# Dr Cooks Bitless Bridle



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I tried one and hated it-my horse was so intimidated by the pressure he would not move. I prefer a rope halter if I am going bitless.....but obviously you cannot use that in every situation. Perhaps one of those happy mouth bits?

I do know there are folks who swear by the Dr. Cooks.....it seems to me that there is no in between. Folks either love or hate them. Good luck!


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

We have the Dr Cook bitless bridles and quite happy with them - there are better designs coming on the market all the time but I find the action of this style doesn't put pressure on the nose which is what you get with a halter or a hackamore. They stay put and don't slide around which I also like
The only way you'd get enough pressure to intimidate I'd think would be if the horse was pulling against your hands in which case I don't think a bitless bridle of any sort would be what you'd want
I also use Happy Mouth bits - you have to check for signs of chewing on them but I've not had a problem with it. I like the shaped mullen mouth one the best.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I expect to continue riding using bits, but some horses do great bitless. The rope halter style I used could go way up on their face, and that wasn't good. The Dr Cook would worry me (without having tried one - just looking at the design) because it might not give a release very fast.

If I ever go back to bitless, this is what I'd like to try. It can be bought with a jowl strap to keep the sidepull attachment closer to the end of the face:










Buckaroo Leather - SidePull Bitless Headstall Old West Silver


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

^^^ I do like the look of these - I've said it to you before, I really must look to getting one this summer


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

jaydee said:


> We have the Dr Cook bitless bridles and quite happy with them - there are better designs coming on the market all the time but I find the action of this style doesn't put pressure on the nose which is what you get with a halter or a hackamore. They stay put and don't slide around which I also like
> *The only way you'd get enough pressure to intimidate I'd think would be if the horse was pulling against your hands *in which case I don't think a bitless bridle of any sort would be what you'd want
> I also use Happy Mouth bits - you have to check for signs of chewing on them but I've not had a problem with it. I like the shaped mullen mouth one the best.


 No, not actually. My horse would not move in it from the first step, so I had not been pulling at all. They do not, in fact, give the release quickly enough to reward the horse, IMO. Some horses respond poorly to poll pressure, which is what this works on.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

franknbeans said:


> No, not actually. My horse would not move in it from the first step, so I had not been pulling at all. They do not, in fact, give the release quickly enough to reward the horse, IMO. Some horses respond poorly to poll pressure, which is what this works on.


 Different horses respond better to different things. I cant honestly say that we have to put enough force on them to put any pressure on the poll as the lightest touch is enough to have effect
You really have to go with whatever works best for you with anything


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## autumn rain (Sep 7, 2012)

Just want to add that Dr. Cook's are not the only bitless bridles; I only use bitless with my QHXMorgan and with my TWH, but each of them uses a different style of bitless; the QH/Morgan mare likes the Nurtural Horse bridle and the TWH uses a LightRider Bitless Bridle (you can find both online ); the TWH let me know that she didn't like the Nurtural Horse bridle, but the LightRider works very well for her; each bridle creates pressure in different places, but minimal cueing is required if seat and leg cues are clear and understood by the horse; in the past I have often found that it wasn't the equipment, but my lack of connection to the horse that created problems when in the saddle; nothing beats ground work to raise that level of understanding between rider and horse; when you have that, equipment is a secondary consideration, wouldn't you agree?


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

No, I don't agree that equipment is secondary to a level of understanding raised by groundwork. I think equipment can be critical. Use the wrong bit and your horse may become a ****ed off horse. Go bitless, and it may work great...or not.

I believe in training, which usually involves a habitual response to a cue inputted to the horse via some tack, repeated until it seems instinctive. I have a gelding who doesn't like me, but he is well trained and is obedient. My mare likes me fine, but she isn't well trained so her responses are a lot more problematic.

I do strongly agree that a horse might respond well to one bitless bridle, and hate another - just as they have different responses to different bits.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Im not into bitless personally, never had a horse that seemed like they would work well in it. But after hearing concern of slow release with Dr. Cooks, couldnt one just add a small amount of weight to the under jaw straps to increase the speed of release and prevent the rein straps from holding pressure on the poll to clarify cues? Seems like a simple solution to me.


