For the last two years I have been experimenting with various bridles, both bitted and bitless on five different horses. Although I tend to be picky about the fit of my tack, and read and follow directions well I have noticed various degrees of resistance to rein contact with each different piece of gear. Lately I have been riding two mares (Arab and Arab-Welsh), trying out various bitted and bitless systems. I find that mares often express their displeasure a bit more emphatically than geldings, and depend of them to give me a honest evaluation.

One thing I have noticed is that these mares' behaviors and performances can range from "perfectly trained" to acting like a horse with no training at all DEPENDING ON HOW COMFORTABLE THEY ARE. As I am riding in the same ring and with the same saddle, and I always have my instructors' feedbacks, I can only blame the differences in performance to the different headgears. Depending on the comfort of the Arab mare's headgear, she can have a wonderfully responsive mouth (or nose) or she can become very resistant to any rein aid. When her mouth (or nose) are comfortable she has no resistance to rein aids, when her mouth (or nose) are unresponsive she usually halfheartedly tries to rub her headgear off her head. She is still easily controllable, but she makes her discomfort known by increasing resistance to the aids. The Arab-Welsh mare goes from being a calm horse, wonderfully responsive to the hand, to a trotting maniac that does not want to slow down, and her mouth (or nose) become very "hard". In each case it is the same horse, same ring, same rider, same saddle and pad, just the different headgear.

I know that it is expensive to get many different bridles and bits to try out on a horse, especially if you are supporting the horse; the only reason I can afford to own many different bridles and bits is that I no longer own a horse. But if your horse is unresponsive to your hands it may be of benefit to borrow (with permission of the owner) any different bridle, bit, or bitless system you can. If your horse is comfortable he or she will remember their training and will be much easier to work with. If your horse is uncomfortable resistances appear and quickly get worse.

Have a good ride!

It is MUCH easier to ride a comfortable horse.