My ottb has decided he wants to be ridden in a glorified halter despite me working for one of the top bit companies in the world…go figure haha I have a QHP bridle I bought from Fundis that is totally fine for schooling at home but the leather isn’t great and would love to find a bridle that is nicer for shows. Anyone have any favorites?
This bitless bridle is not a sidepull, it is a modified Scawbrig bitless.
https://naturalhorseworld.com/product/lightrider-english-euro-bitless-bridle/.
It is the most gorgeous bitless bridle I have ever seen. Since I have MS I occasionally need a bitless alternative, and I bought this one because I wanted to try an odd bit on a lesson horse and this was the only bitless bridle I could find that was easy to make into a “double bridle”.
When I introduced my riding teacher to the Light Rider bitless bridles many years ago she liked my earlier version of the Light Rider bitless bridle because it looked much more normal to her from the center of the ring. She had me order one for her for an emergency bitless bridle for her lesson horses.
This particular bitless bridle is gorgeous, dark leather, well made, and the horses and both my riding teachers like it. It gives the horse a prompt release from the rein aids and I never got the feeling that the horses’ heads felt “trapped” by it.
It LOOKS like a show worthy bitless bridle and if people do not look really closely they may not realize that you are riding without a bit.
It did not look like the url took. It is for sale at Natural Horse World and is listed as LightRider English Euro Bitless Bridle. It comes from Australia but it came to me in NC quickly.
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You did specify side pull, but if you’re open to other bitless options, I love my Stubben mechanical hackamore (https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Stubben_Steeltec_Hackamore_Bit/descpage-SSHB.html) and the D’yon hackamore bridle (https://www.dyon.be/en/bridlework/hackamore-bridle-brown-full-d-collection) combo I bought my girl to show in a few years ago. FYI that link shows the bridle with brass hardware but I got mine from Fundis and it has silver hardware.
ooooooh those are nice! Thanks for passing along the suggestion!
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Which classes will you be entering? There are a few different styles of sidepulls, from dressagey, to old world, to hunter like.
Freestyle Equestrian has nice sidepull bridles.
I’ve seen this one from Schneiders in person - it’s very discrete and probably wouldn’t look out of place at a show: https://www.sstack.com/pinnacle-padded-bitless-bridle/p/42519/?variant=true
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What I like about this model is that it is possible for me to converse clearly with the horse and to move with the horse’s head without triggering resistances in the poll and neck. The chinstrap works wonders to get lightness as long as the rider “gives and takes” with lightness.
The horse reaction seems to be “no sweat” so long the rein aid is released properly. Giving the aid at the right time in the horse’s stride is ideal but the horses seem to get the idea of what the rein aid means rather quickly–so long as the aid is released so that the horse has an opportunity to obey the rein aid in comfort.
I can use this bitless birdle with LIGHT HANDS which helps prevent stiffness in the poll.
Schockemohle makes a convertible sidepull in its equitus line. Can be used as normal bitted bridle, sidepull or combo with two reins.
https://www.doversaddlery.com/schckmhl-equitus-theta-bridle/p/X1-120793/
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Do you have a link to these bridles?
My mistake, it’s Free Spirit Equestrian. Scroll down for bridles.
Dy’on also has a bitless option
