Catago Gentle Bridle

A bitless bridle is a bridle with no bite at all. The bridle consists of a neckpiece, a noseband with a side pull where the reins are attached, as well as a browband and jaw strap. A bitless bridle is considered gentle on the horse because of the absence of bites in the mouth, but also because it is minimalistic, lightweight and designed with fewer parts that can press on the horse's nerves and blood vessels.

The bitless bridle is becoming increasingly popular across the sport, where the bridle type goes well with the increased focus on horse wellness and the desire for a stronger and gentler cooperation between rider and horse. This focus, the love for horses and the passion for the sport is what Umamari designs all our Catago and HorseGuard riding gear around.

Read more about bitless bridles, what the benefits can be and how to use them here.

Why use bitless bridles?

A bitless bridle often weighs less and provides less pressure on the horse's head at points where it is very sensitive. In addition, a bitless bridle ensures that the rein contact is to the bridge of the horse's nose and not the mouth, making the contact gentler. To maximize the benefits of a bitless bridle, choose one that is simple and lightweight.

A bitless bridle is a bridle with less pressure impact on the horse. In simple terms, this means that the bridle itself and the rider's grip on the reins are typically gentler on the horse. If for no other reason, the bitless bridle is typically lighter due to the absence of the weight of the bit on the bridle. Additionally, if you choose a minimalist bitless bridle with few parts and not too heavy-duty quality, you take even more weight off the bridle and create less pressure on the horse's neck. The absence of the bit itself means that the horse's sensitive mouth is not affected and it is overall more comfortable for the horse. On top of that, many find that their horse is more relaxed when riding bitless, and this often means better movement in the poll as a side benefit.

No matter the bridle, the rider and the rider's riding and hand always have a huge impact on how comfortable and gentle the riding feels for the horse. The bridle, or any equipment for that matter, never stands alone.

Bitless bridles - what kind?
A bitless bridle comes in several forms. Roughly they can be divided into sidepull and hackamore. Sidepull is a noseband similar to a Hanoverian noseband, with rings on the side where the reins are attached. Hackamore, on the other hand, is designed to apply pressure over the bridge of the nose and the horse's neck when you pull on the reins.

When we talk about bitless bridles and horse welfare today, most people think of the sidepull type. A sidepull bitless bridle is very similar to a halter, but with a better fit and made of leather. The reins sit on the side of the bridle, where your direct rein contact is felt on the horse's nose. It's a great bridle both for horses that show conflict behavior or sensitivity to the bit and for horses that don't. It gives the horse one less thing to deal with and it's a way to test how much or how little of your riding is actually on the bit impact.

Unamari carries, for example, the Catago Gentle Bridle as a bitless bridle. There are also bitless bridles specifically for Icelandic riders with beautiful Icelandic-inspired details, but Unamari does not currently carry a specifically designed bitless bridle for Icelandic riders. However, all our other bitless bridles can be used for Icelandic horses.

Biteless bridle or not? It doesn't have to be either/or

The views on bitless bridles in equestrian sport are quite diverse. Some praise them and strongly support the horse welfare they offer, and others don't see much point in them and favor the more traditional bridles with bits. But with the Catago Gentle Bridle, you don't have to choose.

The Gentle Bridle from CATAGO is a brand new kind of bridle created for the horse. The Gentle Bridle can be used both as a bitless bridle and as a bridle with a bit. It's designed so you can build your bridle as needed.

"I recommend alternating between riding bitless and with bit. It's both a nice alternation for the horse and also a way to really check your riding. Can I get my horse to go as well without a bit as with? If you can answer yes, you've really succeeded in your training," says Heidi Nielsen, veterinarian, specialist in horse teeth, bits and bridles, and designer of the Gentle Bridle from Catago.

The very special and extra horse-friendly feature of the bridle with bit is that all straps at the back of the horse's head have been removed for maximum horse wellness.

"This means both that the bridle is extremely lightweight because a lot of parts have been removed, and it also means that there are no parts that tighten and thus press on the horse's head. You set the horse free and enable it to communicate freely with us," says Heidi Nielsen.

However, the Gentle Bridle can also be used as a combined bitless and bit with two reins: one on the noseband and one on the bit.

"The fact that a bridle can be used like this is a unique opportunity we have never seen before in the horse world. Personally, I see it as the future of the bridle. It gives you every opportunity to refine the signals, and it takes a lot of pressure off the horse's mouth. And if the horse's mouth and bit are in turmoil, you can release the bridle on the bit and ride with the bridle on the bridge of the nose, where the horse is not as sensitive," says Heidi Nielsen.

When Gentle Bridle is used as a bitless bridle, you use Gentle Neckpice, Gentle noseband and Gentle Throatstrap. The latter is simply put on so that the straps from the cheekpieces do not flutter and bother the horse.

Read more about bridle selection here.

How to ride with a bitless bridle?

With a bitless bridle, you ride on the same helpers as usual, just without the bit impact that we have traditionally used for centuries. That is, the aids available to you are direct rein contact but against the bridge of the nose, indirect rein contact on the horse's neck, voice signals, shanks, seat and weight.

In recent years, there has been an increased focus on equine wellness and a critical questioning of whether we can train our horses more gently and with less impact of pressure and pain. One of the areas of attention is bridles and biting, because we now know that both can put more or less pressure on the nerves in the horse's head and mouth. By riding with a bitless bridle, you remove the impact on the horse's sensitive mouth and take some of the weight off the bridle.
However, riding with a bitless bridle also demands good riding, that you and your horse work together and that you communicate your signals in other, clear ways than by bit impact. On the other hand, there's a good chance you'll get better at using other grips in your toolbox. Most riders who ride bitless find that the horse is very controllable - even without a bit.