PROBLEM SOLVING - The Bitless Bridle
Contents
1. If you suspect that your horse s feet may be causing him some discomfort and he is shod consider the many benefits of letting him go barefoot There are many barefoot websites which you can use as a basis for research into barefoot trimming i e www barefoothorse com www barefoottrim com www strasserhoofcare com www thehorseshoof com Removal of metal from the horse s feet can be as beneficial as its removal from the mouth A so called pasture trim as carried out by a farrier although a step in the right direction is not the complete answer Although some horses will successfully negotiate hard ground with a pasture trim most horses will benefit from the attentions of a qualified barefoot trimmer to enable them to be ridden barefoot on all surfaces Use of the Bitless Bridle should not be considered as a substitute for training Although many horses do adapt instantly or almost instantly sometimes you do see a few new resistances or the re emergence of old ones that you thought you had cured when bitted such as head tossing or rushing These are typically seen on the first ride only for obvious reasons But sometimes they emerge quite suddenly on about the 2nd or 3rd ride and take a few rides after that to sort out The explanation for such a development may be that Updated October 2006 the rider is at this point more confident about the new head gear and starts to ask for a little more Then it becomes a matter of fine tunin2. important and often less is more i e less contact more communication If you are having problems with the BB it can help to ride with less contact than you have previously become accustomed to using Updated October 2006 A few riders have stated that they can no longer get their horse into a frame The phrase itself getting a horse into a frame provides the clue to this problem True collection depends on years of proper training of both horse and rider Collection should be thought of as another word for balance Unless both horse and rider are fit the horse cannot achieve true collection Both horse and rider have to be fit enough to maintain their own balance If even one member of the partnership is not fit enough the dance will not be successful An independent seat is for example an essential component of a rider s balance Rider balance should also be dependent on seat and legs rather than hands If a rider has been using rein pressure on a bitted bridle to achieve a semblance of what they think of as collection they will initially be disappointed with the Bitless Bridle and may even decide that it doesn t work Bit induced poll flexion however is not the same as true collection it is false collection With patience and proper training the Bitless Bridle will provide all the collection that a rider desires Remember too that the horse has to be given the necessary training to develop the
3. the O ring does not function like a pulley system does not mean that there is no release of pressure This is very easy to test Simply stand by your horse s head and place the fingers of your left hand under the crossover strap as it passes up the side of the cheek on the left side of your horse Now with your right hand apply tension and release to the reins You will find that the bridle produces a convincing squeeze and release The same release can be detected at the poll across the nose and under the chin For further comment on this common misunderstanding Go to the website www bitlessbridle com click on Product Information and select Frequently Asked Questions scroll down to 23 In fact though release is imperative with the bitted bridle because pain has been caused there is not the same need to be concerned about release with the Bitless Bridle as no pain was caused in the first instance Nevertheless be assured that release does occur Your horse may be reacting to pain or discomfort somewhere else in the body Having eliminated discomfort in the mouth by removing the bit your horse may still be feeling discomfort elsewhere which was previously masked by the overriding pain in the mouth The two most common sites are back and feet You can check if the back or saddle is the problem even though you may have recently had your horse s back and or saddle checked by riding bareback or lungeing without a saddle
4. Updated October 2006 The BITLESS BRIDLE 1200 Nursery Road Wrightsville PA 17368 866 235 0938 or 717 252 2058 The BITLESS BRIDLE www bitlessbridle com PROBLEM SOLVING From time to time but infrequently riders report that the bridle does not seem to work for their particular horse Problems include inability to steer inability to stop a horse that starts headshaking that has never shaken before or a horse that simply fusses when the bridle is placed on its head There can be several explanations for these problems but by far the most common is that the bridle has not been fitted correctly There are a number of other explanations and in any one instance one or more of the following may apply Please check the list below to overcome any disappointment with the bridle The noseband is not low enough The correct level for the noseband of The Bitless Bridle is lower than the level of the noseband of a bitted bridle This correct lower level can be used without fear of obstructing the nostrils If the noseband is placed too high riders will find that they lose some signal sensitivity and also leverage The result is that they will find themselves doing too much shoulder work to communicate and their horse may feel heavy on the forehand As stated in the user s manual in an average sized horse the bottom edge of the noseband should be one and a half to two inches above the corner of your horse s mouth Individual hors
5. e but this does not hurt The result is that the bitless horse recovers far more quickly from the initial fright He may run for a short distance but either stops on his own accord or is soon stopped by the rider This is a spook not a true bolt If a horse should bolt in the BB use the same method to stop him as you would with a bitted bridle often referred to as the one rein stop Pull one rein in and turn your horse in a tight circle If the terrain does not permit circling see saw the reins with quick vigorous and repetitive left right pressure Unlike when this is done with a bitted bridle you cannot hurt your horse but it will get his attention In the Bitless Bridle cannot prevent my horse from grazing at exercise Inability to prevent a horse from dropping its head at exercise is really something that needs to Updated October 2006 be tackled with further training Take a look at Dr Jessica Jahiel s website www horse sense org and do a search in the invaluable archives of her Newsletter for advice on this problem A shortcut approach is to use a grazing rein sidecheck A misunderstanding about the question of Release Some riders especially those who have never used the Bitless Bridle seem to think that the BB does not provide release perhaps because they see no movement in the crossover straps at the level of the O ring on the noseband But a lack of movement there is little in the first place
