All-Weather & Bitless Bridles

How do you correctly adjust a bitless bridle?

The same rule applies to bitless bridles as to bridles with a bit: they must fit optimally. Even though they are considered gentler and you might think that they cause less damage than a bit, this assumption is far off the mark. If the bitless bridle is too tight, it will cause pain to the horse, but can also lead to unpleasant friction or even injury. If, on the other hand, it is buckled too loosely, it will slip away from the points where it is supposed to work when the reins are shortened. Then the aids are partly no longer possible, which can even be dangerous if you can no longer influence your horse accurately.
Adjust the length of the cheek pieces so that the noseband does not lie too low and squeeze the soft airways or the thin tip of the nose. The fit is perfect if you can slide a finger under the noseband. Also, the side rings, wheels or shanks must not press on the cheekbones. Therefore a distance of 1-2 finger widths must be guaranteed. Also make sure that the cheek piece does not slip near the eye. The side rings, wheels or shanks of the bitless bridle should also be in the centre of the horse's head.

Which bitless bridles are available?

• Bitless Bridle
• Mechanical hackamore
• Classic hackamore or bosal
• Sidepull
• Rope halter
• Bitless bridle with wheels, LG bridle

What are the characteristics of a bitless bridle?

In this form of bitless bridle, a strap runs from the top of the head to under the horse's chin, where it crosses over and is then passed through the rings at both ends of the nose piece. Due to its design, this bridle acts quite gently on the nose, cheekbones and poll, making it suitable for inexperienced riders. However, the effect is somewhat delayed due to the indirect action. The well-known German dressage rider Uta Gräf proves that fine aids are also possible with a bitless bridle.

How do bitless bridles work?

Bitless bridles are becoming increasingly popular - not least because they have the reputation of being particularly gentle and horse-friendly. In fact, when used correctly, they can be useful for horses with dental problems or young horses going through the change of teeth, as they do not affect the sensitive horse's mouth. In general, bitless bridles are often used for training young horses. But remember: every bridle, whether with or without a bit, is as gentle or as harsh as the rider's hand.
In the wrong hands, bridles with shanks in particular can have such a strong leverage effect that bones can even be broken. This is because bitless bridles primarily act on the bridge of the nose and, depending on the style and buckling, also on the poll and chin. Some designs, such as the sidepull, allow good lateral guidance, whereas this is not the case with the bosal, for example.
Bitless bridles therefore require a particularly well-balanced, independent seat and a calm, gentle rider's hand and for this reason are only recommended to a limited extent for beginners and novice riders.

Which bitless bridle is suitable for a pony?

Different bitless bridles have different effects and not all of them are suitable for beginner riders. Therefore, you should ask yourself which bridles are suitable for a pony ridden by children and beginner riders. The purpose is to protect the pony's mouth when the child has a unbalanced seat and may pull strongly on the reins. Therefore, the bitless bridle should be chosen in such a way that it is forgiving of these mistakes and does not cause the pony any pain or harm in the head and poll area. We recommend that you use a bitless bridle or sidepull, where the reins are buckled in at the sides so that they act directly. Beginners, and this is true for many pony riders, should not choose bitless bridles with leverage.

What is a sidepull and how does it work?

A sidepull is similar in construction to a headcollar and is often used for training young horses in order to make them understand the sideways pointing rein aids. This is where the name of the bridle comes from. A sidepull acts on the nose with direct rein control. However, the pull of the reins must not be permanent. The focus is on clear lateral impulses, which is important in training young horses. But a sidepull is also suitable for horses with dental problems or as a corrective bridle. The wider the leather nose piece, the softer the effect.

What is a hackamore and how does it work?

The hackamore requires a particularly gentle rider's hand because, depending on the length of its shanks, it has a sometimes very strong leverage effect on the horse's nose, poll and chin, which can even lead to severe pain or even broken bones if handled incorrectly. For this reason, their effect must never be underestimated. In the meantime, however, there are also gentle variants with very short shanks or even hackamores which, due to different buckling possibilities, have become variable in the strength of their effect and thus much more horse-friendly. The mechanical hackamore is rather unsuitable for two-handed riding, as it can quickly tilt and cause pain to the horse when only one rein is pulled.
In our online shop you can buy hackamores with variable buckles. Depending on how the reins are buckled, you can achieve different levels of impact. You can also find softly padded hackamores with stainless steel shanks.

How is the hackamore buckled into the bridle?

The hackamore with noseband, chinstrap and shanks must under no circumstances come to rest too low on the bridge of the nose. A correct fit and position is immensely important because of the leverage effect:

• the nose piece lies on the broad nose bone
• there should be room for a finger between the nose and the noseband
• the chinstrap is not in the chin groove, but further up on the lower jaw
• one finger should fit between the chin and the chinstrap