Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

thanks for the clarification. The point still stands.
ANY piece of equipment we use on a horse puts pressure
SOMEWHERE. As riders we need to be aware of that.

I started my young mare in a bitless bridle, but have
since moved her to a simple snaffle. I find that
instead of driving a barge, I now have power steering
with my pinkie fingers. she responds very well to leg
and seat aids and the bit just gives me so much more
in the ability to communicate with her. It's not the
leverage. It's the ability to send a message with a
lighter touch than I used with the bitless.

I know a dressage group did a study with bitless vs
bitted. They found the same thing. A good responsive
horse was even more responsive with a simple bit over
a bitless. The same horse ridden in a bitless bridle
by the same rider was more hollow, not rounded and
required more emphasis on all the aids. The  video of
the experiment used to be on the Net. I'll see if I
can find it and share the link.

I'm not anti bitless. I have one and use it. But I
want people to be aware that they still are using
pressure somewhere and that they may be giving up some
communication ability. With every tool, there's
positives and negatives. We all have to find what
works best for us and our horses. 

chris
--- terry banister <terrybanister@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Just an FYI,
> the PonyBoy Bitless is very different than the Dr.
> Cook Bitless Bridle 
> (which is patented).  The PonyBoy Bitless is a ROPE
> HALTER style. It crosses 
> under the jowles, putting pressure there and on the
> nose bone. It does not 
> put  pressure on the poll. The leather nose piece is
> just a cover  - inside 
> is the single strand of rope (stronger persuasion
> than double strand or flat 
>   leather).. The reins are included in the price.
http://www.store.yahoo.com/ponyboybrand/traininggear.html
> Terry
> "May the Horse be with you"
>
>
> ----Original Message Follows----
> From: Chris Paus <paus@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: terry banister
> <terrybanister@xxxxxxxxxxx>, 
> guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, 
> ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [RC]   [RC] bitless bridles
> Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2004 13:06:33 -0800 (PST)
>
> Just remember, that BITLESS isn't  PRESSURELESS.
> Instead of pressure on the mouth, it is on the
> nerves
> on the face and on the poll.
>
> I tried a bitless bridle on my boy after he
> sustained
> a mouth injury. Well, he hated it. I ended up taking
> him to a chiro vet and found out the bitless had put
> severe pressure on his poll causing him quite a bit
> of
> pain.
>
> They are just another tool in the tool box. You
> still
> have to communicate with seat and leg aids and
> gentle
> hands.
>
> chris
> --- terry banister <terrybanister@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
> > Believe it or not, I am having great success
> with
> > the GWANA PONY BOY BITLESS
> > halter/bridle.  It is a rope halter that
> functions
> > like the "Be Nice" halter
> > (cannot ride with it) and the "Bitless
> Bridle" (is
> > not a halter) combined.
> > Been using it for a month and have perfectly
> control
> > (I can rate him at
> > speed, and pull him out of bucking).  I undid
> the
> > leather and added rein
> > snaps so that I could remove the  reins.  Works
> fine
> > with the running
> > martingale.
> >
> > Terry
> > "May the Horse be with you"
> >
> >
> > ----Original Message Follows----
> > From: Ridecamp Guest
> > &lt;guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&gt;
> > To: &lt;ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx&gt;
> > Subject: [RC]   bitless bridles
> > Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2004 18:06:57 GMT
> >
> > Please Reply to: Cecil sfranklin@xxxxxxxxxx or
> > ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > ==========================================
> >
> > Those of you using a bitless bridle -- please
> share
> > your experience with the brand you use.
> >
> > I'm looking for recommendations -- thinking of
> > trying
> > one on my mare.
> >
> > THANKS!
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> "A good horse makes short miles," George
> Eliot
>
> Chris and Star
>
> BayRab Acres
> http://pages.prodigy.net/paus
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"A good horse makes short miles," George Eliot

Chris and Star

BayRab Acres
http://pages.prodigy.net/paus

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