Bit vs. Bitless? It depends!

Bitless bridle, Bits, CommentaryLeave a comment

Bitted or bitless is idle chatter if there is no horse in the conversation.

via Bit or Bitless? You Won’t Like the Answer. — Relaxed

I love this posting by Anna Blake, probably because it reinforces my own experiences in the Bit vs. Bitless debate. Which is better? It depends! I’ve had horses that loved going bitless — like my Trakehner — although he hated the cross under bridle designs. When I

Barefoot, Bitless and Treeless
Freedom going Barefoot, Bitless and Treeless. However, he’s not the easiest horse to ride in a bitless bridle unless you want to really move along! He gets very strong and reverts to race horse mode, leaning into the contact. I prefer to ride him in a Micklem Short Shank.

finally found the Happy Wheel style hackamore, he let me know right away that it was a winner. Without a bit he was willing to come into my hand and really work through his back. I also foxhunted with one and never had any trouble controlling him.

I restarted an OTTB for CANTER who also loved going bitless. He had a lot of anxiety with a bit in his mouth that really disappeared when that was taken out of the equation.

My current horses have chosen different solutions. While I still hack them out bitless, I find they both go better (at least for now) in their preferred bits. Zelda likes the PeeWee bit, which is a thin mullen mouth. Freedom likes his Mickmar short shank bit that has a roller in the mouthpiece. When he gets nervous I can hear that roller spinning! Maybe it’s time to try them bitless again, but I think as Anna Blake says, it’s important to ask your horse what he likes!

 

 

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