| | Forty Years On: Looking Back to See Ahead [2011]
An abridged version of the following essay was included in the chapter that Peter Webbon wrote on "The Animal Health Trust (AHT) and its Equine Research Station" for the compliation "History of Veterinary Practice in Newmarket 1831-2011" edited by Peter Rossdale, Peter Jackson and Timothy Cox, Pomney Publications, Ltd. Newmarket, UK, 2011. Reproduced here by kind permission of the publisher.
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| | Damage By The Bit to the Equine Interdental Space and Second Lower Premolar [2011]
This is the pre-peer-review version of the following article: "Damage By The Bit to the Equine Interdental Space and Second Lower Premolar" published in Equine Veterinary Education, 23, 355-360, 2011.
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| | Preliminary Study of Jointed Snaffle Bridle vs. Crossunder Bitless Bridle [2011]
This is the pre-peer-review version of the following article: "Preliminary Study of Jointed Snaffle Bridle vs. Crossunder Bitless Bridle: A Quantified Comparison of Behavior in 4 Horses" published in its final form by the Equine Veterinary Journal, Vol. 41, 827-830, 2010.
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| | The Pain-Free Harness Horse [2011]
An article introducing a device designed to allow The Bitless Bridle to be used in harness racing: bit bypass straps that demote the action of the bit.
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| | Pain is Not Acceptable [2011]
An update to Stacy Tanner's article concerning abuse of horses in the movie industry. Most animals are well protected on movie sets, but that is not the case with horses. This article was published in the fall issue of Natural Horse Magazine and is presented here with their permission.
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| | Case History #1 [2011]
A case history presented by Mitzi Summers, Level IV Centered Riding Instructor, CHA Master Instructor, AJA Judge.Mitzi recounts her experience with Batavi, a heavily-built, difficult to control horse that she introduced to the Bitless Bridle.
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| | What Causes Soft Palate Problems and Bleeding in Racehorses? [2011]
Recent interest and activity concerning bleeding medications and other performance-enhancing drugs used in the horse racing industry are missing the point. Rather than treating the symptoms, one must look for the cause.
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| | New Tool Benefit Denied by an Old Rule [2011]
Tools and rules both evolve over time, but the tool comes first and the rule follows. An opportunity is lost when an enabling rule lags long behind a beneficial tool.
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| | Addressing the Bitless Bridle Question [2010]
In her letter printed in the British Horse Society magazine's September-October issue, Janet Astley adds her voice to the call for the crossunder bridle to be allowed in dressage competition.
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| | Hollywood Horses [2010]
While this set of videos does not feature or relate to the Bitless Bridle directly, it does make a compelling statement about the harsh treatment of horses by the movie industry, specifically through pain inflicted to the mouth. Two short videos from Stacy Tanner showing horses reacting to harsh treatment on movie sets. As Stacy notes: horses can be trained but they can't act. If it looks like pain... IT IS.
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| | Pain Is Not Acceptable [2010]
An article by Stacy Tanner that brings some doubt to that "no animals were harmed in the making of this movie" disclaimer, at least when it comes to horses.
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| | An Experiment by the Certified Horseman's Association [2009]
In October of 2008 the Certified Horseman's Asssociation agreed to conduct an experiment with Dr. Cook in which four riding school horsescompleted two four-minute exercise tests, first in a snaffle bridle, then in the BitlessBridle. None of the horses had ever been ridden in a crossunder bridle before, however all four horses showed significant improvement when the Bitless Bridle was used.
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| | Cost/Benefit Analysis [2010]
A comparison of the costs and benefits of use between the bitted bridle and the crossunder bitless bridle.
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| | Cooling Down the Warming Up Debate [2010]
Dr. Cook's considers the perplexing attitude of the FEI towards Rollkur and similar training methods.
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| | Warming Up [2010]
Over bending, by whatever name, is inhumane. Whether it is produced by force or - as some would claim - without force, it frightens and hurts a horse, unbalances him, limits his vision, partially suffocates, prematurely tires and makes it painful for him to move. Over bending, defined as any position of the head behind the vertical, if practised at any stage in a horse's lifetime, transgresses the FEI Code of Conduct and Dressage Rules. Over bending is a welfare scandal, a disgrace to dressage, and - for as long as its rules are not enforced - a blot on the escutcheon of the FEI.
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| | Dr. Cook interviewed for Veterinary Practice magazine [2010]
John Bonner interviews Dr. Cook for Veterinary Practice magazine.
