Some may have seen me jumping Cavi in a bitless bridle previously and wondered why I did it. There is a key to every horse’s mouth and some trial and error may be needed to see what bit (or none) suits your horse best.

Cavi has always been a little fussy in the contact and used to back off a fair bit in his jumping. We tried him in all sorts of bits, from a normal double jointed snaffle to a Bomber happy tongue to a rubber bit before trying him in a bitless bridle. The transformation in a bitless bridle was quite immediate and he was definitely much more forward whilst jumping. We have since transitioned back to using a bit when jumping as Cavi is now much more forward and I need a bit more adjustability in between fences, but I am glad I tried the bitless bridle.

Horses are all different and respond differently to different bits. Ultimately, it is the feel in the rider’s hands that is important and the deciding factor when choosing a bit. Some horses go great in a certain type of bit but put that bit on another horse and you may not get the same feel.

Even bitless bridles are all not made the same. I use the cross under bitless on Cavi and tried it on an ex racehorse recently. I also tried another bitless bridle as in the photo below, on the same ex racehorse and had a completely different reaction, although both were bitless. I was quite surprised.

If you want to try a bitless bridle on your horse, I would only do so if your horse has a good stop button, responds to voice commands and you trust your horse. Try in a smaller area to start if unsure. Check that your horse will stop as soon as you get on him. Also check that you can turn. Ride in it on the flat first before you jump your horse bitless.

Also, have an open mind about trying different bits on your horse. When I say this, I don’t mean a stronger bit. It can be a softer bit or just have a different mouth piece. Be willing to try new things and see what response your horse gives you.

I also recently tried a Micklem bridle on Cavi as he has a scar on his nose. I don’t know what it is from. It was there when I bought him but I thought maybe if his noseband was lower, he might like it better… and he does!

There is a key to every horse. Below is a link to a great article about Lauren Tisbo who jumps in a racing saddle and a war bridle.

https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/training/a-key-to-every-horse