Bitless Bridles?

[remaxrealtor]

Need a little help here:

Lou is my BABY and such a sweet, sweet boy. Lots of VERY generous folks have offered their horses to ride as a starter back in the saddle. Here's the thing, he has been incredible since I got hurt and I want to spend time with him ASAP (of course I'm with him all the time, I mean riding him). But, he can be a wild man and I'm not so sure the leg can ride through it.

Has anyone had any experience with the bitless bridle? I checked out their website www.bitlessbridle.com and it looks very promising. They are EXPENSIVE though, and I'd hate to spend that and have it not work. Suggestions?

 

[KizerSoSay]

Need a little help here:

Lou is my BABY and such a sweet, sweet boy. Lots of VERY generous folks have offered their horses to ride as a starter back in the saddle. Here's the thing, he has been incredible since I got hurt and I want to spend time with him ASAP (of course I'm with him all the time, I mean riding him). But, he can be a wild man and I'm not so sure the leg can ride through it.

Has anyone had any experience with the bitless bridle? I checked out their website www.bitlessbridle.com and it looks very promising. They are EXPENSIVE though, and I'd hate to spend that and have it not work. Suggestions?

SO would like to know why you have an aversion to the bit? What type are you using? Bitless can put lots of pressure on a sensitive face (according to certain horsey folks).

 

[KizerSoSay]

Something is wrong with the pm's, I can't open any...

 

[Kain99]

Are you getting ready to ride the horse that hurt you, to save his feelings?

 

[Katie]

Me either. I can send not receive.

What I will say is that I am not sure if a bitless bridle would be the best option with your condition and Lou.

 

[remaxrealtor]

Are you getting ready to ride the horse that hurt you, to save his feelings?

NO!!!!!!!!!! It was someone elses horse, that I had never ridden before. I came off bareback on the asphalt, no helmet, VERY STUPID.

My boys are very sweet, I can't wait to get back on. I plan to stick with a saddle from now on.

 

[Pasofever]

I went by your office again today...

 

[remaxrealtor]

I went by your office again today...

I was in class up the road. I'll run it up to you tomorrow....sorry!!!!!!!!

 

[Pasofever]

I was in class up the road. I'll run it up to you tomorrow....sorry!!!!!!!!

I will be home just call....I have bitless bridles here we use on the pasos if you need to borrow one..

 

[remaxrealtor]

I will be home just call....I have bitless bridles here we use on the pasos if you need to borrow one..

Awww, you're the best! Do You have an opinion on how Lou would do with one?

 

[Pasofever]

Awww, you're the best! Do You have an opinion on how Lou would do with one?

Not really he is NOT the horse I had... He really acts different..

 

[happyappygirl]

The bitless bridles aren't the option for a horse you are considering, IMO. You have to establish control and give to pressue from the ground, and have a willing responsive horse (not necessarily a trained horse but a willing horse) from the saddle.

The Dr Cooks bitless bridle doesn't give an immediate release of pressure when the horse does the right thing like a sidepull, D Ring or full cheek snaffle would. In the event you have to be especially firm on the horse, (as you prolly would just out of fear at this stage of your recovery) It creates pressure along the entire head, face, jaw and including over the poll, just by the nature of the way the bridle is made. The reins cross under the jaw, run up over the poll and the headstall which is connected, runs over the nose. The material the bridle is made of doesn't slide loose easily when you stop pulling, maintaining the pressure even when the horse responds. This pizzes some horses off royally. I know one girl who got her nose broken because the horse threw his nose up and head back to relieve the pressure and WHAP! She got it right in the face.

The bridle Paso is referring too is really more of a side pull type arrangement, which has a cavesson (noseband) and nicely placed rein attachment rings which is a better option, IF you want to go that route, but if you have a horse that pulls through it, you will need a lot of upper body strength to keep it in check. I believe you can also attach a bit, so you can (and I would) use 2 sets of reins, one for the cavesson one for the snaffle bit. As a rule those Paso people have the right idea!! I love their tack except the pisadors (sp?) never could figure those things out.

