I know that many of you ride bitless, and your posts and photos of you working on getting your horses round and responsive bitless really inspired me! So, in this week’s video, I’m riding in a bosal, and talking about the differences between riding with a bit vs. in a bosal or hackamore, and how to introduce your horse to bitless work.
When I was younger, I rode my horse Geronimo in a bosal all the time and he loved it! Some horses really prefer going bitless (though if you show, bitless bridles are unfortunately not USDF legal). Riding bitless can be tricky, so here are a few tips to help you if you want to try riding your horse bitless:
- Groundwork First – Before you try riding your horse bitless, do some groundwork with your horse in a rope halter first. The pressure and release in the rope halter are very similar to that in a hackamore or bosal, so doing groundwork before you ride will set your horse up to understand your aids when bitless. Once you put on the hackamore or bosal, do some bending exercises on the ground as well to confirm that your horse knows how to respond to the pressure. You can find some great groundwork exercises to try here.
- Pressure and Release – For the bosal, remember that the pressure and release for your aids are different than with a snaffle bridle. In the bosal, you will give a little bump, bump, then release; bump, bump, release, for your rein aids, instead of using more steady pressure like with a snaffle bridle. the release of pressure is extra important with a bosal. If you don’t release, your horse will learn to just lean into the pressure.
- Bending and Turning – When you first get on, help your horse get used to the new feel of being bitless by doing lots of bending and turning. Practice using your inside leg and inside rein (bump, bump, release) to get your horse to turn and bend.
- Independent Seat and Hands – To ride bitless you must have an independent seat and hands, otherwise, you can quickly dull your horse to your bitless bridle. Riding bitless really is a test of your horsemanship skills!
If you are introducing your horse to a bitless bridle, I encourage you to spend time on the ground with your horse making sure they understand the pressure and release and make sure that you have an independent seat. Try riding the first time in a round pen or smaller arena, and help your horse get used to the new feel of the hackamore or bosal.
I hope these tips help you if you ride bitless or are thinking about switching your horse to a bitless bridle! Riding bitless is a great thing.
Happy Riding!
Amelia
