retrain him this coming month. the only problems I see with my theory is when riding the horse feels your whole body, driving they only feel line cues. Let us know how it works out. What are the advantages of the “cooks” bridle over a hand tied rope halter? (Im unfamiliar with the cooks bridle)

Jared

[sickle hocks]

FWIW I don’t think I’d make that big a change in the program until I had a bunch of steady post-runaway drives under her belt again. Then maybe…if there was a good reason. The unattended lines you can watch for, but the spook part could happen again anytime, and I would want her to feel me there the way she is used to it so she knows I’m there when she’s scared.
But I’ll defer to any of the teamsters here, I don’t know driving.
How is the tongue healing? Good luck..
I don’t know about the rope halter thing…maybe with an awfully honest horse…I have used a bosal some on green colts but I find it demands the rider really be on top of the game…I’m just not there yet, but hopefully someday because it’s a beautiful thing when it’s done right.

[1ecofarmer]

I switched my team over to a dr. cook’s bitless bridle for riding only. I want to try it driving, but I’m less confident there, and so haven’t done it yet. They really hated their (snaffle) bits, which is what got me to try it. They go great with the bitless and seem happier. We’ve had some significant spooks without incident (mounted). I first tried a cheapo sidepull off ebay and they hated that. A halter wasn’t really enough. I considered the nurtural, but happened to find a dr. cook’s used on craigslist so went with that. Am planning to ground drive them as a team in their riding bitless bridles and see how that goes. Figure that if they’re not hitched and in an enclosed area, it can only go so badly. The transition only took about 10 minutes before they got the idea. Not a big deal for us. Good luck! leah

[jen judkins]

From a rider’s perspective (and a teamster now)…it really should not matter greatly what you use for communication with your horse or team. When training riding horses, I always tell people….if you can’t stop or direct the feet with a halter outside an arena…don’t ride them outside the arena. Bits are for refinement, not for stopping…ideally. People think a bit offers so much more control, but control comes from training, not from a bit. Whatever you use, be sure your horse is reliably responsive to it. There are a million bits out there and there have been plenty of threads about them here. Just because a horse hates a broken snaffle doesn’t mean the only option is a bit-less bridle. A mullen mouth liverpool offers a lot of options and is my favorite, but truly the list of suitable bits is very long. Personally, I like the trend toward bit less bridles….but I would caution folks to be very sure you have a solid working relationship with your horse, they understand the correct response to pressure and there is no tendency to runaway. If you have a horse that runaway, fix that first.

[sarahblue]

I ordered a dr.cook the other day, so I’ll let you all know how it goes next week! Of course we’ll try her single for a while, but she is a smart, steady mare, so I don’t think she’ll have any issues catching on to the new ideas. It will be interesting to see if/how it goes as a team…her team mate is not so experienced (he is getting there!), so we will stick to our regular bitted bridle for him.

[fogish]

I drive my stallion with Dr. Cook’s bitless bridle, I have for 6 years. I replaced the stock blinders with the set from my old headstall but other than that I haven’t had a problem. As far as a run away situation, I had it happen once. My wife brought out another stallion during breeding season and I was driving by. My stallion decided “damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!” I had to do some sawing, starting with short alternating pulls right rein then left, increasingly pulling further each direction as his head turns more and more towards his shoulders. He had to slow down, his view is changing rapidly enough that he can’t compensate for it, nothing is consistently in the same direction.

We have one of our mares using a bit and my stallion in the bitless bridle. I really like the bitless bridle and the biggest complaint I have heard about it, losing connection or sensitivity with the horse, I only experienced until I had time to learn the feel of the bridle and how my horse responds to it. Now I know the exact amount of pressure needed for any turn or stop and I can feel if there is any slack in the line that goes under and around the jaw.

There is an interesting article Dr. Cook wrote about different types of bits and relating them to different types of razors. He compared the bitless bridle with the newest safety razors, anyone of any skill level can use it, horse and rider, and have little worry of injury to the horse. He progressed down the types of bits and equated them to double edged razors, all the way down to the straight edge razor: super fine, very advanced precise communication, high chance of injury or damage in a beginner’s hands. In the end, like Jen said, they were all about communication with the horse.

[Donn Hewes]

I find the conversation about bitless bridles very interesting as I am always interested in how and what others are doing to manage horses. The bit makes total sense to me at present, for my purposes. One interesting observation from your last post if I might. The doctor equated the bitless bridle to safety in any hands, including the novice. I feel strongly that teaching is another way to provide safety to a novice. I would worry that a bitless bridle might not hurt the horses mouth, but might set up a beginner for more incidents out of control.

[Okiefarmer]

I’m not an experienced teamster by any means but have owned horses for most of my life, so take my opinion for what it is worth. I like the idea of bitless…but not for every horse.
I have a horse that is pretty head strong…listens well but is a little slow to respond. My main horse listens well…and is very, very soft mouthed.
Having said that, I believe the least amount of steel in the mouth the better. Most people are way to rough, some intentional some not. To reach this goal I believe that many,many, many hours must be spent working with each other. The horse and teamster will learn each other and to TRUST each other. The more time spent together the better each will be, and what ever tools necessary to keep moving forward and not backward is best. It is best if you can keep or borrow several different bridles, bits and bitless to see which works best with the least amount of force.

[jen judkins]

@Okiefarmer 34798 wrote:

It is best if you can keep or borrow several different bridles, bits and bitless to see which works best with the least amount of force.

Good point. I have a saddle horse, I nearly wrecked riding in a bit less bridle. He is uber sensitive and detests pressure on the face and poll. He was a trooper tolerating this for years until someone pointed this out to me. He prefers to work in a mild snaffle. Part arabian, so his opinion about stuff is pretty clear, lol….when I choose to pay attention.

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