Bitless Bridles

A bitless bridle is a bridle for a horse or other animal, which does not carry a bit in the animal's mouth.

It is likely that the first domesticated horses were ridden with some type of bitless bridle, either made of sinew, leather, or rope. Because the materials used to make gear other than bits disintegrates quickly, clues to the earliest use of bitless designs have not yet been found.

Bitless bridles apply pressure to parts of the horse's face and head, such as the nose, jaw and poll, but not to the mouth.

Uses of a bitless bridle include training green horses, when a horse has a mouth injury or is otherwise unable or unwilling to carry a bitted bridle, and by personal preference. These bridles are most often seen in endurance riding, trail riding, and some types of natural horsemanship, although more recently they have enjoyed increasing popularity in dressage, hunting and jumping, driving and racing. Source

New & Used Bitless Bridles