A rule of thumb would be if you can ride with only a halter/leadropes or neckrein and the horse responds well, you'll do fine with the Paso bridle OR the Dr Cooks. If your horse can tend to be a runaway or get pizzy, you better darn well be sure it gives to lateral pressure or that you can physically pull his head around to your knee if necessary before you attempt to use either one. JMO here...FWIW.

I have a leather Dr Cook style bridle and a Liz Graves sidepull, and have used both in training young and inexperienced horses, but not until they know how to give to pressure first and i can control their direction with a rope halter lunging from the ground.

 

[Pasofever]

Happy is right a horse can run through it..I can not ride my stud with just a curb..I use the curb on him to bump up his head and the bit for collection and control..My curbs come with different degrees of harshness..ie from plain leather to wrapped leather to wrapped balls over the leather..designed for bit less riding too but more of a training aid..for lifting the head not for collection..that is why I don't like using it by itself on a gaited horse (except Star) they don't gait as nice because they are not collected and using themselves efficiently..

 

[happyappygirl]

I don't generally use a solid curb bit, i like to have control of both reins separately, but then again i usually ride young or inexperienced horses who need that direction and support. I prefer a broken butterfly snaffle with a moderate shank, for collection. I'm looking at using Some sort of training reins with elastic on them though. Any suggestions?

 

[mingiz]

Gimmicks... The martingale type w/ hoses, aren't going to give you help with direction and support Not as much as getting them to flex left & right, this will give you the greatest result more than training aids. Stay with the snaffle and work on getting them to bend and give to the bit.
Oh I got my membership card to TEC today.

You all have a great holiday weekend!! Be safe!!
I'm heading to Grave's Mountain with 4 other rigs for a few days.

 

[Robin]

Have A Safe Trip

Have fun and bring us some stories and pictures...

 

[happyappygirl]

Gimmicks... The martingale type w/ hoses, aren't going to give you help with direction and support Not as much as getting them to flex left & right, this will give you the greatest result more than training aids. Stay with the snaffle and work on getting them to bend and give to the bit.
Oh I got my membership card to TEC today.

You all have a great holiday weekend!! Be safe!!
I'm heading to Grave's Mountain with 4 other rigs for a few days.

i don't want lateral flexion from them, i want bend at the poll and collection, while keeping the nose in. Gaited horses need to develop the muscles down the back and neck that maintain the gait consistently. If you use the ones with hoses, they make the horse bend, and release when the nose is in and poll is bent correctly and helps condition the neck/back muscles to keep that correct position, without my arms giving in too soon.

 

[Pasofever]

i don't want lateral flexion from them, i want bend at the poll and collection, while keeping the nose in. Gaited horses need to develop the muscles down the back and neck that maintain the gait consistently. If you use the ones with hoses, they make the horse bend, and release when the nose is in and poll is bent correctly and helps condition the neck/back muscles to keep that correct position, without my arms giving in too soon.

Happy lateral flexion is the start of poll flexing...With gaited and my app WP horse the most important thing is lateral flexing to get the to bend at the poll..

 

[happyappygirl]

Happy lateral flexion is the start of poll flexing...With gaited and my app WP horse the most important thing is lateral flexing to get the to bend at the poll..

Thanks Paso, but I know that. I can get it when I'm on their back. I'm looking for those reins to use when round penning, to maintain flexion. I want to hook them over the horn, and to move them shorter in increments to get what i want. I could use a surcingle, but I'd rather use the reins connected to the bit. Know where i can get a set?

 

[fredsaid2]

Thanks Paso, but I know that. I can get it when I'm on their back. I'm looking for those reins to use when round penning, to maintain flexion. I want to hook them over the horn, and to move them shorter in increments to get what i want. I could use a surcingle, but I'd rather use the reins connected to the bit. Know where i can get a set?

Sounds like you're describing side reins,

some examples from Dover

the local tack shops carry them.