Is The Bitless Bridle suitable for starting a two-year-old, or is it only for fully-schooled horses?
The short answer is ... YES! The bridle is wonderful for starting a horse and you can do everything you need ...leading, lungeing, long-lining, and backing. Many people who are using it for this purpose find that the bridle allows them to make more progress in three days than they would normally make in three weeks.
You cannot hurt a horse with this bridle. To the horse it feels like a halter but to the rider it feels like a bridle. You are far less likely to frighten a young horse by starting them in this bridle than by starting them in a bit. As you are wanting to start your horse rather early, as a two year old, the bitless bridle is particularly indicated. A two year old has a very sensitive mouth on account of teething activity, so keeping a bit out of its mouth during this tender time is especially helpful.
Naturally, you will be starting with ground work in the usual way. The comprehensive manual that comes with the bridle includes advice on how to rig the bridle for leading and lunging.
Many people are using the bridle for starting their horses. They have found it to be much more satisfactory than the traditional approach. | |
