Bitless, Treeless and Barefoot.
When Celtic cavalry served
as mercenaries to the ancient Egyptians saddles were limited to stirrup-less
cloths, and all horses were ridden barefoot. In contrast bridles and bits,
familiar enough in design to be fitted by the modern rider, had been in use
since 3500 B.C.E.
Who, how and when the idea
of putting something in the horses mouth to restrict movement came about is
unknown, and destined in all likelihood to stay that way, since the materials
available to this early inventor have all turned to dust over the ages. The
first ‘soft’ bits were very simple; two cheek pieces of bone or wood, joined
by a rawhide or sinew mouth piece. Later the substitution of solid materials in
the mouth part created the bit as we know it.
Celtic, and other, cavalries
continued to provoke compliments on their effectiveness in battle by the ancient
authors of the 5th, 4th and 3rd millenniums B.C.E., such as Xenophon
– writer of the oldest surviving treatise on horsemanship. By his time the bit
had been developed into a complex hard bronze mouthpiece, jointed in the center,
and with stylish curved cheek-pieces, discs and spines.
Xenophon says that two types
of bit were used – the smooth and the rough. The design of the ‘mouth’
part was known as ‘sea urchin’, having hollow mouth-pieces covered with the
spines suggested by the name. The differences between one and another were the
length and relative sharpness of the spines and the diameter and thickness of
The discs would have stopped
the horse from closing its mouth, perhaps in order to prevent it ‘getting the
bit between its teeth’. The spines would have increased the stopping power by
increasing the discomfort caused to both the bars and corners of the mouth.
Lastly the ‘nutcracker’ action produced by the joint in the mouthpiece would
further increase the effect on the corners of the mouth.
The first bit was to be used
during breaking, and had longer or sharper spines and larger finer discs and
must have caused either extreme sensitisation in the hands of a careful trainer
– or a bloodied and calloused mouth in the hands of anyone less careful.
Clearly these bits exerted control by virtue of pain and/or fear, which helps to
explain why, if you look at ridden horses in art works from the time, they all
seem to have open mouths, and a posture that is instantly recognisable as the
result of a constant battle to evade the bit.
Part of Frieze from the Parthenon.
The horse of these times was
of supreme importance in war, and the following passage from Xenophon,
describing the strategy of Celtic cavalry fighting on the side of the Spartans,
gives a crystal clear idea of the way in which their use could determine the
outcome of a battle:
though they were, they were scattered here and there. They charged towards the
Thebans, threw their javelins, and then dashed away as the enemy moved towards
them, often turning around and throwing more javelins. Thus they manipulated the
whole Theban army, compelling it to advance or fall back at their will".
It requires little
imagination to see how necessary complete control of one’s mount would be to
the success of this strategy, particularly without stirrups. So perhaps we can
understand the harshness of bits whose primary design function was to allow the
rider to carry out the frequent changes in speed, direction and pirouettes.
It is also military
convenience that explains the later developments of saddle, stirrup and spur. A
soft pad would be quite good enough for general riding, but what the mounted
cavalryman wanted was a firm platform for the use of weapons; spear, sword and
bow. In this scenario the interests and comfort of the horse were entirely
subjugated to the utility of the outcome.
By this time the design of
bits was already as complex as it could reasonably become, but the saddle was to
remain a ‘work-in-progress’ up to, and including, the present day. One of
the earliest sources on the use of saddle pads is those that served as a part of
chariot harness in 1500 BCE Egypt.
A “T” shape yoke of wood
was used to harness a pair of horses. The ends of the yoke rested on the pad,
over which was tied a girth. The chariots were not very reliable and mention is
made of their occupants jumping out before they came apart and then escaping on
the back of one of the horses. Without a girth a saddle is useless, but with a
girth to secure it the saddle developed.
Reconstruction of a Roman Saddle.
