Starting Babies -- Bit or Bitless?

TBEventer2002

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Jul 15, 2003
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Ross County, Ohio, USA
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Just curious as I will be hopefully starting one or both of our babies this fall (Beevy is 4, Tagg is 3). We always like to take things slow, so no worries about the work they'll be doing, ok? ;) Anyways, I am curious as to what the difference is between horses broken to bits and horses broken to hackamores/bosals/etc. (basically bitless) -- meaning, do you think horses learn to be softer in a bitless or learn quicker in a bit or any of that?

I'd like to start my filly (Beevy) bitless. Should I go straight into a bitless bridle or start with a hackamore?

I know most Quarter Horses are started in hackamores here in the US, but if ANYONE has any ideas/opinions/experiences, please list them here!
 
i don't think it matters.

i get all mine accustomed to a bit because i think it's important - should i get run over by a bus and they need to be sold on, perhaps in a hurry, they're much more likely to find good homes if they are as versatile as possible. i do worry about horses who are only parelli-trained (just as an example), or who only go bitless and don't understand bits, or who are only ridden bareback etc.
if they're sold, if something happens to their owner and they're perhaps sold on by a non-horsey next of kin, or sold on and then re-sold, and the middle owner doesn't realise they've not been bitted/traditionally backed, they could get very frightened or get a reputation as a difficult animal.

when i start a baby i will begin with a bridle over the cavesson and reins on the cavesson. then i progress to two reins - one on cavesson and one on bit - and gradually only to bit. they normally get tried out in a hackamore or scawbrig when they are teething.

even if you never intend to use a bit, i think it's important that the horse accepts one - you never know what's round the corner, or if a few years down the line you'll get a burning desire to show, do dressage - something that needs a bit to compete.
 
I suppose that since most horses are ridden in a bit, and you may not have them all their lives, it is better to start with a bit, but perhaps one of the Myler comfort snaffles as they are very gentle.

Again it all depends on the hands on the bits, or bitless bridles anyway.
 
I would agree with Es that either is acceptable, but would also agree that, just in case, they should all know what a bit is and accept one. In fact Es, incidentally, Parelli moves onto a snaffle after the hackamore - using the hackamore like a bosal in western as the training for the youngsters before they are ready for a bit. A fully Parelli trained horse should accept and bit and saddle as well as bareback and a hackamore etc. Both bit and saddle are part of the programme.
 
I would always start a youngster bitless and then progress onto a bit. Just for the sheer fact that babies sometimes do very silly things, and I would hate to accidentally jab them in the mouth. Once they're balanced and happy to be ridden, I'd introduce a bit :) (although I plan for Dolly to remain bitless :D If I get run over by a bus, my family has strict orders to give her to Becky).
 
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