The Original “Bitmore Bridle” - Ascot Saddlery

The Original “Bitmore Bridle”
as designed by Steve Jefferys
“Bitmore
bridles are
available in
Black or Brown
in Cob & Full
size. $79.95”
In conjunction with Saddleworld,
I have now designed a bitless bridle
that is incredibly effective, offering
three variable levels of pressure.
The ‘Bitmore’ begins as a
conventional sidepull. This provides
a clear connection to the side of
the horse’s mouth, by connecting
the reins directly to the rings
located on either side of the
noseband.
“Attaching reins to the rein extenders
applies greater poll pressure”
A horseman’s success is limited by the ability to administer accurate information to the horse.
That information is delivered to the horse through varying combinations of pressure from
hands, seat and legs. Equipment which is incorrectly used, poorly designed, or badly fitted,
can severely restrict the ability to deliver that accurate information.
While many people may have seen me riding my horses without bridles, I certainly don’t start
them that way. I believe that young horses should be started in effective equipment in order to
educate them to be accurate, obedient, and above all safe. If you then choose to remove the
bridle, it should only be done because the level of education allows you to do so in safety.
I have very strong ideas about the design of equipment in order to enhance, rather than
restrict the ability to deliver effective aids. Good equipment is only effective when used
correctly. When it comes to bitless bridles there has been very little effective equipment
available, with most being mechanically inefficient from both the rider’s and the horse’s
point of view.
“Level 1 – Used as Conventional Side Pull” “Reins attach directly to rings”
“Rein extenders run through rings
on noseband”
“Rein extenders attach to ring on
headpiece”
If the horse, and more
importantly the rider, has a clear
understanding of the bridle at
the first level, but is looking for
a more effective result, the reins
are separately attached to the
rings of the two rein extenders.
With one either side, the
extenders are passed through
the main sidepull rings, going
from outside to inside and up
to the rings on either side of the
headband. This allows the bridle
to work similarly to a gag,
applying pressure to the poll.
A World of Difference www.saddleworld.com.au

The Original “Bitmore Bridle”
The third and the most effective option of the ‘Bitmore’ bridle is achieved by passing the rein extenders through the side pull ring on
the noseband, under the jaw and up to the ring on the opposite side of the headband. At this point the bridle is applying pressure
to the poll, nose and jaw, in an extremely effective manner.
“The crossover action applies
pressure to poll, nose and jaw”
For the ‘Bitmore’ to work
effectively it must be fitted
correctly. At all three levels
the most important factor is the
noseband. It should sit just above
the horse’s mouth on the bridge
of the nose. In this position it
should be adjusted to be
comfortable, like a wrist watch.
It should not be loose, where it
can move up and down on the
nose, but certainly not tight
where it applies a constant
unavoidable pressure (about one
millimeter of clearance). At levels
two and three, the ‘Bitmore’ allows the rider to progressively apply simultaneous pressure to the horse’s nose and poll. This pressure
is created by the action of the noseband and the headband being drawn together, without the noseband being allowed to slide up
the horse’s nose.
The important thing to
remember with this or any
other training device, is the
equipment is only as good
as the person using it and if
you don’t understand how it
works, don’t use it until you
do!
It is easy to increase the
pressure on a horse, but it is
the timing of the ‘release’
that determines your
success.
Steven Jefferys
“Rein extenders pass through rings on nosepiece,
pass underneath the jaw and attach to ring on
headpiece on the opposite side.”
“Noseband should be fitted firmly,
positioned two fingers width
below the cheek bone”
“A correctly fitted noseband will ensure the bridle does
not ride up when pressure is applied to the reins”
“……whoever does the most homework wins”
A World of Difference www.saddleworld.com.au