If you are riding your horse with a bit, you can make the change to bitless. It’s best to try out your bitless bridle in a ring or arena first. See how well your horse responds because when you go out, you want to make sure your horse is obedient to your aids. Most horses make the transition easily. Some even become more relaxed. Others may require some re-schooling, spending more time working on upwards and downwards transitions before you’ll be confident that they are responding well to going bitless.
There are many different choices when it comes to bitless bridles, and just like finding the right bit, it might require trying a few different ones before you find one you and your horse are comfortable in. Bosals, side-pulls and mechanical hackamores are all options you can try.
Remember though, that you are not necessarily being kinder to your horse by using a bitless bridle. Any equipment is only as humane as the person whose hands it is in. A great deal of pain can be inflicted on a horse by the improper use of a bit or a bitless bridle. Even a simple side-pull can cause pain and damage if used improperly.
For some horse sports, you will not be able to use a bitless bridle. For instance, dressage will require you to use a bit. You can, however, ride ‘hor concours’ with a bitless bridle at some competitions. You may be able to use a bitless bridle in jumper or western classes. If you are competing, you will need to check the individual rules for that sport.
