Are bridles without bits for you? for your horse?
New information and studies will help you decide; articles by theHorse.com:
Bitless Bridles Touted as Safer Alternative for Horses
Jessica Jahiel: "Beginner riders often use the reins for balance..." observes Jahiel. "All of this is painful for the horses because by jerking, pulling, and water-skiing on the reins, the riders are putting strong and erratic pressure on the bit."
"Horses in bitless bridles don't have to hesitate for that initial moment of evaluation, 'Is this going to hurt me?' " she says. Quicker response times can be had without a bit.
If a *horseman* is riding a horse, more than likely, he has little use for the reins, communicating with the horse through his body and natural aids. Cook believes that a supposedly simple snaffle in the uneducated hands can be an instrument of torture for the horse.
I ride my Icelandic Horse bitless, and throughout the world, there is a growing number of other Icelandic Horse owners following suit, turning away from the icelandic-style riding and training, in lieu of the more natural ways, which are considerate of the horse.
