Matt Harnacke totally agree and thanks for this helpful video

Definitely! Thank you for the education; this video is very helpful🙌🏼

Anyone who thinks they need a bit for their horse obviously can’t ride well or their horse isn’t trained well. No well trained horse should ever need a piece of metal in their mouth in order to control them. Bits can’t be used without causing some sort of discomfort as that is their purpose. They are meant to apply pressure to the gums which is obviously going to cause some degree of discomfort

Isla Cassells I understand that’s your opinion but there is so much false information😂 who taught you this?

Isla Cassells what level dressage are you riding to have this opinion? Matt is a dressage trained rider I’m sure he plans on competing at some stage for competition he is going to possibly have to move to a double bridle if he levels up , It is a ruled requirement no exceptions . Matt here is finding a bit that works for his dressage training , maybe your method works for playing around on an older horse but not for dressage

Correct, but an uncomfortable bit can distract the horse to the point of falling on his face at the first bit of uneven ground. Mine hated jointed bits, went happily in snaffle with shank and unbroken or billy allen. The more mobile the bit the more unpredictable it is. Some horses love that, some can't find a way to have it sit comfortably (and those will chew/mess with it untill the bridle comes off). Chewing on it is not always a good sign.

But why even use bits then?

Bella Rós To communicate - which is also said in the video.

storytimeee: i was so sad when i visited my old stable a few months ago when i saw that the stableowner put a giant, strong bit in a “bigger/stronger” haflinger. When i rode him weeks before that he was actually really nice to ride and responded really well on just a normal bit. I’m not anti bit but i am against bits that are just so wrong for the horse. People easily think that it’s the horse or the equipment that has to change for the horse to respond better but it’s really just the rider in most of these cases. For example: i got to take care of a super sweet pony for the entire winter of 2018, he’s literally the sweetest and kindest horse i’ve ever met and he always responded perfectly. Even the owners said he’s progressed a lot and was much nicer to ride since he came back. But recently i’ve heard stories that he bucks children off and runs out of the riding arena, which he has never done in the 7 months he’s been with me. Of course, every horse has their moments of excitement and eveything, but he absolutely never did this to me. The tack never changed and neither did his food or anything else. It’s really just the rider!

@@reesew4614 most horses can't be ridden bitless, because they dislike the pressure of a bitless bridle.

Nadia yes! I’d find this super helpful.

Love this idea!

1000 percent yes to this suggestion 👏

I was thinking the same thing lol.

Yees

roxanne : well said Roxanne , it’s his continuous improvement Mentally that he demonstrates. Best wishes

She was brilliant!

Yes, I have found damaged polls from rough hands (because theres no bit, right?) on a bitless bridle, especially the cross-under type. Effectively pulling the poll from the nose and sometimes w little regard to the anatomy being impacted. So heavy hands are heavy independent of the equipment being used.

Sadly the biggest problem with bitless is people thinking if there's no bit then it won't cause any harm. And they use it way to rough because of that.

Bit or bitless, if you’re not careful you can ALWAYS hurt the horse. If you have hard hands either bit or bitless, it might/will hurt the horse. I think that bitless is better since your tool isn’t inside the horses mouth jerking around. Bitless may cause a different type of damage, but both do. However, bitless is probably more comfortable depending upon the type of bridle too.

If he does it would probably be a lot of hassle, because he would have to record clips for a few weeks possibly months, because it takes serious adjustment for the horse. And between Emporio and Chase, Matt would probably chose Chase to try it with.

My best guess is that he will not go bitless, strictly on the grounds that bitless bridles aren’t legal for dressage competition yet.

The Motherland I rode all my horses bitless for 55 years.

Majorica_Pearls I’m not thinking about fully going bitless, but just trying it out to see how the horse/s react

@@charlieprice1469 I bought my horse 3 years ago and rode with a bit for maybe 3 months. One day i just took it off and we never looked back. Its not that major of an adjustment for the horse as it is for the person. Esp if you already have a strong bond with your horse.

Congratulations you are very lucky!

Stella Carter are they andalusians? If so I loveeee them 😍😍

Sarah Ryder, PhD. Ummm How do you know?

@@reesew4614 same way you know how horses like anything, they accept it readily and are happy to ride in it.

Good question, @@reesew4614. No more fuss. No more head toss. No more resistance. No more ill attitudes. For a specific example, it was an immediate game changer for my normally rank mare. She is now soft in the bridle and eager to work. All were vetted for issues and the only conclusion drawn was the need for a bit change. I swear by it.

Aleisha Mckinley I would go bitless bits are abusive

@@lorimitchell9025 no actually, I think you'll find bitless can actually do far more damage than bits. Also, starting a horse off bitless is a very stupid thing to do, unless they absolutely cannot stand a bit. Because A. It's quite confusing for young horses, never mind green ones. B. If your horse is prone to bolting or being strong it can cause serious injuries, and C. Your opinion shouldn't matter, the horse's history concerning their dental work and veterinary work and their own comfort matters. Many horses will choose bits over bitless any day.

Great job starting your horse at 4 years old! Unfortunately, too many people start them at 2 or 3 and their bones aren't even finished growing until they're 5! It's nice to see people putting their horses first and waiting until they are ready to be ridden. Good luck with your horse!

@@charlieprice1469 bits are designed to cause pain! They are so abusive no matter how you put it!

@@venla4699 I don't know who taught you, but you've been taught wrong. The only bits created to cause pain are bike chain bits, thorn bits, long shanked bits, American Tom Thumbs or Saw Mouth bits, and I'm pretty sure almost all of them are American. Bitless bridles months other hand, we're created to work through pain avoidance, think of that next time you be a keyboard warrior.

Anne Schneider.....nice

Hanna Fardew For a stallion he seems to well mannered I’m jealous af

I thought he took the whole thing extremely well. When you change a bit, the horse crunches and gets to know it. The double linked ones are much softer, he was testing it out, see what he could do with it.

@@louisecassidy5991 he was also moving his head away, meaning he did not like it. He is well mannered for a horse, but all horses have their limit

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Tambo Aniscenko ....my old Aussie stock saddle seems to fit everything!

Kiki and Powniess check out PS of Sweden for bridles! They are expensive but if you can’t get one they have some interesting descriptions on which type of horse suits which bridle...

Kenza Turner Thankyou so much! I will go check it out 😉

Bridles are easier than bits. Plenty of room for the ears, a few holes left for the cheeks, and a neat fitting throat latch. A really nice bridle that is a bit big, you can always get the buckles shifted.

Louise Cassidy Thankyou 💕

I love them :)