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## autumn rain (Sep 7, 2012)

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if your horse does not understand what it is that you want him or her to do, no type of equipment is going to give him/her that understanding; so, I stand by what I said earlier; I do believe that if your animal understands what it is you want them to do, then the equipment is not the most important thing, (at liberty work would be a good example of this) but I suppose this could become quite the philosophical discussion!


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## HorseCrazyTeen (Jul 29, 2012)

I used one the the Dr. Cook bitless bridles on my mare for a while. I like it, but I would recommend you bought the leather version-- not the beta. The beta one is too grippy and once it tightens it won't release enough. The beta holds up a lot better and stays looking nice, but a bit too grippy imo.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

HorseCrazyTeen said:


> I used one the the Dr. Cook bitless bridles on my mare for a while. I like it, but I would recommend you bought the leather version-- not the beta. The beta one is too grippy and once it tightens it won't release enough. The beta holds up a lot better and stays looking nice, but a bit too grippy imo.


 You're dead right on this. I bought the beta one first to see how it worked as its cheaper and then the leather one - it slides through the rings really smoothly and that makes a huge difference


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

I used to ride young horses in a side pull and liked it, but beware the rope nosebands on some of them. They can be very harsh and take the hair off a horse's nose. I have not tried the Dr. Cook's bitless, but I like riding bitless in general with the right horse. However, you may have options with other bits. Maybe your horse has a low palette, which could make a standard snaffle uncomfortable. Have you tried a 3 link snaffle? There are a lot of Herm Sprenger knock-offs that aren't too expensive. I think Korsteel makes a copper 3 link loose ring snaffle for around $30. Happy mouth also makes a 3 link that would probably be really gentle. Finding the right bit can take a lot of trial and error.


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## darkelb (Jun 8, 2013)

*Thumbs up for bitless bridles*

I am a total bitless convert, going back at least a decade. I’ve been known to hack or do dressage in a halter, but normally I use a Cook bitless bridle for both. Many of my fellow boarders and my coach have also switched over to either bitless (various brands or adapted regular bridles) or a natural-type halter. A wide variety of issues across the horses started to disappear during the first ride without a bit: tense neck carriage, heavy on forehand, grinding, head-tossing, sucked back, grabbing the pit and pulling, inconsistent rein contact, and more … all gone in one or a small number of rides. In a bitless, these same horses now have a softer and more trusting eye, more inclination to stretch the back correctly from tail to nose, freer movement, and so on. At least one horse has become a much saner companion on the trails - who knew that a bit was causing that anxiety? Senior horse or young and green, all went better. I have yet to see a horse run away in a bitless bridle. With a leather Cook bridle, be aware that the cross-over leather straps will get worn at the part where they pass through the rings on the noseband; they should last a few years, but eventually will need replacing (replacement straps are available from Cook or you could get your local leather repair shop/saddlery to make new ones). Bitless bridles are not legal for showing, but there are petitions out there to change this situation.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

darkelb said:


> ...I have yet to see a horse run away in a bitless bridle...


I have. Been there, done that, more than once. Rope sidepull halter. Bolting ad nauseum. My mare relaxes more in a curb bit than a snaffle, and more in a snaffle than a rope halter. Haven't tried Dr Cook's because I've read his stuff and think he is a nut. I also think my mare would go ballistic in a design that wraps around her face.

Dr Cook:

"_The bit method’s primary fault is that, except in the hands of a master horseman with an unshakably independent seat, the bit causes pain. ‘Good hands’ depends on having little or no pressure on the bit. As the horse’s mouth is one of the most sensitive parts of its anatomy, even the slightest pressure (the weight of the bit and the attached reins) can cause intense pain. Think of the pain of badly fitting dentures or the irritation from a particle of food that lodges in your mouth_."


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If you are serious about going bitless I have a black leather one for sale. A friend bo't it, tried it on her colt - too big and has asked me to sell it for her. $50 plus mail.


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## Bayern (Jun 3, 2013)

Well I've got a Dr. Cook and my horse seems to like it...he also rides with a bit, and a hackmore. Definetly likes the DC better than the hackmore.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

My arab rode very well in a flat nylon halter. The halter was a Hamilton with the adjustable noseband which prevented it from crawling up his face.


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## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

I don't like the squeeze the dr cooks gives. I prefer a regular rope halter. But that's just my opinion.


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