The Alternative Horse
The Site For Hippy Horses Everywhere
Bitless
Have you ever stopped and wondered what it would be like to ride without a bit? It's completely possible, but make sure your groundwork is established first! (See Handling)
There are many different types of Bitless Bridle on the market, and they all work slightly differently to one another.
The most basic is the Bosal. This acts on the nose. The reins are attached under the chin. Steering and stopping are done mostly off weight aids. You can rig up a rope halter to be a bosal by attaching reins to the chin knot. Also available is the Half Bosal Which is a cross between a rope halter and a bosal.
Next is the Sidepull. This one is the smart equivalent of riding in a headcollar with reins attached to the rings on either side of the nose. It also acts on the nose, but gives better steering than a bosal. It's a very gentle bridle.
The Dually is a multi-purpose tool. By attaching a lead rope to the ring under the chin, you have a normal headcollar. Attach the rope to one of the side rings, and you have better control for leading or lungeing/longreining. Attach reins to both side rings, and you can ride in it.
Scrawbrigs come next. These act on the nose and chin. The reins are attached to a strap which runs under the chin, and tightens when pressure is applied to the reins. Brakes tend to be better than steering.
The Crosspull now. This bridle acts by "wrapping" the horses head, dispersing pressure over the largest possible area. Unlike all other bitless bridles, this one pushes the horse into a turn, rather than pulling. When pressure is applied to one rein, it is transferred to the opposite side of the horse's head. The most common one is the Dr Cook however there is also the Nurtural and the IV Horse Super Pro amongst others.
GaWaNi Pony Boy has made his own bridle. It's essentially a rope crosspull with a padded leather noseband.
Getting a bit more traditional now! An English Hackamore. This works by applying pressure to the nose and poll. Brakes are generally very good, although steering signals can be confused. The longer the shanks on a mechanical, the stronger the "bit". A German Hackamore is a very powerful device!
The Happy Wheel Bit is a fairly recent addition to the bitless family. The severity can be adjusted depending on how you attach it to the bridle and reins. I believe this can be bought through the Robinsons Catalogue but it has been removed from their website.
The Equibridle Bitless Bridle is a fairly recent addition to the bitless family. It appears to be a hybrid of the sidepull/hackamore variety.
The Meroth bridle is a crosspull that works on the chin groove.
