Bitless Bridles

A bitless bridle, just like any other type of bridle, must always fit well, not too loose and not too tight.

If your bitless bridle is too tight, you can irritate your horse or even cause it pain or injury. If your bitless bridle is fastened too loosely, it will slip away from the points where it is supposed to work and your aids will be diluted or may not reach your horse at all.

Since there are many different bitless bridles and they can differ significantly in shape, impact points and other features, you should find out how to fit the specific bitless bridle you want to use so that it works for you and your horse.

As bitless riding has become more popular, there are more and more different types of bitless bridles.  The oldest variation, which comes from western sport, is the sidepull, which is similar to a halter and, like almost all bitless bridles, works on the nose.

Another version is the LG bridle, probably the best-known model among the bitless bridles, which have a wheel on the side that can be used to regulate the intensity of the action. In addition to the nose, the LG bridle also acts on the chin and the neck.

The bosal is also known from western riding, where it is often used as a bridle for training the horse in the beginning. The bosal is not a simple bridle and should not be used lightly by beginners. The list of bitless bridles could go on and on, but the best thing to do is to get specific information about each bridle and choose the one that suits you best.

The bitless bridle is of course distinguished first and foremost by the fact that it is used without a bit. Instead of influencing the horse's mouth with the reins via the bit, the reins are often hooked onto the side rings on the noseband and you use them to work on the nose, and sometimes also the neck or the chin.

Bitless bridles are considered to be particularly gentle, but in the hands of inexperienced riders they can also cause damage to the horse, especially as the bridge of the horse's nose is just as sensitive as the horse's mouth.

If you want to ride bitless, it is recommended that after choosing the perfect bitless snaffle, you seek help from a riding instructor who will introduce you to bitless riding.

Bitless riding is a trend that is becoming more and more widespread, as riding without a bit is considered to be particularly gentle. You have to be careful here, because with a bitless bridle you cannot influence the horse's mouth, but depending on which bridle you choose, pressure is exerted on the bridge of the nose, or even the chin or the neck.

The advantage of a bitless bridle is that there is no metal in the horse's mouth. Horses that are sensitive in the mouth can benefit from this, and there are also studies that say that the bit triggers the feeding reflex and distracts the horse from the actual training via its instinct.

The advantages of a bitless bridle always depend on your horse and your skills, because every bridle is only as good as the rider's hand that guides it.

The Californian version is a bitless bridle and very popular with western riders. It is often called a bosal, although this is really just the name for the nose piece of this bridle. The bosal is made of braided cowhide. This adapts to the shape of the horse's head due to the horse's body heat. On the right and left side of the bosal are the "nose buttons". The cheek pieces leading to the neck are attached there. Slightly thinner strands run from the buttons under the chin. The rope reins are attached to the lower part of the nose piece. These rope reins were originally made of horsehair. Today, nylon is often used for this purpose.