The Bitted or Bit-Free Debate

Tiny spent most of his life sporting a double bridle. He loved being ridden bit-free!

 

Whether on the race-track, in the arena, or trekking cross-country, the search for excellence in equitation has been going on for thousands of years. It is no easy task to balance the interests of two different species. Fortunately, scientific research has provided the horse community with in-depth studies to make the task easier.

Recently, bitted or bit-free riding has taken center stage. Arguments on each side are thoughtful and considerate of both horse and rider. However, it is oftentimes difficult to divide scientifically verifiable facts from opinions; especially when the opinions are espoused by people who are well-known and highly respected.  Nevertheless, opinions are important because they spur further research to ensure humane treatment of horses and equestrian safety.  But, what has science demonstrated so far? After many, many hours of combing on-line resources, here is a summary of my findings:

  • Horses wearing bitless bridles are more comfortable than bitted horses. 1, 2,
  • It is easier for riders to halt un-bitted horses than bitted horses. 1
  • Bits cause dental and oral cavity damage. 3, 4
  • Bitted bridles with tight nosebands can create sores to corners of horses’ mouths. 5
  • Frequency of swallowing varies greatly from horse to horse and is unaffected by the presence or absence of a bit. 6
  • Rein tension, not bit type, is more predictive of negative oral behaviors. 7
  • Static rein tension produces resistances or negative oral responses in bitted horses. These responses are unique to each horse; however it is ironic that one negative response, “mouthing the bit”, is looked upon favorably by the FEI. 7
  • Riders on un-bitted horses do not pull harder on the reins than do riders of bitted horses. 8
  • Horses will open their mouths in response to heavy hands and uncomfortable bits. 8
  • An open mouth breaks the oral cavity seal thus reducing airflow from the nasal cavity to the lungs. 9
  • Neck flexion constricts and may collapse the upper airway, diminish airflow and can lead to respiratory dysfunction including exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhages. 10, 11
  • Tight nosebands, meant to prevent the equine mouth from opening, cause stress responses including increased heart-rate. 12
  • Diminished airflow causes breathlessness, which in turn, reduces overall performance. 13
  • Bits can cause dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) and other breathing problems that reduce the overall physical and mental health and athletic performance of riding horses. 13

A study on the consequences of diminished airflow published in 2017 by Professor David J. Mellor, and Dr Ngaio J. Beausoleil, summarizes an exhaustive amount of research on the negative effect of rein tension, bits and jowl angle on the equine cardiorespiratory system. The authors conclude that the use of bits were implicated in dyspnea and associated breathlessness, which caused various degrees of physical and mental health problems from discomfort to long-term damage to lungs and other organs.  They suggest the use of bits, and the potential benefits of bitless bridles, are animal welfare issues. 13

I set out to review current research on bits and bitlessness.   I found that what one does or does not put in a horse’s mouth is implicated in negative behaviors, cardiac stress, and, especially, breathing issues.  I also discovered an additional, completely unexpected factor: rein tension.  It is the combined effect of rein tension with bits that is most injurious to horses. This supports the great riding master Xenophon’s words over twenty-five hundred years ago, “Anything forced or misunderstood can never be beautiful.”

The best riding masters teach that direction changes, gaits, halts, and forward motion including stride length must be requested, not by the reins and bit, but by the rider’s weight and legs.  A scientific study of the physiological and behavioral differences between horses controlled by reins compared to those who are directed through the use of leg and weight aids might encourage the use of training and riding methods that reduce rein tension and eliminate bits.  Of course, jockeys’ crouched position provides negligible ability to employ leg and weight aides. However, perhaps racing bit-free with increased sensitivity to the effects of rein tension would increase the performance and prolong the health of race-horses.  Regardless of the discipline, even bitless riding can be harmful if the rider continues to pull on the reins for control or to create and maintain an unnatural posture, such as a low jowl angle.

by Chris Forté*

For another look at the effect of bits on horses:

A BIT OF HISTORY

References

  1. Jessica S. Quick, Amanda K. Warren-Smith,  Preliminary investigations of horses’ (Equus caballus) responses to different bridles during foundation training, Faculty of Rural Management, University of Sydney, PO Box 883, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia; and School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University, P.O. Box 883, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia.
  2. Cook W.R. and Kibler, M. (2018): Behavioural assessment of pain in 66 horses, with and without a bit.  Equine Veterinary Education. Open access article athttps://doi.org/10.1111/eve.12916
  3. Fernando Mata, Claire Johnson & Charlotte Bishop (2015) A CrossSectional Epidemiological Study of Prevalence and Severity of Bit-Induced Oral Trauma in Polo Ponies and Race Horses, Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 18:3, 259-268, DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2015.1004407
  4. Tell. A, Egenvall. A,Lundstrom. T, Wattle. O, “The prevalence of Oral Ulceration in Swedish Horses when ridden with Bit and Bridle and when unridden”. Vet J. 2008 Dec;178(3):405-10. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2008.09.020. Epub 2008 Nov 21.
  5. M. Uldahl, H. M. Clayton , Lesions associated with the use of bits, nosebands, spurs and whips in Danish competition horses , First published: 04 March 2018, Equine Veterinary Journal Article , https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12827
  6. J Manfredi, HM Clayton* and FJ Derksen Mary Anne McPhail , Effects of different bits and bridles on frequency of induced swallowing in cantering horses, Equine Performance Center, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1314, USA *Corresponding author: claytonh@cvm.msu.eduSubmitted 7 December 2004: Accepted 26 October 2005 Research Paper
  7. Jane Manfredi, Diana Rosenstein, Joel L Lanovaz, Hilary Clayton, Fluoroscopic study of oral behaviors in response to the presence of a bit and the effects of rein tension, Article (PDF Available)  in Comparative Exercise Physiology 6(04):143 – 148 · November 2009,  DOI: 0.1017/S1755254010000036
  8. T.L. Bye, R. Walker, C.A. Shaw-Webster and D. Brewer, A preliminary investigation comparing rein tension between bitted and bitless bridles. Bishop Burton College, www.bishopburton.ac.uk.
  9. Cheetham, J., Holcombe, S. J., & Ducharme, N. G. (2013). Upper airway function of normal horses during exercise. In Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery: Second Edition (pp. 529-547). Elsevier Ltd.. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-7020-4771-8.00025-9
  10. V. M. Petsche, F. J. Derksen, , C. E. Berney and N. E. Robinson, Effect of head position on upper airway function in exercising horses , Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824- 13 14, USA.
  11. Go, Li-mei et al. “Objective classification of different head and neck positions and their influence on the radiographic pharyngeal diameter in sport horses.” BMC veterinary research (2014).
  12. Fenner K, Yoon S, White P, Starling M, McGreevy P (2016) The Effect of Noseband Tightening on Horses’ Behavior, Eye Temperature, and Cardiac Responses. PLoSONE11(5): 0154179. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0154179
  13. Mellor DJ, Beausoleil NJ. Equine Welfare during Exercise: An Evaluation of Breathing, Breathlessness and Bridles. von Keyserlingk M, ed. Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI. 2017;7(6):41. doi:10.3390/ani7060041.

* Chris Forté is a California-based horse teacher and clinician whose life experience includes careers as an attorney, educator, and writer.  Chris’ creates harmonious bonds between horses and riders using a unique approach based upon up-to-date behavioural and animal welfare sciences, and the principles of positive reinforcement.