What people say & do

First Bitless Ride

Downloads

Links

General comments on:
  Bridles 
  Training DVD 
  Trainer
  Customer Service  
  Questions / How-To's
  Horse tales - Success    stories or just plain fun

General Comments on ...  Nurtural  No-Bit BRIDLE^TM  

Return to top   Return to General Comments List

Return to top   Return to General Comments List

Custom made bridle worth talking about

Hello,
I had a question regarding your bitless bridle:
I have a horse, which has a tumor below the ear on the level where the
browband is sitting. I have been using a one-ear headstall, but would like
to switch to bitless.
My question is : Is it possible to buy a bitless one-ear bridle ?
Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Claudia

Hi Claudia,
The manufacturer said it's not a problem. He can do it.
All we need to know is what size, and what kind of material, what colour material.
Let me know, along with whether or not you want reins, and I can get the order on its way.
If you'd like to call to order it, that works too. We can process payment and the whole nine yards right over the phone.
Salut!
Andrée Bédard - Nurtural Horse

(Messages in between: talking about shipping, costs, etc... next message is once the bridle has arrived)

Hi Andree !
Thank you for your quick response.
As luck will have it, I came home to the bridle waiting at my front door !
It is very beautiful and I can't wait to try it !
I will take a picture and send it to you.
Please let the manufacturer know that they have done an outstanding job with the ear piece !
Thank you and I will recommend your company to my friends.

Claudia
 

Return to top   Return to General Comments List

Reviews show Nurtural as the favorite

psyched that I found the right bridle.

What else about me?
I like to do more with less.

I do believe in a firm but kind hand in training and feel that the horse teaches me just as much as I teach the horse, I do work with that philosophy in the lessons.

We offer horses a natural environment with run in shelter, plenty of hay, limited grain if needed and 9 months of fresh running brook water and a heated water trough for the cold weather period where the brook freezes over.

I blanket only if I absolutely have to. Hardly ever.

However, we are building a barn for the more conventional boarders at this time. Hopefully we will be able to put up an indoor before the

winter 2007-2008.

We are about 8 years behind you,( started this barn about a year and a half ago) and not on 500 but 100 acres, would love to meet you all!!

What I loved about the DVD is that you all looked your self. Very

Read more about Klara as a Nurtural Coach  and Tack Store.

________________________________________________________________________________________

E-Bay Feedback:

Quick ship to US--Well made nylon bridle--Order the video too !! AAA+++

Wow, just what I wanted to learn, Well packaged, fast service, Thanks : 0 )

Excellent quality TRAINER & BRIDLE!
Informative DVD! 1 of eBays BEST! So Pleased
Follow-up: Superior results with Bitless Bridle. I am a "Bitless Believer"! Try it and see!

Comments on ... Nurtural Trainer
Hi - The Nurtural Trainer is WONDERFUL! My stud follows me around like a puppy! I left very positive feedback and really love your product. Thanks again. Impressive results!     Brigitte ( following eBay purchase of Nurtural Trainer) 

Great transaction! Love the nurtural trainer!!! Thanks

Very nice, useful trainer. Thanks

Return to top 

Will this bitless bridle release?
Please enjoy this series of e-mails and replies.
1. Karen to Zoe
I had found a tack store here in Quebec that sold bitless bridles  but as I has stopped at another  tack store to pick up my new saddle I had gotten into a conversation with the people there and the comments I got were:    It works  there is only one thing wrong when you pull on the reins it tightens around the horses face (which it should) but does not release unless the horses plays, pushes forward his nose/face to loosen it.   It does not release unless there is a little tug, other wise the next time you pull on the reins it tightens again. It is very slow to release pressure around the nose.  Please clarify this for me  I really like this concept. One last question what is the difference between this and a sidepull.      tks  Karen

2. Zoe to Karen:
Hi Karen,

Thanks for your message.

I am copying my reply to our Nurtural Coaches Kelly Howling and Kristin Lejeune, hoping that they will add comments regarding the perceived release problems.  Personally, I use nothing but the Nurtural No-Bit BRIDLE^TM and find no problem with release – but I am just a back yard rider.  Of the hundreds of bridles we have sold, one or two people have reported a problem with release.  This was usually fixed by adjusting the bridle according to the instructions.  Kelly uses this bridle daily in English riding, teaching and dressage. Kristin uses the Nurtural No-Bit BRIDLE^TM with western competition horses.  I hope they will comment.

In the meantime, you may want to see for yourself by watching some of the videos at our web site.  Link to the video on the How it Works page http://www.nurturalhorse.com/how_it_works.htm to see how the release works.  The four videos from the Royal Winter Fair have lots of examples.  http://www.nurturalhorse.com/Royal_Fair_Bitless.html   See how the students halt and go and take horses over jumps, watch the dressage, stallion or driving.  Please tell  me if you see any examples of what these folks were describing. 

