TO BIT OR NOT TO BIT

Horses are such amazing animals that it always baffles me as to why some horse enthusiast choose to hurt them. Most of the time, the unnecessary pain infliction is from people who are just not thinking, or taught these barbaric and outdated methods.

Antique Bridle with Bit

This brings up the topic of horse bits. It still amazes me that there is still a school of thought that a bigger bit should be used for training, sometimes on horses that are barely 2 years old. These bits, which fit squarely into the horse’s mouth, can do the opposite of their initial intent. First, a bitted bridle hurts and frightens a horse. For those that believe this technique is fine, place a piece of metal in your mouths and have someone jerk, pull and yank at it. I think you will get the picture. When the bit hurts, the horse will defend itself by biting at it thus, taking the control away from the rider. Then we wonder why the horse is not responding favorably. It is not the horses fault. It is the rider and that is the mark of poor horsemanship.


In a nutshell, BITS DO NOT CONTROL HORSES! They only hamper Performance. By removing the bit, the horse can be happier and perform better.

A Bitless Bridle

One of Robert Cooks Invented Bridle Rein

In my opinion, every equestrian should consider going bit less. To do so does not eradicate control. The Bit less Bridle hugs the whole of the horses head, offering a gentle, but effective pressure without the pain.
There is a Bit less Bridle on the market that is painless, effective and has a quite a following. Dr. Robert Cook invented it and co-wrote a book about bits titled Metal in the Mouth. You can get more information at www.bitlessbridle.com













The Preppy Times