Bitless bridle research

[Elaine]

www.festinalente.ie/bitless_bridles.htm

THE INTRODUCTION OF CROSSOVER BITLESS BRIDLES

Festina Lente Foundation (Equestrian Centre) recently undertook a research project in which it introduced crossover bitless bridles with 18 horses and ponies

Using Dr. Cooks behavioural questionnaire the project measured the behaviours of 18 equines whilst wearing a bitted bridle and then again measured the behaviours wearing a crossover bitless bridle. Behaviours were measured through observation, digitial photos and videos. The project took place over a seven month period.


The results of the project showed a reduction of up to one fifth of behaviours in the areas of:

· Management problems in the stable including difficult to catch in the stable, in putting the bridle on, standoffish in the stable, difficult to mount, tense moves away prematurely and/or turns head away and swings quarters around

· Problems that make riding more complicated including refusal to stand still, constant fidgeting, fussy, fidgety at work , above or ahead of the bit, general ‘unhappiness’ when exercised and napping

· Signs associated with facial neuralgia including rubbing muzzle or face on foreleg at and after exercise and head shyness

· Breathing difficulties including bit induced poll flexion and tongue over the bit

· Problems affecting the mouth including sores, chafes and cuts at the corner of the mouth, bruising of the gums, bone spurs, chomping and chewing on the bit, constant fussing, pulling on the bit and salivating excessively.



For more details on this project, please visit:

www.festinalente.ie/pp/uploads/docs/research_project.pdf

[Elaine]

At www.lyfordtreks.co.nz where I worked over in New Zealand, we had 10 horses who were used for lessons (flatwork & jumping) and also for trekking through the Southerns Alps.

Groundwork had been done with all the horses, and they were then ridden in NH halters (no bits) by everyone from complete never sat in a saddle before beginners to competitive riders - up and down mountains, over fences and ditches, rivers, doing flatwork, etc.

For the rider it was the same really as having a bridle, you had two reins, etc, but for the horse it was nice as with beginnners and novices there is some pulling on the mouth, but without the bit this pulling didn't damage the horses mouths. It worked really well.

[monflat]

Mornin
Is there someone in Ireland that is a supplier of the Dr Cooks Bitless Bridle?
I thought i read it before on this forum - or was it someone who uses them frequently.
Anyone any ideas?
I know Festina Lente but i thought there was another person ?

Thanks

[monflat]

Ok Wakey wakey me!!
I found the Details it s Castle horses Patricia there is the BBI

Im excused for being a little on the slow side this wet morning!!!

[Elaine]

One point to note though as always is that a bit is only as severe as the hands using it.

[dani]

Im sorry if im resurecting an old thread, this is my first day posting so just getting used to things! I recently recieved a DVD from a friend of mine who travelled to the world equestrian games, it was a parelli dvd. I have to admit i found it very inspirational. As a result i bought a parelli hackamore (halter?) online. I have ridden my horse in a normal head collar before (just walking), but ride him in a in a snaffle. I have always wanted to try the 'parelli type' bride (sorry I dont know the right term). However, when I received it in the post I began looking for advice on how to fit it correctly, as i dont know anyone who has used one. And what I found horrified me! awful clips of linda parelli using the headcollar/bridle and it seemed as though she thought that just because there wasnt a bit in the horses mouth it wouldnt hurt the horse .. she was being extremely rough and from what I could see the rope (noseband part) was sitting extremely low and on the sensitive part of the horses face. Now I dont know alot about natural horsemanship but I do know plently about communicating with a young horse and this was blatently wrong. (I can post a link if anyone wants) I also found horrible reviews of pat parelli at some recent show and now im regretting spending money on the bridle!! However, I did get it just for my own horses comfort while out hacking etc and I am wondering if there is any advice about it on here? like fitting, training the horse with this tack etc.. dont really know where to start.
sorry for the VERY long post!

[Elaine]

Hiya. I think your post shows its not really about the gear you use, its about how its used.