The sidepull is a variation of the bosal, consisting of a rope noseband with a leather or synthetic strap under the jaw, held on by a headstall. Direct side pressure is applied via reins attached to rings on either side of the noseband; severity can be increased by using harder or thinner rope.  It does not give you total control of the head as the Nurtural No-Bit BRIDLE^TM does.

 Our bridles come with a 30 day money back satisfaction guarantee, so feel free to try for yourself.

 I hope this helps!

3. From Nurtural Coach Kelly Howling:

I have not had any trouble myself with the bridle releasing pressure (I would not use it if I did as I train horses on release of pressure).  There are other versions of bitless bridles out there & I have tried several of them - there were a few that I did find that would not release the horse's face & made the horse feel very trapped and restricted.

The reason I am using the No-Bit bridle is because I have not found that problem with this particular bridle. 
I find that the Circle-X added to the bridle prevents the reinstraps from twisted and ensures that the horse's face is never trapped.  I have found it easy to quickly release pressure.  I have found I can also maintain a steady slight contact with my horse's face without trapping my horse's face.  I have never found it to keep tightening around the horse's face. 

The only way I can see the bridle tightening & staying tight on the horse's face is with a rider who constantly balances heavily off their horse's face.  In which case, this is a riding problem, not a problem of the bridle.  The problem would be equally problematic with a bit in the horse's mouth but may just become more obvious in a bitless bridle.  In this case it is the rider that is not releasing the pressure, not the bridle itself. 

Or if the person has a horse who goes very heavily on the forehand and drags on the hands and does not know how to give to pressure - rather dives into it. 

Or perhaps if the bridle is not adjusted properly for the horse. 

Hope this helps a little, feel free to e-mail with further questions,

Regards,

Kelly Howling           www.EquineAware.com                EquineAware Horsemanship

4. From Nurtural Coach Kristine Lejeune

Here’s my .2 cents after having used both the nylon and leather Nurtural No-Bit bridles:  

I’ve heard of other brands of bitless bridles that have problems with straps twisting which could in theory cause interference with pressure release however, I’ve not had or heard of this problem with the Nurtural bridle. 

I have had no problems with release of pressure on any of my horses with either material. The large metal rings that the rein straps slide through do not have any grab what-so-ever so I really can’t see any way that this bridle wouldn’t/couldn’t release the second the rider slacks the reins.  Ahhhhh, on second thought, the one and only way I can see this problem occurring is if you have a horse with a full, long winter coat ie. super fuzzy head and the hair gets wrapped in the bridle mechanics. This MAY cause the pressure across the poll not to release but not the reins or noseband. 

Point to ponder; some horses, especially those Western trained ones that are not used to having a snug noseband (Western bridles do not have nosebands and cavesson’s are quite loose) will take more time getting used to the pressure around the nose.

Kristin Lejeune

Can you teach a horse to neck rein?  Is it gentle enough for beginners?

Sent: August 29, 2006 3:19 PM
 

I have a Mustang (a large one where draft horses were introduced to the herd).  We adopted her from the BLM when she was just over a year.  She is 10 years old now and has never had a bit in her mouth.

We started riding her with a halter and leadrope, but I wanted more control - just in case.  I found a sidepull that worked well on my gelding, and she responds to it, but it doesn't fit well even with the adjustment.  I'm looking for something to replace that.

She has never learned to neck rein, and that is something I would like to start teaching her.  From looking at the design on your bitless bridle, this is still going to be a side pull concept, correct?  If I tried to neck rein it would put pressure on the wrong side of the head and cause her to become confused, if I understand the design correctly.

Is there any sort of bitless bridle that will work with me to teach my mare how to neck rein?

Also, is this design gentle enough that if I have beginner riders on her they won't hurt her with their inexperience? 

Thank you, Michelle

Zoe's reply:

Hi Michelle, 

Thanks for your message.  I think I can address all of your very good questions and concerns.

1.  Can you neck rein?  

I don’t neck rein myself, but a lady stopped by our farm recently to try out these bridles, hopped up on my green-broke mare, and had her neck reining in minutes.  I asked Crystal Birt, the gal in the Team Penning story at our web site, if you can neck rein in a Nurtural bridle.  Here’s her reply:

I do neck rein to a certain degree. When I am penning I don't neck rein a whole lot, but when I am home I do quite a bit. It is quite possible to neck rein with the bitless bridle. Hopefully I will be able to send more pictures.

