Bitless Students, School Horses, Nurtural No-Bit Bridle
February 282010
“It’s a new world … It’s a new day!”
That’s the theme song that played as these young riders showed how well school horses can behave in a Nurtural bitless bridle. Maybe it truly is a new day – when people realize all they can do with horses … by removing the bit!
These girls are students from the River Ridge Riding Stables in Milton Ontario. Laura Colgan, the coach and owner, made the dramatic move of changing all her school horses to bitless bridles after one of her students started using a Nurtural Bridle from last year’s Royal.
Three times a day, from Sunday Nov 5th to the end of the Fair on Nov 12th, these young riders and horses put on amazing shows in the Spirit of the Horse Ring at Toronto’s Royal Winter Fair!
Laura directed them through all the basic moves that you want a horse to do: walk, trot, canter, turn circles, perform figure 8’s, do transitions, halt, back up — and even go over a 3 foot jump!
These are school kids, most with only 1-2 years riding lessons. These are school horses who had only ever been to one show. Zeus is a 7 year off off-the-track thoroughbred who has only been at River Ridge since July. Polar is a five year old pony, who is much happier in a Nurtural bitless bridle. Even 5-6 year old beginner riders took part in the show – to demonstrate that they could stop the horses in a bitless bridle.
See more about this video and Nurtural No-Bit Bridles at http://www.nurturalhorse.com/Royal_Fair_Bitless.html
Watch for more video coming soon of kids learning to ride in Nurtural Bitless Bridles.
Duration : 0:2:34
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February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
I don’t think even …
I don’t think even a bitless bridle would make a difference with the bad riding I’ve seen on these videos! When asked to halt most people I’ve seen pull backwards with both hands and lean forward! I agree that it would be great to see good riders using this bitless bridle, rather than bad riders. But at least the bad riders aren’t hanging onto their horses mouths, just their faces now! It’s gotta be good. Learning how to ride with an independant seat would do them good though.
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
No, it is very …
No, it is very different from a hackamore. The Nurtural controls the side of the face as well as the nose. The hackamore only pulls on the nose. Many hackamores sit low enough on the nose to restrict breathing; the Nurtural lets them breathe. And, as the show jumper and western competitor both said “the horse was lighter and more responsive in the Nurtural than in a hackamore. Zoe
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
so is it some kind …
so is it some kind of wanna be hackamore?
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
So glad you see …
So glad you see that you have the same control without the bit! I hope one day your preference will change. Which do you think horses like best – bits or bitless? Zoe
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
I prefer Bits …
I prefer Bits personally, but I started riding with bit less at my new stable and it doesn’t seem to have me have less control or anything.
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
I love my bitless …
I love my bitless bridle and it worked wonders on my previous horse. I don’t see why in most horse shows the judge will dock points because you have no bit! I would add points for using the bitless because you are using a kinder method to keep control over your mount! I think it is so stupid that you can’t use a bitless bridle in shows and I am going to start doing it just to show it doesn’t matter!
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
all in all i love …
really creates more of a bond and not ta mention all the benefits of riding withought a bit.
all in all i love that more people are getting involved in stuff like this
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
also i noticed that …
also i noticed that the horses are holding thier head up creating a hollow neck it would be nice to see if thats the bridle causing it or if that horse naturally carries it’s head like that
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
or was that the …
or was that the point? just to put normal riders and horses in the ring? if that was the point then it makes sense
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
o.O um these riders …
o.O um these riders have no control half the time they looked like they were gonna hit the ground i think they need advanced riders to show how bitless can be i dont ride with a bit half the time but my horse is under control still
February 28th, 2010 at 7:22 am
No, not all people …
No, not all people cause damage with bits. But the science Cleary says that most do. And more and more shows are allowing bitless bridles. There are more than one FEI studies underway. The world will change as thousand more people go bitless every year, and others see how much better horses do. Lots of dressage riders train ride and compete bitless. Some people still use bits in shows but find that training bitless improves their performance and their relationship with their horse.
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
all bits do not …
all bits do not hurt horses unless people miss use them and you can’t use bitless bridles in english shows … so this bit is not usefull to those who show english it may be good for those who just trail ride or pleasure ride
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
A well trained …
A well trained horse and rider can use a mild bit safley. However, a halter and reins in no way compares to the control of a Nurtural Bitless Bridle! Just because the horse accepts the bit, does not mean it cannot cause pain and damage. Several people who switched said they did not think they had any problems, until they saw justhow much better it was in a well-designed bitless bridle. Perhaps you will try one one day and see! Zoe
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
i use a bit and he …
i use a bit and he does not mind. only bad riders use the bit in a cruel way. and i tried a halter on him with reains and he does not listen. i perfer the bit
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
thats really not a …
thats really not a huge thing there in western we ride in hacks , i can run barrels on my mare in a rope halter….. a lot of horses can be ridden in a HALTER which ha less pressure than a bitless, which i own and never use
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
I rode zeus in one …
I rode zeus in one of those a couple of times, and he HATED it. it squeezes their cheeks if you pull on the reins even a little, and doesnt release very well.
good concept, but a properly used bit does no harm
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
I have a 17 year …
I have a 17 year old Tb w/ Melanomas on the bars of his lips.( A Melanoma is a type of cancer) One of my instructors recaminded that i tried the bitless bridle. I was going to Us Pony Club Camps, a month late. the would not let me compete in this because usdf says in Dressage you most always use a bit.They told me that the bitless bridle is only in Show Jumping and polox. Later they told me that by next year the will try to change the rules to allow the use of the bitless Bridle.
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Great to see you go …
Great to see you go bitless! If you are looking for another bitless bridle, you may want to try the Nurtural one shown here. It has many new design features and lots of folks find it works even better than the Dr. Cook. Zoe
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
I got a 4yrs that …
I got a 4yrs that was just back and I realised I didnt have a bridle to fit him…so instead I started riding him in a headcollar…hes great in that so I bought him a dr cook style bridle…not every horse needs a bit
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Thats a song from …
Thats a song from Spirit! I love that movie
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
obviously not …
obviously not because it controls the horse without pain while a hackamoor does.
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
WTF? does the same …
WTF? does the same thing as a hackmoor… which has been around forever
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
ive been using this …
ive been using this bridle for 2 months now it really does work i dont use it in shows because she tends to get really hyper at a show and i want a bit more control over her but hopfully after a while i should be able to use it at shows HOPEFULLY. plus she is alot better behaved now i think its because she thinks that i trust her lol she doesnt think it is a bridle it is sooo kl
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
you invented it? …
you invented it? wow that is so kl what gave you the idea for the name?
February 28th, 2010 at 7:23 am
yeah you can’t …
yeah you can’t compete in the horse world with a bitless unless you enter a special hackamore/bosal/or bridleless class which are tough to find. in english riding there are no bitless/hackamore classes sadly.