In terms of how to use this, a few very quick thoughts, typed on a tiny keyboard (i'll keep it short!)

1.Fitting. lodgeropes.webs.com/haltertechnicalarticle.htm the halter shouldn't lie too low over the soft part of the horses nose.

2. Using a halter. First don't buy one and go off for a ride. Its just a tool for communication. And to communicate to someone, both of you need to understand the same language. So typically to install all of the cues you will need when riding in a halter, you first work on them on the ground. On the ground you can teach your horse to go, stop, turn, move laterally, be soft, and get into his mind and be able to go places 'together' both physically and mentally, not one of you tearing away first and the other following.

I think probably most NH type trainers teach groundwork, with a lot of it being similiar trainer to trainer. What is different (and very important in my eyes) is not only the techniques they teach but the principals they use behind the techniques and how they approach the whole idea of horse training. This for me is what seperates the not so good, from the good and from the absolutely jawdroppingly brilliant, who have th techniques and the patterns and the understanding, feel & timing, but have the love, empathy (might sound a bit woolly but trust me it makes a HUGE difference) and overriding respect and willingness to work fairly with the horse. Anyway, back on topic, you've prob heard of the Parelli 7 games. A lot of trainers do forms of these, and i've seen the same games done with bad horsemanship (waste of time) and with good horsemanship (really good), so i guess for me its about the trainer you stay with as much as the brand on the names which I wouldnt get too bothered about.

3. After you've set up communication (so horse understands basic moves in a halter on the ground) then you can start ridden work in a safe environment.

4. Biggest thing- get a good teacher. I think its not like normal horse lessons. When I get a lesson from someone, I can go home with literally a few months of work to do with my horse as homework.

Hope thats useful, keyboard packing in now.

[lisamac]

I was diong a bit of research myself on the whole bitless thing after seening a riding school and trekking centre using the dr cross ones, we all think its nice as I admit did I but they seemed to sit very low on the horses nose so I was dubious. The way the work is that when you put pressure on the riens the nose piece, which crosses under the chin and goes up to the poll, tighten around the horses face and pull down on the poll, in the wrong hands we are talkin broken bones, if you read into the information on these bridles its very much about gaining more control, which doesn't sound like the right reason to be using them! And they are to be fitted where the bone meets the cartilidge on the nose.
I have read blogs of horses who have lost it, rearing and freaking with one of these bridles and I think it must be the constriction which brings out the natural claustrophobic in a horse.
Like Elaine said in the right hands it doesnt matter, whether its a strong bit a rope halter or a bitless they are all tools for comunication its our own hands that we need to be aware of.

One more thing, about the Parreli's, there are alot of people sitting on the sidelines of natural horsemanship waitin for ammunition to slate it, be very open and form your own views as to what you see. The clips with Pat were a few minutes out of a very long few hour session, we all make mistakes and maybe he was too hard, but he has done so much more for the horse world than anyone else so try to watch some of his other work..
Also watch the horse, there is usually a reason why it looks a bit rough, we have to be able to match the horses pressure to be able to be a good leader....

[zy]

I realise that this topic is going off on a bit of a tangent, but why not! I'm a huge fan of the Dr Cook bitless bridle
My first horse was a rather stressed TB who turned out to be a chronic head-shaker. Having done all the appropriate checks (Teeth & back etc.) I decided to try a Dr Cook BB as it had been recommended by a few friends in UK who were also using them.
The head-shaking stopped instantly & he became a much calmer horse to be around.
My daughter's first pony was very difficult to put a bridle on - she was in her late teens & knew all the tricks & you practically had to pull her tongue out the side of her mouth before she would open for the bit!!!! So I bought another Dr C BB & they were happy as could be.
They don't suit all horses or all riders - we don't have any being ridden in them at the mo, but I'd go back to them without hesitation!
Here's a link to a study that was done which is well worth a watch; www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W5LgH-pJxs
You might need to watch the intro first & then all the comaprisons but I found it fascinating!