The Bitless Bridle


There's a new bridle being tested that could prove a revolutionary piece of equipment for thoroughbreds. That's because it is bitless. It's called the Spirit bridle.

A regular bridle, usually made of leather or nylon, fits on a horse's head and is attached to other equipment such as bits and reins. The bit -- a stainless steel, rubber or aluminum bar -- connects to the bridle, which fits in the horse's mouth and comes in contact with the soft palate. It's one way a jockey exerts guidance and control.

The most common bar is called the D-bit because the rings extending from it are shaped like the letter "D." Most bits are snaffled, meaning the bar is comprised of two pieces joined in the middle allowing it to swivel.

The Spirit bridle, which also comes in leather or nylon, is a new concept and even works differently than other bitless bridles, explains designer Allan Buck of Ramona, Calif., veteran horseman and dressage instructor. All other bridles work primarily through poll flexion with painful pressure on the mouth, said Buck, who spent nine years developing and testing his bridle on different horses before he applied for a patent last year.

Buck's bridle applies firm, painless pressure on a cluster of pressure points -- behind the ears and on the face, chin and nose. Simply, it applies pressure to the whole head -- and less sensitive tissue than the mouth.

The Spirit bridle promotes improved performance without inflicting pain, Buck says, and without interfering with breathing and striding. He believes his bridle can eliminate the need for such equipment as tongue-ties, shadowrolls and maybe even blinkers.

Several top trainers at tracks on both coasts have been using the bridle to correct horse problems and the results have been encouraging. But the racing industry is a hard sell on new products, Buck realizes.

His is a small start-up company with limited capital and no advertising. So far, everything has been accomplished by demonstrations, word of mouth and articles in scientific and horsemen's journals.

If the Spirit bridle is a more humane piece of equipment that will allow horses to perform at their highest potential with the least amount of discomfort, more trainers and owners should jump on the Buck bandwagon for the sake of their thoroughbreds.
The copyright of the article The Bitless Bridle in Horse Racing is owned by Greg Melikov. Permission to republish The Bitless Bridle in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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