6. es may show a preference for having the noseband half an inch or more higher than this so it is sometimes necessary to find the sweet spot by trial and error To overcome the problem of using a measurement which may or not apply depending on the actual size of the horse in question there is another test that can be used to double check that you have the noseband correctly placed This test is based on anatomy and can be applied to every horse regardless of size from miniature to draft To understand the anatomy refer to number 2 on the diagram below Updated October 2006 The spotted areas on the diagram represents bone the black areas represent soft tissue On the side of the head at the level of where the noseband fits you can feel the bone shapes and identify the edges of that inverted V shaped notch in dense black which is where the soft tissues of the false nostril lie If the noseband is fitted at the correct level you should be able to just identify with the tip of your forefinger the soft area at the top of the notch 2 on the diagram If you would like to learn more about the form and function of the horse s head that are interfered with by the bit visit the website www bitlessbridle com and click on Articles Now select the article entitled Compatibility of the Crossover Bitless Bridle The noseband is too low This is generally the explanation for a horse that begins to shake its head that has not previou
7. g and adjustment for the next few rides A few people have reported that their horse was exceptionally light in the bit but for the first few rides in the Bitless Bridle felt heavier and on the forehand Such a horse was probably always on the forehand but sucked back from the bit to avoid pain Other horses lean on a bit to avoid pain they may also put their tongue over the bit as part of this pain avoidance and have trouble balancing for a while after it is removed and no wonder because they were never properly balanced before But these things all go away pretty quickly in the BB with a little regular schooling and or bodywork And the beauty is that while this is being achieved the horse is more comfortable and most importantly has the opportunity to become balanced in time in the way he should be under saddle Remember too that the horse has to be given the necessary training to develop the muscular strength that allows him to accommodate to the weight of a rider This process cannot and should not be hurried It takes months or even years rather than days Sometimes a user will report that after the first few rides their horse is resistant to turning left or right Most horses like humans have their good sides and are better in one direction than another but if this doesn t go away within half a dozen rides or so look for another explanation There mat be a problem that until now has been masked by the pain of the bi
8. muscular strength that allows him to accommodate to the weight of a rider This process cannot and should not be hurried It takes months or even years rather than days My horse runs away with me and I cannot stop him True bolting is extremely rare with the Bitless Bridle A rider is far less likely to be run away with if they use the Bitless Bridle than if they use a bitted bridle Horses run away in fear the spook reaction or the hope of escaping from pain The most common source of pain is the bit though pain in the back or feet can also be a trigger for bolting However some riders mistake acceptable eagerness on the part of a horse with true bolting Horses are herd animals When in company many a horse will exhibit a dislike of being left behind and will be eager to catch up with a horse in front This is not the same as bolting and an absence of brakes The spook reaction can never be entirely eliminated as it is hard wired into the evolution of a horse s behavior But the difference between the after effect of a spook in a bitted bridle and a spook in The Bitless Bridle is significant A bitted horse that spooks receives an immediate jolt in the mouth It is the acute pain of this that triggers a tendency to bolt in the first instance and the continued pain created by a frantic rider that perpetuates the bolt The horse that spooks when being ridden in The Bitless Bridle may receive a jog of its head as the rider regains her balanc
9. o one or more cheek teeth in the upper jaw Because the chinstrap of the Bitless Bridle is fitted more snugly than a bitted bridle it may be pressing the horse s cheeks against sharp enamel edges and causing pain Such a horse may start to shake its head or even rear that had not previously shown either of these traits The problem will disappear after the teeth have been floated Your horse may be merely reacting to the unfamiliar feel of this new bridle If you purchased a leather bridle new leather is stiff and only softens up and becomes comfortable like an old shoe after it has been oiled and worked in Passage of time will cure the leather stiffness problem An early exhibition of high spirits on the part of a horse when first introduced to the Bitless Bridle This joie de vivre at apparently being free at last is seen occasionally but is not something that recurs after the first trial Even at the first trial such horses generally remain under control and their feeling of freedom is only the joy of freedom from pain rather than the actual freedom to do whatever they please You may be using too much Contact Understandably some riders may be nervous or anxious about riding their horse the first time without a bit and unknowingly use too much contact Contact is something that is taught widely the need to maintain contact with the horse s mouth However with the Bitless Bridle the issue of contact is not as
10. sly been a head tosser Another explanation is sharp cheek teeth see item below If the noseband is so low that it interferes with your horse s breathing he she may even rear The noseband and chinstrap are not fitted snugly You should be able to fit one flat finger between the chinstrap and the horse s jaw bone If the noseband moves vigorously up the horse s face when pressure is applied via the reins then it is too loose A good indication that this is occurring will be significant bowing of the cheek pieces a slight bowing of the cheek pieces is normal The excess movement may also result in hair loss where the noseband rubs Some horses might raise their heads if the noseband is slipping and some might dive their heads toward the ground Check too that the buckle of the chinstrap on the nylon and beta version is not seesawing on the bottom edge of the jawbone and causing discomfort A Cashel cushion can be used for added comfort Updated October 2006 One or both of the crossover straps are trapped under the chinstrap The solution to this problem is self evident but until it is corrected there will be a significant lack of communication The browband may be too small and your horse is experiencing pain at the base of the ear Check that the browband fits comfortably If it is too tight on your particular horse a larger size browband can be sent in exchange for the smaller one Your horse may have sharp edges t
11. t A horse that is stiff to turn in the BB may need some bodywork or may be reacting to a stiff or crooked rider Maybe the horse seemed easier to turn in the bit because his discomfort in the mouth outweighed everything else
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