“A bit? If you don’t need it, you may use it”

… a wise man said. And I could not agree more. You should never depend on the bit, you should never need it to gain control. A bit can be a torture device in the wrong hands, and should me handled with care. But in some cases, it can be a helpful tool of communication on the long journey of educating the dressage horse. But never because you need it.

If you need metal in your horse’s mouth to be able to ride him, you are doing something very wrong.

Riding is not about the tack. Riding is a feeling, it’s two induviduals communicating at the finest level. If you need metal in order to do so, it’s no longer fine communication. If you use the bit with great care to add more finesse to your hand, then it’s fine communcation.

But in the end, it does not matter if you choose to ride with a bit, with a bitless bridle, with a rope halter, with a cordeo or without anything. Riding is so much more than the tack itself, why do we focus so much about it? Riding is a feeling, and it’s all about the foundation of communcating through energy and body language. That’s the important part. The second most important thing is how you chose to use all your aids. A touch of your leg, or a kick?

Remember, in the wrong hands, even a cordeo can also be painful. Don’t stress so much about what kind of tack you prefer. The goal is to ride with the lightest signals possible, but that doesn’t always mean to throw your soft sidepull in the trash can because someone else can ride barerback, bridleless and with voice cues only.

Use your head, never use violence and find the best solution for you and your horse. Aim for your goals, but take your time and enjoy the journey!