Skip to content

Bitless Riding Tips

Cynthia and Charlie at Agfest 2011
Cynthia and Charlie at Agfest

As I find or write useful tips for bitless riding they will be published here so please check back or sign up for my news blog to be notified when new content is added.

Bitless Basics Overview

Parts of the presentation I did on Bitless Riding at Agfest give a brief overview of some of the things you can teach your horse.
Basics like lateral flexion, hindquarter yields, and a responsive backup will improve your horse’s education and your ability to communicate with your horse in any situation.

Articles and Advice

From Bitted to Bitless Free Download by the World Bitless Association

Disengagement is a Powerful Control – by Philip Nye
This article explains how to control your horse’s hindquarters, so you aren’t relying on just the reins for control and is the safest way to ride bitless.

To Bit or Not To Bit – by Janene Clemence
This article details the damage bits can cause to horses.

To Bit or Not To Bit by Dr. Amanda Warren-Smith looks at the responses of young horses to bitted and bitless bridles during foundation training.

The Bitless Resources page has a list of insurance companies, instructors, clubs, associations, and breed groups that allow the use of bitless bridles.

  • Riding Bitless – ‘On the Bridle’

    Riding Bitless – ‘On the Bridle’

    By Cynthia Cooper The term ‘on the bit’ has become commonplace and used to denote a certain frame or level of head carriage and collection…

  • How to transition to a Bitless Bridle

    How to transition to a Bitless Bridle

    By Cynthia Cooper © There’s a saying – “Go shoe-less but not clue-less” so here’s another – “Go bit-less but not wit-less”. (I’m sure it’s…

  • Bitless Riding Differences

    Bitless Riding Differences

    Is bitless riding the same as with a bit? When riding with a bitless bridle, there are some perceived, and a couple of real differences…

  • Bitless – Challenges and Solutions

    Bitless – Challenges and Solutions

    © Glenn Wilson July 2011 A look at some reasons why a person chooses to ride their horse bitless. These may be reasons that are…

  • Bitless News

    Bitless News

    What’s so special about going bitless? I asked myself that as I was wondering what makes people who choose to ride with without a bit…

  • Inspiration

    Inspiration

    Dan Files I have been emailing with Dan who is from Martinsburg in West Virginia, USA, for a couple of years now, ever since he…

  • DVD Review

    DVD Review

    Through The Eyes of the Horse – Understanding Under Saddle with Carlos Tabernaberri There are few DVD’s available that specifically cover bitless riding without the need…

  • Bitless Science

    Bitless Science

    Scientific studies of riding bitless and how bits affect horses are increasing. Mouth Pain in Horses: by David J. Mellor Mouth pain in horses, especially…

Join the conversation


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.