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1. English Style Western Style The BITLESS BRIDLE ty Dr Reet CR U S Patent No 6 591 589 USER S MANUAL The Bitless Bridle Inc email info bitlessbridle com Phone 717 252 2058 1200 Nursery Rd Fax 717 252 2059 Wrightsville PA 17368 Toll free 866 235 0938 IMPORTANT Read the fitting instructions on pages four and five before using Improper fitting can result in less effective control Putting a bit in the mouth of a horse about to work is akin to muzzling a horse about to eat Dr Robert Cook AVOIDANCE OF ACCIDENTS Sound physiological arguments indicate that the Bitless Bridle is safer than the bit method of control Experience with the bridle since 1997 supports this statement Nevertheless equitation is an inherently risky activity and The Bitless Bridle Inc can accept no responsibility for any accidents that might occur CAUTION Observe the following during first time use When first introduced to the Bitless Bridle it sometimes revives a horse s spirits with a feeling of free at last Such a display of exuberance will eventually pass but be prepared for the possibility even though it occurs in less than 1 of horses Begin in a covered school or a small paddock rather than an open area Consider preliminary longeing or a short workout in the horse s normal tack These and other strategies familiar to horse people can be used to reduce the small risk of boisterous behavior APPLICATION2. 1 With the cross under straps removed put the bridle on your horse and buckle the chinstrap 2 Make sure the O rings on the noseband are pushed down and lying flat against the chinstrap 3 Take the buckle end of the cross under strap not the end with the O ring and feed it from the outside through the O ring on the noseband under the chin up the opposite side of the face to the crown piece and fasten See photos below 4 Repeat the process on the other side with the second cross under strap 5 Attach your reins or lines if you are a driver to the O rings on the ends of the cross under straps Cross under strap through O ring correctly Cross under strap through O ring incorrectly THANK YOU YOU CAN HELP If you and your horse love this bridle please help us to promote the cause of a more harmonious relationship between horse and rider Your positive comments to other riders would be sincerely appreciated Dr Cook s research concerning the effects of bitted and bitless riding is on going You can participate by requesting a questionnaire from our office Returning the questionnaire to Dr Cook will help his research and may enable him to offer further advice The questionnaire may also be used as a diagnostic tool prior to adopting the bridle as a means of recognizing the nature and source of unacceptable behavior We also welcome your feedback both positive and negative since we use this information to imp
3. The action of this bridle differs fundamentally from all other bitless bridles the hackamores bosals and sidepulls By means of a simple but subtle system of two loops one over the poll and one over the nose the bridle embraces the whole of the head It can be thought of as providing the rider with a benevolent headlock on the horse See illustration below Unlike the bit method of control the Bitless Bridle is compatible with the physiological needs of the horse at excercise First and foremost it does not injure or frighten the horse but neither does it interfere as does the bit with the horse s ability to breathe and stride freely view from side view from below Steering A squeeze on one rein white arrow pushes inoffensively but persuasively on the opposite half of the head black arrows Where the head goes the horse follows Horses respond better to being pushed than pulled They also prefer to receive the aids distributed painlessly over a large area of the head than painfully and focally in the mouth an exquisitely sensitive region Braking A squeeze on both reins hugs the whole of the head and triggers a submit response This applies more effective brakes than that provided by a bit The Bitless Bridle provides communication by applying painless pressure across the poll behind the ears a region of particular responsiveness down the side of the face under the chin and across the nose THE AIDS T
4. he aids are the same as with the bit method of control From the rider s perspective there is very little difference in the way you communicate with your horse though you will probably eventually discover that you can ride with a lighter more subtle hand Most horses and riders take to the bridle on the very first day They do not require weeks of adjustment A few riders have reported that at first the horse feels a little heavier in the hand than with a bit but this im pression passes In effect the horse becomes lighter on the forehand and most riders sense that the horse becomes more collected If a rider wishes to introduce a horse in stages to the feel of the Bitless Bridle the horse could first be longed in the bridle before being mounted Most riders do not feel it necessary to do this but it is nevertheless of interest that a horse can be longed in the bridle and this facility has in any case some advantages for training purposes Riders should strive for light contact and an independent seat The reins should not normally be used as a safety harness and the means whereby riders retain their seat or restore their balance Nevertheless if it should become necessary the reins can be used in this way without hurting the horse The Bitless Bridle provides brakes that are better than a bit Unlike the bit method of control which the horse can disable by placing the bit between its teeth at no time can the rider be left