2.  Is this a sidepull? If I tried to neck rein, would it put pressure on the wrong side of the head and cause her to become confused.
No.  When you pull on, for instance, a left rein of the Nurtural bridle it puts pressure on the right side of the horse’s face, and gently pulls the head to the left, until you release the pull on the rein.  It seems that neck reining is quite easy in these bridles.

3.  Is there any sort of bitless bridle that will work with me to teach my mare how to neck rein?
I believe this Nurtural bridle will work well to teach your horse to neck rein.  We offer a 30 day money back guarantee, so you can feel secure to give it a good try-out.  We also really like to get stories and photos of your experiences.   

4. Is this design gentle enough that if I have beginner riders on her they won't hurt her with their inexperience?
Take a look at the feature story of Bitless in the GTA with kids riding - with one little girl on her third lesson.  (I hope to post the video ‘soon’.)  There were plenty of mistakes made by inexperienced hands, but the horses stayed calm and cooperative.  Several of these were young sensitive horses that they could barely ride with a bit.  

"Will my horse really stop?" 

One of the most frequent questions we hear from folks who like the idea of riding bitless but are a "bit" nervous about making the leap is "Will my horse really stop?"

another question..

what about the most stuborne horse, one that doesnt like to listen? or one that is wild when it comes to running!?

i know you had testimonies that said their horse stopped..but i dont want to get on a horse and get killed.

the whole method seems reasonable and understandable why it works..but a horse is big, heavy and strong and i dont want to end up underneith it either. :)

thank you again.

MJ

Here's Zoe's reply:

Well … they are horses, and nothing is absolute.  But it is our experience here at our farm, and what I hear from folks like Leslie Smith Dow, that indeed they do stop as well or better with a Nurtural No-Bit bridle than with a bit.  Leslie says “I can actually stop my horse faster than with a bit.”  Cathy Inch at Foothills Farm in Sudbury says “I find no difference control-wise compared to a bit.” 

I am also a cautious rider, having had my share of broken bones and concussions.  I am more comfortable riding in a bitless bridle as there is so much less fight with the horse.  We were returning from a ride with friends one day, and all our other horses took off for a run inside the pastures while we were just on the other side of the fence.  My big mare wanted to join them, and I was very relieved to be able to hold her back.  We have never had trouble stopping with any of the 9 horses we have trained or converted to bitless riding here.   

Be sure your bridle is adjusted correctly with the reins attaching close to the noseband.  Start slowly – show the horse how it works on the ground and then in an enclosed area to build your confidence.  It is really quite amazing!  The horse usually breathes a sigh of relief and behaves much better than ever. 

We have over 200 happy customers and no one has sent their bridle back claiming that their horse would not stop. 

I am sure that you will be very happy with this bridle.  But  … they are horses, and nothing is absolute.  Stay within your comfort zone! 

I hope that helps, and would be delighted to hear how it goes when you get your bridle!

Comments on Bitless Bridle article in Canadian Horse Magazine - Can bitless bridles cause pain?

This one is not a customer comment, but rather an e-mail forwarded from the editor of Canadian Horse International Magazine raising the question Can bitless bridles cause pain?

E-mail forwarded from the editor of Canadian Horse International Magazine
See Zoe's numbered comments at the end of the message below.

Zoe's comments:

Thank you for writing and putting these issues forward for discussion.  I too am a practitioner of natural horsemanship, and I appreciate you taking the time and care to send your comments.  I hope the following responses clarify the situation and address your concerns.  Please feel free to continue this conversation in our free  public chat room. 

(1) The picture of the  horse wearing the bridle and showing signs of resistance (braced neck, open lips, crooked eyes, half closed eye) certainly caught my attention.

Good!  That's what the picture was intended to do!  Yes, that horse was indeed extremely agitated.  There were big scary monsters in the tall grass!  Even a nurtural bridle will not chase away the big scary monsters that hide in the tall grass. 

(2) I was also intrigued by the claim that new users state "it helps me rider better". 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  It helps me ride better.  I am constantly aware that I have to use my body and all my aids.  I don't waste any energy and focus worrying if I am hurting the horse with the bit.  That's the same story that I hear from many other people who use this bridle. 

(3) Any bit or bitless bridle will cause discomfort for the horse if the reins are controlled by uneducated, unyielding or hard hands.
Take a look at the feature story of Bitless in the GTA showing kids riding in these bitless bridles - with one little girl on her third lesson.  (I hope to post the video ‘soon’.)  There were plenty of mistakes made by inexperienced hands, but the horses stayed calm and cooperative.  Several of these were young sensitive horses that they could barely ride with a bit.  It did not appear that inexperienced hands could hurt.  I think unyielding or hard hands would slow or stop the horse, to the point that the rider would quickly change their ways.  That is one of the benefits of these bridles - to teach soft hands.

