Should I use a bit for my horse? How do I Decide?

The conversation about whether we should or shouldn't use a bit has been going on for as long as I can remember, and can be a really emotive subject. I've been thinking about it a bit, for a while now, so here I offer some of my thoughts on why I use one, the process I use to make that choice and in these modern days, how we might offer meaningful help to our horses surrounding the whole issue.

There is absolutely no doubt that a bit can cause serious harm to a horse, so with such an obvious reality in mind, it would be easy to just never use one again, right? But is this really the best thing for all horses, and could it also be an easy way of bypassing the gift of all we could learn from a conversation about it? Even if that conversation gets a bit uncomfortable.

I’ve always valued the freedom I have to make decisions based on the closest thing to truth and reality I can find. Rather than using my emotional reactions as a gauge for big decision-making, which are apt to change depending on what mood I’m in, I tend to view a strong emotional reaction as a signal that I might need to stop and look closer before diving in.  

So with that in mind, when it comes to whether I use a bit or not, a decision I have regularly checked in on over the years, (I am from what might be described as an old-fashioned background, that might leave it unquestioned), I like to be as sure as I can that I’ve done my due diligence.

I mostly choose to ride and train horses using a bit, but I am not anti-bitless. I’m happy to ride bitless, and most of the horses I have trained with a bit are just as easily ridden without one. So in that case, why bother to use one at all, you might ask?  And it’s a good question.

When it comes to training the horse to carry a human, it must be our primary objective that the horse is as well prepared both mentally and physically for the task as we can manage with our current level of skill and understanding.

When it comes to the question of thebit, It seems to me that our first question regarding whether or not to train with one must surely be, ‘Could it be in the horse’s interest to use a bit?’ Rather than, ‘do I like the idea of it or not?’ So with that in mind, let’s proceed…

I always start training conversations by saying that if we want to work with the best interests of the horse at heart, we must always set out to look for the truth of the whole matter. A genuine enquiry on whether a bit is useful for a horse therefore requires that we initially put our personal opinions, biases and ideas of right and wrong to one side for a moment. (We can always have them back later if we still need them) Only once we do this are we really open to genuine enquiry. Hearing and discovering new information, or things we didn’t know, is now our agenda, rather than our default setting, which is often to be listening out for things that align with what we already understand, and the tendency towards discarding anything that doesn’t fit with our current narrative.

The ’B’ Word.

The ‘B’ Word can be a very emotive subject. I often see that those of us who have very solid views about a subject can fear that if we were to open up to any potential contradictory information, we would be disrespecting our cause and in danger of losing something.

The truth is, there is never anything to be lost in curiosity and enquiry, because once we allow our mind to enter a genuine space of openness and learning rather than stating and confirming, emotion begins to subside, and this is great for horses.

As emotion subsides, we are set free for a less reactive decision-making process and from here, always moving closer to the truth of what might be useful for the horse, rather than simply satisfying to our mind’s desire not to feel uncomfortable. At the end of the enquiry, we might choose to bit or we might not or a combination of the two.

Whatever choice is made in the end, the best we can do for our horse is to know that our choice was informed rather than simply based on whether we feel icky about it or not.

So here I'd like to take a moment for a look at a couple of the main plus points I see of using a bit, as in, its usefulness for the horse.

As a body worker with a keen interest in biomechanics, I have come to learn that the poll, jaw, and tongue of the horse, all affected by the actions of the bit, are an integral part of the entire equine body-mind, so it could be said that not including them in training might prohibit us from creating a full body-mind training experience.

So the 'honesty' question could then be, is this what the bit is being used for? An aid to access the full system? Or an aid to simply control and subjugate?

It's my experience that when the horse’s jaw and tongue are interacting, free to move and relaxed, so is his mind, and I can go a good way to aiding this with actions of the bit used as it was intended. It’s also my experience that this provides access to all manner of other body parts, especially those behind the saddle. Those whose functionality is vital for healthy movement and the development of core stability, top-line and suppleness. It seems that I can gain greater access to this by including various actions of the bit.

