Types of Bitless Bridles

Bitless bridles work by applying pressure to different areas of the horse's head to steer and stop. Rope halters, rope hackamores and sidepulls put pressure on the nose. Other bitless bridles add additional pressure points.

  1. The Rope Halter

    • You can use a rope halter as a bitless bridle by attaching reins or a lead rope to the two loops of the halter and the large knot below the chin (the fiador).

    The Rope Hackamore or Bosal

    • You customarily attach a mecate rein, which is a looped rein/lead rope combination, to the wider noseband of this bitless bridle.

    The Sidepull

    • You clip reins onto rings on the noseband knots of this bitless bridle, which can be made of rope or leather.

    The Mechanical and English Hackamores

    • You have the additional pressure of a curb chain with a mechanical hackamore and a leather curb on an English hackamore.

    Dr. Cook's Bitless Bridle

    • You apply pressure to many areas of the head of the horse with this model, using reins that attach to a piece of leather that goes over the crown and crosses under the chin.