4) A soft, supple and willing horse can only be created through softness and suppleness in the rider who  has the ability to control the horse's body.

Of course.  No bridle on earth will train your horse for you!

(5) While a bitless bridle may be the right choice for some horses or during some stages of the training process, in the wrong hands, even a  bitless bridle can cause the horse to experience pain and discomfort.

Well, while I suppose that in theory someone might cause pain or discomfort with a bitless bridle, I think it would take a conscious and considerable effort to do so.  I think you would need to want to hurt the horse with a bitless bridle, compared to the fact that unintended harm is often caused by a bit.  The worst harm I have heard of so far from a Nurtural bridle is chafing.

I ran two searches in Google.  There were over 3 million results for horse - damage caused by bit, and less than 150 results for horse - damage caused by bitless bridle.  None of the bitless bridle items that I saw actually related to a case of damage caused by a bitless bridle.  One item questioned if damage could occur.  The others extolled the benefits of bitless bridles over bits.

Results 1 - 10 of about 3,440,000 for horse damage caused by bit. (0.31 seconds

Results 1 - 10 of about 143 for horse damage caused by bitless bridle. (0.25 seconds) 

I appreciate you raising these issues.  Based on feedback from our customers, I believe a bitless bridle may be the right choice for most horses for most  stages of the training process, and in ongoing riding, driving and competition of most types. 

Horse tales - Success stories or just plain fun
A winning Hunter, Combined Driving and Combined Event horse
The Nurtural Bridle story  - Kaitlyn's school speech
A Mother's non-rider perspective
First Place in Team Cattle Penning in PEI

A winning Hunter, Combined Driving and Combined Event horse

I'll get some pictures for you if you would like to use them. Ria was the top scoring mare in Canada for the Canadian Trakehner Inspections 2 years ago. She is also capable of more collection in the bitless bridle than most of the horses shown on your website, a winning Hunter, Combined Driving and Combined Event horse.
This week-end, I'll be doing a 15 mile Introductory Competitive Trail Ride with her, bitless. Next week-end we'll be in a Combined Driving Event, then she has a week off before making her second outing paired with a 12 year old girl who will be showing her Trillium Hunter. 
This young girl is the reason I asked about whether your bridle is show-legal. In their first competition after only 2 weeks together (a local schooling show), she won the Open hack out of 20+ riders. I know she would have an even easier trip with no bit.
Hopefully the show rules will change. Lisa.

KAITLYN'S SPEECH  

A Mother's non-rider perspective

About this time last year, my daughter, an avid rider, was working with a young horse that was continually fighting her when riding.  No one wanted to ride Mystic.  She would constantly throw her head up and twist it from side to side.  The horse wouldn’t focus on anything except that bit in her mouth.  My daughter wanted more than ever to understand why Mystic was behaving like this and help her overcome it.  No matter what she tried with the help of her coach, Mystic would not settle.  Her teeth were examined and it was suggested that her molars were coming in and causing her some pain.  It was felt that until the teeth came through, perhaps it was better not to ride her.

What does this have to do with me…the non rider mom with little knowledge of horses, riding and equipment?  Well, my daughter is a subscriber to Horse Canada magazine and for some reason I picked it up and started flipping through the pages.  I notice this article on a bitless bridle – the Nurtural Bridle.  I read the article and thought it was kind of neat and promptly forgot about it until I went to the Royal Winter Fair.  As I am entering the doors to the exhibits, there on the floor next to the wall is a small sign saying that the “Nurtural Bridle” is at the fair.  I made a point of looking for their booth and the rest as they say is history!  After talking to one of the designers Zoe Brooks and her husband, I decided to purchase one of the bridles in the hopes that my daughter could use it on Mystic.

Much to everyone’s surprise Mystic responded immediately.  No more head flicking and she was actually listening to my daughter.  Now, this is not to say that Mystic doesn’t have her moments and likes to test my daughter any chance she gets, but I am amazed at the control she has.  Since that time, my daughter has tried the Nurtural Bridle on many different horses from ponies to thoroughbreds.  The horses respond well and now all the school horses where my daughter rides use the Nurtural bridle.  Read more about River Ridge

Team Cattle Penning in PEI:
I bought one of your bitless bridles in late spring. I live on P.E.I. My horse Gypsy is getting along awesome with the bitless bridle. She isn't near as excitable as she was before. She calms done instantly. I compete in Team Cattle Penning. I had my first one this year on Sunday and she worked really good in it. I had other people asking me about the bridle and they asked for your internet address and any information that I had on it. We are getting along really well with it. I will e-mail later when I tell the other penners about it on this Sunday coming up.
....  I went penning yesterday and won 1st place in the 5 division. Gypsy worked really well.

Crystal Birt
Link to more photos ...