Bit vs. Bitless Experiment, 1st horse (bitted)

[FrostedFoxEquine]

@2101lovelily I know with the right riders bits are fine! All my horses are bitted too:]

[FrostedFoxEquine]

On all the videos that I have seen all the videos of 'horses in pain' when using a bit have only been photos of horses rearing or bucking or with shit riders on yanking at thier mouth. I ride with a bit and my horse is not in pain. I ride my horses light handed and they never do anything wrong. The over speech on this is stupid. This is SO bias! I'm not saying bitless is bad but there is not need to critsize the bitted SO MUCH!

[2101lovelilly]

@FrostedFoxEquine i completley agree with u!!!!! could n hav said it any better!

there is nothing wrong with bits! it's the people who use them wrong!

my mare is bitted, n she is not in pain!!!!!!

[TheCalippl]

Bitless all the way way use a bit when you can you use a rope halter no bit=no pain

[ThePENNY1999]

GOD I HATE BITS!

[Only1HighlighterLeft]

@ThePENNY1999 Why?

[ThePENNY1999]

@Only1HighlighterLeft Well maybe not the bit itself, but the riders who use bits to make there horses listen through pain.. Like constantly pulling.... I see people using bits every where,... but they don't know "How" to use them right..... I just hate seeing idiots using pain bits on there horses! Some bits are fine if the rider has good hands! Ughh.. do you get my point??

[Only1HighlighterLeft]

@ThePENNY1999 Yes. Just to clarify: so you don't hate bits period, just when they are used improperly? I don't hate all buts, I hate the harsh ones and when people misuse them. Many bits can be fine if used properly. And some horses (like the one I rode today) LOVE to play with their bits.

[ThePENNY1999]

@Only1HighlighterLeft Yes exactly... 

[Commie31]

might i say i only notice this women using their rein aids

when you should use all of your aid and least of all bit.

they should of used a proper rider, not saying im a great one, but i can see this women wasnt riging very well

[sorcha24]

she may not be a beginner it may be a young horse, my youngster still mouths like this opening her mouth as she doesn't understand aid to the bit that well, im considering bit-less, should i continue and make her accept something she clearly dislikes the presence of? i only use a rubber straight snaffle, but still she doesnt like it, i presume most young horses dont but we make them regardless as the norm, i dont agree thats right so im going bitless, considering hackamore, or bosal

[jmdnarri]

@sorcha24 Consider the shape of the mouthpiece, not just how 'mild' its supposed to be. a thick, straight rubber mouthpiece may be making you horse hold its mouth open instead of fitting the mouth nicely and letting him/her relax its jaw and leave it closed normally. In my experience horses who fuss with the bit are having problems with the riders hands and swiching to bitless is a temporary fix untill the horse realizes the riders hands are still restricting them.

[dottygal1]

@jmdnarri no im a very quiet rider, obv with a youngster you need to be so i dont gob her an make her open her mouth as you have implied, but yes i may try a smaller mouthpiece see if it sits better, french link or happy mouth with the pea, only smaller some say means harsher, and opting for one with full cheeks to aid with steering, lighter aids are req as some contact with face helps, but am also bidding on a nice bitless sidepull on e bay too..!

[jmdnarri]

@dottygal1 I didn't imply that you are doing anything wrong. Some horses take issue with the softest of contact, they just don't like having ANY pressure influence their head, bit or bitless. I've had lots of success with sensitive horses in a bit made by Korsteel, they call it the "JP curve" it has a wider surface where it makes contact on horses bars, but is thinner top to bottom. I have gotten quite a few horses that "hate the bit" to accept a nice quiet contact using these bits.

[Andeerzzon]

Can she ride at all. When the horse have his mouth open someone that can ride should ride him to make him better and he probably do that with his head because the bit is annoying him...

[GreenBayBreyerFarm]

Geez, bad horse, bad rider. :/ Nothing to do with the bit.

[hannahbananaroxsox]

No proper outline and no contact - really good way to demonstrate the difference between bit and bitless.

Personally, I don't see a difference and don't get me wrong, bitless can be good, but I like to have reassurance that I can stop and a bit gives me that security - besides, both my ponies have responded to bits and if I were to put either of them in bitless I'd get bolted with on the first and the second would probably refuse to bend properly or come into an outline.

[firepow24]

I've broken several horses (quarter horses) and never used a bit. The first one I used only a halter and broke and trained her through canter and neck reining with only the halter. Horses react to pressure on their noses and release from the pressure rewards them when they do correctly. I'm sure there are horses that may require a hackamore or bits, but I've not run into one.

Properly trained, no bits are necessary. Check out Stacy Westphal and Josh Armstrong....no bridles

[xXGlamRiderXx]

Didn't you notice that this rider has no idea what she's doing, so her poor horse has to deal with that? It's not the bit! It's the rider! UGH there's nothing wrong with bitless- but there's NOTHING wrong with bits in the right hands.

[freedomxbeautyxpeace]

@xXGlamRiderXx I disagree, look at all the videos against bitted riding on youtube, the horse is in so much pain. This rider is not that bad.

[xXGlamRiderXx]

@freedomxbeautyxpeace Well that's your opinion, but if you notice, the examples against bits used in those videos are of riders who don't give on the reins, or have bits that don't even fit? Open your eyes and mind a little.

[00helluser00]

@xXGlamRiderXx  But what if you're testing this for both beginners and experienced riders ;)

[xXGlamRiderXx]

@00helluser00 Then teach the beginners how to ride instead of letting them balance on the horse's mouth!

When you take away the bit and put a bitless thing on instead, the pain goes from the mouth to pressure points & nerves, so it's harmful either way....

[00helluser00]

@xXGlamRiderXx You can't expect beginners to do it right the first time they get on a horse. Sure it's uncomfortable for the horse no doubt about that.

A bitless horse won't be hurt in his mouth so at least you avoid some pain.

Too bad most horse riding lessons aren't about balance anymore...

[xXGlamRiderXx]

@00helluser00 Of course not, but you can teach them properly, right from the beginning instead of allowing them to ride as horribly as the person in the video. & I agree about the last sentence there, instructors really let their lessons go to shit after awhile :/

[PenguinPownage]

@xXGlamRiderXx Bits make things easier, do you know why? Because no matter who's hands their in, they are causing PAIN. That is the whole purpose of bits and that's why it's easier to get a horse to listen with a bit than it is bitless. I'm not saying people who ride bitless can't be cruel, because they can be, but no matter what you do, bits cause pain because that's what they're intended to do. Pay attention next time to when your horse throws his head, opens his mouth, or pins his ears ect.

[xXGlamRiderXx]

@PenguinPownage Very untrue. Some bits constantly inflict pain, but a properly fitting, well designed smooth snaffle or a curb with light contact sits nicely and quietly in the horse's mouth, not causing any pain unless excessive force is added.

[Only1HighlighterLeft]

@xXGlamRiderXx I know! I hate when people are all like "oh no it's the bit!!" when it' snaffle and th riders have the Hands of Hell.

[RISSYRACER]

what happened to outlines?

[hannahbananaroxsox]

@RISSYRACER Exactly! I hate seeing horses that follow their noses - always leaning and on the forehand too. No contact either.

The horse is opening his mouth a lot because he's trying to search for the contact, of which he's finding very little.