5. ights Reserved
6. ome type of quick release snap so you can easily and quickly free your horse if necessary LONGEING Reins removed Convert into a halter using the reins removed instructions above then attach your longe line as you nor mally would to the O ring on the noseband LONGEING Reins attached Fit the bridle as you normally would for riding Attach the reins to the saddle or surcingle with bungee cords to simulate gentle hand pressure then clip the longe line to the O ring on the noseband MAINTENANCE The leather bridle must be kept in good condition with regular cleaning and conditioning Pay special attention to the cross under straps particularly where they pass through the O rings It is important to keep the leather supple and well fed to avoid the leather cracking at this region of high friction and wear As with any leather tack any components showing signs of cracking should be replaced If neglected nylon webbing absorbs dirt and becomes stiff abrasive and unsightly This can be avoided by regular washing A great convenience is that nylon bridles can be put in a washing machine Beta bridles are the simplest to maintain To remove mud drop them in a bucket of water To remove grease add a little detergent to the water HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE BITLESS BRIDLE The Bitless Bridle comes fully assembled but if you disassemble it for cleaning or conditioning follow the steps below to ensure proper reassembly
7. ors snap to unite the two O rings of the cross under straps to make the halter even more secure Alternatively remove the reins from the Bitless Bridle bring the two O rings at the end of the cross under straps together and hook your lead to both of the rings TYING Reins removed IMPORTANT Do not tie your horse using the cross under straps Take the right cross under strap bring it under your horse s chin and use a scissor snap or something simi lar to connect the O ring on the right cross under strap to the O ring on the left side of the noseband Do the same with the left cross under strap hooking it to the O ring on the right side of the noseband To tie your horse you can either snap your lead to one of the O rings on the noseband or fasten a third scis sor snap to the loosened chinstrap then attach your lead to the other end of that scissor snap Don t forget to fasten your lead with a quick release knot or better still by using a pressure release device TYING Reins attached Do not tie your horse using the cross under straps Hook your lead rope to one of the O rings on the noseband not the cross under strap OR hook your lead rope to the loosened chinstrap using a scissor snap You may want to experiment with other ways to tie If the snap on your lead rope is big enough you may just want to hook it directly to the loosened chinstrap being careful not to pinch It s always best to tie your horse using s
8. rove our product and literature Feel free to contact us via any of the methods shown on the front cover If you would like to help The Bitless Bridle gain acceptance in equine disciplines such as dressage hunter jumper and racing you may contact the governing organizations for those disciplines United States Equine Federation F d ration Equestre Internationale www usef org www horsesport org For more information on how to submit requests for rule changes to these organizations see our website The Bitless Bridle No Risk Satisfaction Guarantee If you purchased your Bitless Bridle directly from us our policy allows you to use the bridle for 30 days and return it for a full refund if you are not completely satisfied please note that shipping costs are not refundable On the other hand if you purchased a synthetic bridle and you like it so much that you are now kicking yourself for not having had the courage to buy a leather one you can return the synthetic bridle and we will give you full credit for it against the cost of the leather bridle upgrade This way you have nothing to lose by giving the bridle a trial and a great deal to gain If you purchased your Bitless Bridle from a catalog tack shop or other distributor contact them directly to see what options they offer if any The content and material presented in this manual are 2000 2008 by The Bitless Bridle Inc and may not be used without permission All R
