Thinking About Going Bitless For A Sensitive Horse

I have been working with Ethan about 5 times a week for the past 4 weeks. And he is doing fantastic, on the ground, when he is in his halter. But when I put a simple snaffle into his mouth, my reasonable little thoroughbred turns into an anxiety filled mess. Which is why I have been thinking about going bitless.

This isn’t something I am completely new too. I have seen others riding in their bitless bridles, and often wondered if it works. And seeing how Ethan physically reacts to the bit in his mouth, and bridling and unbridling has really got me thinking that this might be worth a try.

He is great on the ground, and is really coming along nicely, until I stick the bit in his mouth.

It doesn’t matter what type of headstall I use, or bit for that matter. He always acts really uncomfortable. He tosses his head. He walks around with his mouth gaping open. He swings his head around, mouthing the bit as if he is trying to expel the metal torture device.

What Does Bitless Really Mean

Going bitless means exactly what you think, riding without a bit. There are different options to study when considering this.

There are many different styles and types of bitless bridles on the market today. I have found a lot of them are more geared toward western riders. There are side pulls, pulley systems, and different types of leverage style headstalls. There are a couple of hunter-jumper styles, but they are not inexpensive.

Paying Attention To The World Around Me

Do you ever notice when something is going on with your horse, you start paying attention to every horse you see? I have been going to a lot of horse shows lately, only as a spectator, but I have really been paying attention to other horses. And with how Ethan has been acting with his bit, I find myself staring at horse’s mouths, a lot.

The piece of equipment I have never really thought twice about can cause discomfort for some horses. Maybe it’s because of how my own horse has been acting with the bit in his mouth, but I have really been paying attention to how other horses act when they are bridled.

And the conclusion I have come to is it seems no horse really appears comfortable with a bit in it’s mouth. Sure, there are horses that keep their mouths shut, because the nose band is clamped down, not allowing them to evade the discomfort.

And those that don’t usually can be seen playing with the bit at least a little bit.

I have been looking into the whole bitless idea for a week or two now, and one of the most helpful articles I found was on Dressage Naturally. There is an excellent article with a lot of information if this is something you have ever thought about.

Come To Your Own Conclusion

Now I’m not saying going bitless is the end all be all, but I am going to give it a try with Ethan and see how it goes. I love this horse, and I want him to enjoy our time together as much as I do. I will update you with our progress, as I await the delivery of my first ever bitless bridle, and in my next post I will share with you the bridle I chose, and why I chose it.

Right now I can tell you I am leaning toward the Micklem multibridle by Horseware. It seems to be a multi purpose bridle, and if Ethan goes well in it, maybe I could add a snaffle bit later on. This would be helpful for showing, but we will see on what I decide. Wish me luck!