From the soft pad was
developed the leather pad, to which additions could be made with rolls of
stitched cloth and, later, by use of rigidly stuffed leather panels. The use of
leather opened up the potential yet further, the ability to set wet leather over
a frame to dry and to tighten, for a smooth cover, far stronger and more hard
wearing than cloth, to be fitted over a padded wooden former – the origin of
the saddle ‘tree’. Even so, a rider mounted in a frame saddle has no way to
brace himself against the force of his own or any others blow, nor any way in
which to balance – until he has stirrups!
According to Historian Lynn
Technology and Social Change – “The
history of the use of the horse in battle is divided into three periods: first,
that of the charioteer; second, that of the mounted warrior who clings to his
steed by pressure of the knees; and third, that of the rider equipped with
The stirrup was a Chinese
invention somewhere around the time of the first century. The advantage it
offered the cavalryman was such that its use spread throughout the steppes of
central Asia. Finally it was Mongol tribesmen that brought the stirrup to
Europe. The earliest written record dates from 580 A.D., when a military manual
of the Byzantine emperor mentions the need for stirrups. So important was this
new piece of equipment to prove that it is sometimes claimed that it was the
introduction of the stirrup that laid the foundation for European feudalism.
Medieval saddle with Stirrups – sketch
This then is the history
from which the modern bit and saddle has evolved. But it is not just history,
dead and gone. Although materials may have changed the basic design of bits
remains that they operate on the basis of discomfort or pain.
Take a look through any
present day catalogue of bits and you’ll find, alongside the relatively mild
nut-cracker action of the jointed hollow
mouth snaffle, plenty of reminders of that original ancient world concept.
Wire mouth bits, twisted mouth bits, bits with high ports, stallion bits, and
long branched lever action bits fitted with curb-chains with which to supply
that extra mechanical advantage to produce that extra bit of force; still
causing pain and discomfort, just as all those years ago.
And, just as there were
problems all those years ago there are problems associated with bits today.
Remember the earlier reference to “open mouths, and a posture that is
instantly recognisable as the result of a constant battle to evade the bit.”?
Let’s just follow that up and see where it leads us. Really to do this we have
to start with equine locomotion. Movement of the neck and head are very much an
integral part of any movement. Take the gallop as an example. During the
diagonal phase the head and neck swing down, helping the hindquarters free of
the ground and generally aiding forward movement. Any bit that restricts or
changes the normal action of the head and neck will obviously interfere with the
gallop, but the ‘star-gazer’ posture of a horse evading the bit leads to
problems at slower gaits also.
Ligaments & Vertebra of the Neck - sketch 2.
to Sketch 2
Strong ligaments run from
the poll to the tail. Lowering the head and neck pulls this ligament tighter so
that it supports the back, keeps the vertebrae beneath more rigidly in line, and
allows good transference of impulsion from the quarters through to the forehand.
Conversely pulling the head up causes the ligament to slacken and the spine,
most particularly the part between the end of the thoracic vertebrae and the
sacroiliac joint, to become dipped and less well supported. Add rider weight to
the equation and we have all the makings of a horse with anything from mild to
potentially chronic back ache.
investigations carried out on the remains of early Iron Age, Scytho-Siberian
horses from burials in the Ukraine and the Altai, dated around the Ist
millennium B.C.E. reveal
abnormalities of the caudal thoracic
vertebrae, believed by some historians to result from the use of pad saddles
and, in all likelihood, with riding bareback also. But consideration of the
exercise posture that results from use of severe bits suggests that this may
well have been the primary cause of such wear on the vertebra, rather than
saddle impact and rider weight alone.
and there references are found in historical anecdote and myth to the riding of
horses without either bit or saddle. Warrior groups such as the Celtic Irish
chieftain Finn Mac Cumhail’s Fianna were said to disdain the use of bit or
saddle, riding by their skill and the forbearance of their horses alone. The
same idea has also surfaced many times in works of fiction, where for horses
such as Shadowfax from Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Ring there is neither
bridle, bit or saddle; “If he will consent to bear you, bear you he does; and
if not, well, no bit, bridle, whip, or thong will tame him.”
is the idea of riding by co-operation rather than force and discomfort, using
both bridle and saddle designed with the comfort of the horse foremost a matter
for romance – or a realistic and humane alternative for the average rider?
