My New Bitless!
So many new things recently.
I’ve been looking at and thinking about bitless bridles for awhile now. Not because I have anything against bits. I love mine and think that GOOD bits can be a very useful tool.
Why not experiment though?
I had a basic idea of what I wanted and didn’t want. I thought we’d be ok without the extra leverage of the cross under straps. I was also concerned about the horse being able to receive clear communication.
It can be amazingly hard to search for the sidepull type of bitless, well, we’ve just started calling it the bitless, it’s not exactly a bridle. I searched all the usual places. Amazon carries them as do most of the big tack suppliers. So do a lot of people on Etsy.
I went with Etsy. If we can get things from small companies, or even just a person making something to sell, why not go with that instead of giving money to the big boys? There were so many beautiful options I had a hard time deciding. Finally I narrowed it down to the things I really wanted. As opposed to all the pretty extras.
I really liked this one but was unsure about the way it attached to the bridle https://www.etsy.com/…/bitless-rope-side-pull-attachment-wi…?
I thought this one was beautiful but wanted the double rings, one for the bit and one for the headstall https://www.etsy.com/…/side-pullbitless-bridle-attachmentcu…?
So I went with this one. Pretty, has the double rings, no cross under action. https://www.etsy.com/…/249575234/braided-side-pull-hackamor…
I ordered the one that was black and purple. Very pretty but I’m a brown kind of girl and not all that into bling. As pretty as they are in all the bright colors I just like the traditional leather, all plain and boring. I sent her a message asking if she had any in brown instead of black that didn’t have the leverage from the bottom. She sent me a message asking if I wanted that instead. At the same time I got that email I got one saying it had shipped. I was a little sad but had ordered the black so, oh well.
I was very excited and couldn’t wait for my new bitless. When it came I tore into it and… It was brown!! She had sent me exactly the one I had wanted.
It was up near freezing that day so when I went out just to try it on and see if it fit I ended up saddling Rusty up and going for a ride instead. he hadn’t been ridden in at least a month, probably more. It was cold out he was excited to go out through the cows. I was a little concerned about getting bucked off with no real power to get his head up if he got overly exuberant.
I didn’t!
Instead he was light and responsive and didn’t seem to have much trouble adjusting to the difference in cues. I think we both really like it. Can’t wait to try it on the others.
Getting pictures was a little difficult. He only wanted to stand on top of me. I think this gives the basic idea though. I don’t really know the exact proper placement of these things. This looks like the right place. I wont get mad if you look and see how very wrong I am and want to tell me 
