Bitless Bridles - How They Work

Dr Cooks Bitless Bridles

Contents

A Brief Summary of the Bitless Bridles

The Bitless bridles which have been designed by Dr Cook, this piece of kit alone could transform the relationship you have with your horse.

How can I give you a simplified overview without doing an injustice to Dr Cook's Work and research......? Well, I will try.

The Bitless Bridle is a bridle that is worn on a horse but it has no bit.

You use it to communicate with a horse, just like you would a normal bit and bridle except, as it has no bit. It works is very differently from a normal bit and bridle.

It can be used on any horse or pony for any discipline. (However, there are certain disciplines, mainly dressage and racing which won't yet allow it due to their existing rules and regulations.)

It looks similar to a normal bridle, but the noseband is fitted tighter and sits quite a bit lower, than a normal noseband. The noseband looks like a dropped noseband.

The bitless bridles come in different sizes, styles and colours. e.g. English leather, western leather and a synthetic fabric.

How the Bitlessbride Works

When a rider is using a bitless bridle instead of communicating with the horse by applying pressure on the bit, which sits inside the soft tissues of the mouth, the pressure from these bridles is applied to the horse over a much wider surface area. The area being:-

• Around the head,
• The poll,
• The cheeks
• And the nose of the horse.

Dr Cook describes it, as being a bit 'like a nudge to the horse', or a hug to the whole of the head when it is used for stopping.

It is very different from all traditional bits and bridles which apply:-

• harsh,
• direct pressure,
• over a small area,
• of very sensitive tissues within the mouth.

The pressure is also quite different from traditional hackamores, which work mainly through pressure on the nose.

The picture above is of our lovely conemara pony, however originally it was this pony that caused me to study and learn about the BB. He pulled so much and was so awful for my daughter to ride, however, you would never believe that now.

Thank you Dr. Cook......

Bitlessbridle Fitting

The fitting is very important to get right, otherwise, it will not work properly. You need to make note of the following:

• The nose band must be fitted lower than a normal noseband.
• It needs to be 3-5cm up from the corner of the mouth.
• It looks more like a drop noseband.
• The noseband must fit snugly.
• When doing it up, it must only have space for one flat finger, inbetween the back of the jaw and the back of the noseband where it does up.
• It should be possible to palpate/feel the pre-maxillary notch lying just above the top edge of the noseband. It does not then interfere in anyway, with air entering the nostrils.

Research

Dr Cook's research is quite outstanding. He explains the many side effects of using a bit, many more than one would normally have realised, as well as how these signs show up and how to detect them.

He goes on to explain, how, even with a very proficient horseman, whose horse shows no obvious signs of discomfort and pain from the bit, how the bit will still, regardless of the horseman's riding skills, interfere with a horses breathing, as well as the horses ability to move and exercise to their fullest.

He also goes on to explain in great detail, how it can effect and interfere with a horses striding.

Questions

With anything new on the market it takes time for it to be checked out and for one to see whether it is something that is worth exploring and using.

If you still want to study more about the Bitless Bridle, it may well be worth your while looking through and reading all of Dr Cook's many articles, research papers and users feedback comments. There is a great deal of information on his bitlessbridle website

Suppliers

You are able to order them online from whic Dr Cook's website h also has an international sales section.

We have worked and communicated with both Dr. Cook and the Bitlessbridle clinician, in the Uk, Sheila Lee Thompson. They offer excellent help and advice if required.

Honest Thoughts From Me To You

The benefits of the bitless bridles are huge, too numerous to list on this page.

All the questions you may be having as to which bit to use and work your horse in - and there are so many, snaffles, to french links and then all the different myler bits and so the list goes on.

All these never ending questions become obsolete.

Changing of bits due to aversion, hanging on to them, ignoring your requests, all this goes - you end up with just one bridle. You can finally just concentrate on becoming a better rider and schooling your horse and getting softness and balance.

What a joy!

Just one bridle to clean and maintain and any replacement bits e.g. nosebands, crosssover straps can be replaced individually and posted to you. So ends this whole saga of what "bit to try"..........! What else is there to say?

If you choose just from this article to go and buy one, make sure you read the fitting instructions and fit the noseband snugly. You can use it from day one quite safely, but like anything the more you use it the better you become at being able to see its benefits and how it works.

Further Thoughts

When I first found out about these bridles, I read Dr Cook's entire website, that took ages as there is so much on there. We then bought several and tried them, they are exceptional, you also get to feel the relief that the horse feels from not having a bit in his mouth.

Personally, I have found that it also shows up areas of imbalances within the horse, because as the horse relaxes into it and does not guard against it you are able to feel if he is working properly from behind and if he is truly balanced.

He will obviously benefit from being schooled and hacked in it, in order to get all that you are asking and wanting. Everything that you require you are able to get from using a Bitless Bridle but with the added benefit of knowing that you are causing your horse no pain or discomfort.

It is softer - so you may not get the instant reaction you were getting but at the same time you may get more. Give your horse a chance to respond to this softness and you will be pleasantly surprised.

A last housekeeping point ñ there is no bit to wash after use!

NB you can still use grass reins if you wish with these bridles.

Trainers and Their Questions

For a number of reasons some trainers can be adverse to the Bitlessbridle. This can easily happen when they don't understand how it works and all the many advantages. If they have been teaching for years they may not be willing to 'let go' of the bit and all that they think it achieves.

However, if you have decided to use the BB, remember it is your horse and it is a matter of using what you feel is most appropriate and not being persuaded otherwise.

Trouble Shooting

There is a troubleshooting page on Dr Cook's website that is worth reading if you find the Bitless Bridle is not working for you ñ read it, as there may well be something very simple that needs sorting.

Caution and Maintenance

It very importance that the crossover straps are checked as they can become worn and so are liable to break. As with any tack it should always be maintained, but we have found that the crossover straps (even with good tack care,) need replacing after time.

Depending on how your horse goes and how balanced he is, will depend on how well/badly they will wear.

If and when they become worn replace at once. Be fussy and replace sooner than later. It is for your safety.