Nine year old Anglo-Arabian stallion Otaua Risqué in bitless side-pull and
‘Barefoot’ brand treeless saddle. (photo 1)
The first thing that strikes
one when riding with a bitless bridle is the feeling that you have no brakes,
and it takes some time to get over! The natural fear is that if the horse wants
to do something badly enough he will neither listen to, nor respect what the
riders hands are communicating. With this in mind we decided to devise a small
test for this article. Could the stallion pictured above be given a daily walk
of inspection past paddocks containing both mares and fillies – some of which
would be in season – and remain controllable. The test seems a reasonably
difficult challenge when one considers for a moment the severe colt and stallion
bits traditionally used, and supposedly essential to the proper control of
Risqué at the gate of a mares paddock
during his daily tour of inspection.
The stallion came through
the test with flying colours – co-operating with spoken requests on every
no point was there any loss of
control or refusal to continue past females, even when they displayed the
squealing, winking and spraying that both announces and broadcasts a receptive
As the fears diminish it
soon becomes obvious that riding this way really is all about communication, and
that control can be a matter of partnership. The next thing that becomes obvious
is that the movements of head and neck show greater flexibility and relaxation
in achieving that all important novice outline at the beginning of an exercise
The back is held level,
transfer of power from the quarters is smoother and there is a feeling of
effortless lightness and elevation to the paces. In the old classical riding
schools riders were made to ride without reins in their early training, the
intention being to establish the foundations of the good balanced seat that is
so easily spoilt by reliance on the reins and bit to hold position. The bitless
bridle also prevents such reliance – to the benefit of both horse and rider.
Novice outline during freework with
Novice outline under saddle.
The increasing array of
bitless bridles now available testifies to just how many people are interested
in bitless riding. But are they all the same? The answer, in a word, is no. So
let’s look at a few, starting with the hackamore.
The operation of the
Hackamore relies on leverage. Force applied by the reins to the bottom rings
draws them backwards bringing the attached hard noseband into harder contact
with the nerve rich area of the nose and driving the curb chain into the chin
groove. The longer the branches, the greater is the moment of leverage – so
that far from being a gentle device the Hackamore can be used to dramatic and
forceful effect, in extreme cases such that a separation of vertebra at the top
of the neck can result as the horse’s head is levered back towards the neck.
The material of the noseband is, of course, an important factor. Anything from
rubber covered motorcycle chain to the saw-toothed serreta of the traditional Andalusian Vaquero can be used, with
effects varying from painful points of pressure to shallow, but bloody,
lacerations. In truth whether bit or leverage are used to produce physical
control of the head both operate on the basis of pain.
The Bosal is a much gentler
form of Hackamore. A simple rawhide loop is attached to shortened cheek pieces.
The ends of a soft rein are then attached to the back of the loop. The fit of
the loop is all important; if too large it will tend to slip up the face, too
small and it is likely to create sores. Essentially rein contact on the bosal is
for stopping or downward transitions only, since the rein attaches at the same
central point directional aids are given by neck-reining. Of course neck-reining
can be taught whatever the type of bridle in use, and is arguably the gentlest
and most relaxing method.
An alternative to bridles of
any sort, and which also operates on the neck-reining principle is the liberty
ring or neck lariat. This is simplicity itself, a ring of stiffened rope,
rawhide – or even wood, that is brought over the horse’s head and held a
little way down the neck. The ring is then turned in the hand so that it comes
into contact with either side of the neck to indicate a turn. The limitation is
that it cannot be pulled backwards with anything other than very low force
otherwise it would bear directly onto the windpipe – so stopping or downward
transitions are signalled by alterations in the seat and legs.