It looks to me, however, that this is often not the way in which many, if not most bits are used, so is it the bit that's at fault and causing harm to our horses, or is it possible that ignorance, lack of education and skill is causing the harm?

An uncomfortable image, perhaps, but what can we learn from it?

Currently, there is some very emotive material available on the internet that makes a compelling argument against the bit, often by way of showing how the horse’s tongue is being squashed between the bit and lower jaw. These are powerful images and might shut me down right there from any further enquiry, but if I put my uncomfortable feelings aside for a moment, what else can be seen?

What I find in genuine enquiry is that these images and arguments don’t take into account that in these images, the bit isn’t being presented to the horse in the correct manner, and if it were, then it wouldn’t be creating the negative forces shown.

Using the visual information I have, what also becomes interesting to me is that the height of the head and neck is perfectly relevant to where the bit sits inside the mouth. So here we have further proof, once again, that there should be no fixed or “right” height for the head and neck per se and that we must first aim to follow the horse’s head, neck and mouth with the bit rather than dictating with it. And that’s the simplicity of it really, isn’t it? Just that. 

Our question then becomes ‘where is the bit in the horse’s mouth relevant to his current head and neck position?‘ In this way, we can keep ourselves in check using real information.

So supposing we have a bit that is well-fitted to the horse’s mouth anatomy, being carried in the correct place, and on the other end of the rein is a well-balanced, competent rider… Ahhh, OK. Here’s where we might come up against the first icky truth bomb. How many riders fit this description? The truth is that many don’t, so what do we do?

Do we demonise bits or do we take some time to look at the truth of what’s going on, which is rarely comfortable?

The truth seems to be that many riders use the bit to control rather than communicate and enhance, and yes, I have been that person in the past and still make mistakes now. Many new riders I go to, though, have never even considered what's being talked about here and are just doing their best with the level of skill and information they have, whilst also trying to stay alive. So it's clear that better education and rider training are needed.

The truth I also see is horses being ridden bitless, who are working in tension and high levels of asymmetry, whilst displaying obvious discomfort, so taking the bit out, whilst making you feel better, might not necessarily creating the total harmony you were hoping for.

I am forever learning, but it seems that if I have an interest and the understanding that I aim to never take the action of the bit downwards onto the tongue and bars, then most horses seem to tell me I am free to experiment with what works for them and what doesn’t, without causing pain. The whole experience, albeit never perfect, whatever that is, then becomes one of communication and creation even when mistakes are made.

If we can make room for the idea that bits can be useful for the horse’s training, but at the same time can cause harm when not used correctly, then maybe we can make some meaningful changes…

With that aim, below is a list of ideas I have regarding actions we could take to improve the welfare of our horses without demonising what can essentially be a useful tool for enhancing the horse's ability to carry a rider.

·       Correctly bit-trained horses could have the bit removed for novice riders with unstable hands, whilst learning.

·       Tie-down gadgets of any description, outlawed completely (including running martingales)

·       Any noseband whose aim is to force the horse’s mouth shut, outlawed completely.

·       A higher standard of education offered in riding schools, especially BHS establishments.

·       The FEI to uphold its own rules regarding horses working in front of the vertical and carrying weight behind.

I’ll stop there, but this list could go on I'm sure. It can make for comfortable reading, though, can’t it, because it involves some self-honesty and a fair bit of inconvenience.

I sometimes hear the argument that removing some of these restrictive devices opens us up to danger from lack of control, and I agree. It may well do, but only because our horses are not being trained correctly. A well-trained horse is a safe horse. We would then need to be looking at who we needed to be and what actions we might need to take to become riders who don’t need these painful, restrictive measures to be in control. We’d have to.

Nuno Oliveira

 I stopped using running martingales many years ago after I began to experience that they were actually preventing me from having the effective communication I needed for whole horse "control" in any situation. I actually feel safer without one now.

And yes, we must have reliable 'controls' when we are riding our horses. Control doesn't have to be a dirty word unless we make it one with our actions. A post for another day, perhaps?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this issue...