9. s of the Bitless Bridle put pressure along the horse s cheek which may press against the sharp edges of teeth This problem can be solved by having the teeth floated Other pain or discomfort With the pain of the bit removed your horse may become more aware of other painful problems such as a poorly fitted saddle or shoeing hoof trim problems Try riding or longeing your horse bareback to determine if your saddle is a source of trouble You may want to consider switching to a barefoot trim for your horse to eliminate metal from your horse s feet as well as the mouth Habitual behavior Your horse may be accustomed to using any one of a number of bit aversion techniques to override your ability to communicate your commands The Bitless Bridle s communication cannot be evaded and some horses may become frustrated and throw a bit of a temper tantrum when they realize they no longer control the show Patience and groundwork will eventually teach your horse to accept your cues There are numerous other less common reasons why your horse may not respond correctly to the Bitless Bridle If you have problems with your horse in the Bitless Bridle please contact our customer service department see the front page for contact information We will work with you to try to find a solution 5 CONVERTING TO A HALTER LEADING You can lead your horse by taking the reins over the horse s head and using the reins themselves as a lead shank Use a sciss
10. should be sufficiently snug so that the headstall does not slide when rein traction is applied If this happens leverage will be lost and skin abrasion could develop One sign of the noseband being too loose is that the cheek straps of the headstall item A at left bow out prominently when traction is applied to the reins Some slight bowing is normal but if the bowing extends out two inches or more from the face an adjustment to the chinstrap is needed 2 The noseband is not low enough The correct placement of the noseband is lower than most other bridles Placing the noseband too high will result in some loss of communication which can cause problems with steering and stopping We recommend placing the noseband 1 5 to 2 inches above the corner of the mouth 3 The noseband is too low Occasionally a horse will show discomfort when the noseband is placed at the recommended position of 1 5 to 2 inches above the corners of the mouth If this occurs first try using less rein pressure Secondly try moving the noseband up a little Your level of communication is reduced as the noseband is raised but this may be just what the horse needs It is important to make sure that the noseband is supported by bone and not placed so low that it is supported by the soft fleshy part of the nose If placed too low the noseband will obstruct the nostrils and could cause head shaking or even rearing Other problems Teeth with sharp edges The cross under strap
11. the nose Loosely buckle the chinstrap it will be tightened correctly later Step 2 Adjust the left and right cavesson buckles item A above so that the lower edge of the noseband sits approximately 1 5 to 2 inches above the corner of the mouth Step 3 Adjust the left and right cross under strap buckles item B above such that there are at least 3 inches of cross under strap between the ring on the noseband and the attachment ring for the reins item C above Step 4 Tighten the chinstrap buckle item D above until you can just get one flat finger under the chinstrap Make sure you have not trapped either of the cross under straps under the chinstrap Step 5 Attach your reins to the O rings on the ends of the cross under straps Check that the browband sits comfortably and is not pinching the base of the ears Once the bridle is properly adjusted the chinstrap is the only buckle you need to release to bridle or unbridle your horse ADJUSTMENTS amp PROBLEM SOLVING Fitting problems We receive occasional reports from riders that the bridle does not seeem to be effective on their particular horse Issues include problems with steering problems with stopping and headshaking or other indications of discomfort These issues can be caused by the following 1 The chinstrap is too loose Tighten the chin strap so that only one flat finger can be comfortably inserted between the underside of the jaw and the chin strap The chin strap
12. without any brakes at all Horses bolt because of fear or pain By removing the bit the rider has eliminated one of the most common sources of fear and pain Pain in regions other than the mouth can still be responsible for bolting For example pain in the back or feet from saddle or shoes should be considered It is not recommended that riders attempt to stop a runaway horse by simply hauling on both reins at the same time If equitation ever comes to a trial of strength the horse is going to win If when using the Bitless Bridle a horse should ever show signs of bolting the rider can regain control by steering the horse into a circle If this is not possible because of the surroundings then the rider can saw the reins to bring the horse back into control Unlike the situation when using a bit this rapid alternate traction on left and right rein also referred to as rattling or shaking the reins can be practiced without hurting the horse Apply this aid vigorously and with authority to get your horse s attention Remember also to sit back deep in the saddle Finally all horses should be trained to respond to a verbal WHOA FITTING THE BRIDLE TO YOUR HORSE Step 1 Unbuckle the chinstrap item D above leaving all other buckles fastened and spreadopen the noseband Slip the bridle over the horse s ears much like a normal bridle making sure the cross under straps go under the jaw and the noseband is over
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