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| | Going Bitless - a personal experience [2010]
Sharon Small wrote an article for the Dallas Dressage Club newsletter, which she has allowed us to post here.
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| | The Why, What and How of Fitting the Crossunder Bitless Bridle [2010]
This is an update of the article first produced in 2005.
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| | Are you riding like the primitive Bronze-Age man? [2010]
An article from the Philadelphia Examiner suggesting that riders step into the modern era of human-equine interaction by removing the bit. Click here to read the artilce on their website.
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| | An Apology to the Horse [2009]
An article to be published in the Jan/Feb 2010 edition of Natural Horse Magazine of an interview with Dr. Cook concerning the status of rule changes to allow the crossunder bitless bridle in dressage competitions. To read the article in PDF format, click here.
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| | Prevalence of Bit-induced Dental and Interdental Pathology [2009]
An abstract of an article to be submitted for publication in the Equine Veterinary Journal concerning the effect of bits on the equine mouth and teeth.
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| | Crossunder Bitless Bridle Bibliography [2009]
Evidence submitted to the USEF Dressage Committee in support of a rule change proposal to permit the crossunder bitless bridle for dressage. To read the article in PDF format, click here.
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| | Jointed Snaffle vs. Crossunder Bitless Bridles [2009]
Dr. Cook's article in the Equine Veterinary Journal "Preliminary Study of Jointed Snaffle Vs. Crossunder Bitless Bridles: Quantified Comparison of Behaviour in Four Horses." To read the article in PDF format, click here.
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| | Dr. Cook reviews the Rambo Bridle [2009]
Dr. Cook takes a close look at the Rambo Micklem MultiBridle and finds it lacking.
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| | Superprix Review [2009]
When rational discourse fails, sometimes a humorous soliloquy can succeed. Such will hopefully be the impact of a tongue-in-cheek look at the art of dressage entitled "The Official 2060 Superprix! Fan Guide: The definitive guide to mid-21st century dressage" - a fictional account of what dressage may become if recent trends are taken to their most illogical outcome. Dr. Cook weighs in on a slim and incisive book by author Michelle Guillot.
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| | On The Bit [2009]
An update to an article first put forth by Dr. Cook in 2007. An excerpt from the article:
The FEI's more succinct definition of 'on the bit' is "The acceptance of the bridle, with submissiveness throughout and without any tension or resistance." If this definition was remembered and the misleading phrase 'on the bit' was discarded in favor of 'acceptance of the bridle,' a purely semantic hurdle to welfare reform and rule change proposals would be swept away.
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| | Prevention of Riding Accidents Caused by Tack [2009]
An examination of the role that tack plays in the safety and welfare of horse and rider. Both the article and accompanying Accident Prevention Checklist are provided in PDF format.
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| | Pain: The big "but" about the horse’s bit [2009]
Unlike some animals when hurt, horses do not scream. Instead they exhibit evidence of pain by changes in behavior. This article discusses the pain caused by the bit and some of the general behavior changes that can be induced by that pain.
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| | Benefits of the Bitless Bridle [2009]
A discussion of the benefits of the Bitless Bridle over the bit method of communication, from two points of view: that of the horse and that of the rider.
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| | Liverpool Driving Bit vs. Crossunder Bitless Bridle [2008]
by Madeleine Calkoen, with annotations by Rd. Robert Cook
A comparison of a bitted driving bridle with the Bitless Bridle drving bridle, with supporting measurements of temperature and heartrate.
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| | Is It Time For a Hoof Care Revolution? [2008]
Dr. Cook discusses the current state of hoof care - many misunderstandings prevail.
To read this article in PDF format, click here.
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| | DIY Surgery on the Horse in Motion [2008]
This letter to the editor of “Veterinary Times,” UK, was written by way of comment on an article that appeared in the September issue, 2008, with the title, “Bit Problems: confusing to equine practitioners, even those who ride.” The article was authored by a veterinarian and written for the guidance of veterinarians but it contained so much misinformation that a comment seemed necessary. Sadly, the editor of Veterinary Times did not choose to publish the letter but my comments may be of interest to riders and drivers.
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| | Barefoot vs. Shod [2008]
by Marcia King
A point/counterpoint discussion on the controversial issue of whether horses need to wear shoes.
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| | Bitless Benefits for Pony Clubs [2008]
A short discussion of the benefits of the crossunder bitless bridle for Pony Clubs and other youth-oriented organizations.
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