Is bitless the answer?
Q My TB can be tense and isn’t consistent in a contact. Back, teeth and tack have all been checked. Could going bitless be the answer? Rochelle Jones, Wolverhampton
Jenni says... Whether bitless riding is the answer depends on your horse’s reason for tension and struggling with the contact. It may be that the pressure of the bit in his mouth, before you’ve even picked up the reins, is stressful for him. This can be caused by poor initial training where insufficient time has been spent ‘mouthing’ the horse. This is exacerbated in cases where the first bit was not a good fit. As well as this, unpredictable rein tensions can cause your situation. Not knowing when the rein tension will increase, or what to do to release it, causes horses considerable stress. Their natural response is ‘Stay alert, don’t get hurt!’