Next come the side-pulls.
First let’s look at the leather side-pull pictured below.
The bridle is quite a simple
affair, completely lacking in mechanical advantage. Pretty much any saddler can
make one up to you and your horse’s specifications at a reasonable price. If
discomfort can result it will be from points of pressure created by the
nose-band – which can also be suitably padded with a roll of sheepskin or
similar material to further reduce ‘mechanical’ impact. In fact there is no
real need for brow-band or throat-lash either – as in photo above.
Risqué wearing rope-halter
Next on the list are the
rope-halters and rope-halter side-pulls. There has been a lot of talk about
pressure points, including claims that the knots in rope halters operate on the
“pressure points”, but there seem to be few exact details offered on how
this would actually work, or what the effect would be. According to acupressure
charts of the horse’s head the only points that could be stimulated by the
knots are those that have to do with stomach functions. Why would that be good
during ridden exercise? And, even if it was good could the rider reliably target
the same point, with the same knot, over and over again? Extremely dubious.
Trigeminal Nerves & Acupressure
Points - sketch 3.
7. Governing Vessel.
13. Governing Vessel.
2. Triple Heater.
8. Yin Tang.
14. Large Intestine.
3. Gall Bladder.
5. Governing Vessel
11. Governing Vessel.
17. Gall Bladder.
6. Triple Heater.
12. Conception Vessel.
N. Branches of the Trigeminal Nerve.
Or is this meant to imply
that these “pressure points” are spots where the horse is particularly
sensitive, as in the pressure points used in Martial Arts? If it is then we are
right back to the discomfort principle again.
When we tested the rope
side-pull we found that two of the knots could very easily be pulled back
against that bony protuberance on either side of the face creating a point
of pressure – not a pressure point! How uncomfortable it might be would
depend entirely on how hard, and frequent, contact with the knot was.
The next type is the
‘Bitless cross-under. The idea of this is that force exerted on the left rein,
instead of acting merely to pull the head around directly, is transferred under
the jaw so that it acts on the right side of the face and vice versa the right
rein. The big question here is whether it really makes any difference where the
pull originates. Surely the horse will get used to whatever way the pull comes,
after all were not trying to pull the head round by force – it’s just a
signal were sending, right? But just for the sake of argument let’s say that
it does make a difference, and that the cross over is better. In order for this
to work the material has to be slippery enough so that it doesn’t bind.
Otherwise as soon as pressure is applied to the rein-strap that lays over the
top of the other it will effectively trap it in position. This is exactly what
happened in our trial! The synthetic material straps failed to slide over each
other and the pull was not transferred at all, and there is no reason why
leather would work any better. If the cross over idea is valuable there would
need to be some way to ensure the straps move freely, like the bursa that allow ligaments to move freely over bone – perhaps a
casing through which each strap would run separately over sets of small rollers.
Dually “pressure halter”
Last of all there are the
pressure-halters. While these are primarily intended for schooling good ground
manners some can also be used as a type of side-pull. The one we tested was the
Dually, and as an alternative to the usual lungeing cavesson it worked well for
introducing a young mare to long-reins.
Long-Reining in a “pressure halter”
– a little nervous to at the start.
Working well on long reins
Friends relaxing at the end of a work
For riding the nose band has
too much free play so that hand aids through the reins lose accuracy. A fixed
side-pull seems by far the best of the bunch.
The Camargue saddle.
Earlier we established that
the major reason for the development of the frame or tree’d saddle was to
improve its qualities as a secure fighting platform. Working saddles such as the
Western, Camargue and Spanish Vaquero developed directly from the medieval war
saddle, the need for a platform from which to work cattle taking over from the
need to use weapons. In each case there is a good thickness of padding to
prevent the material of the frame rubbing on the body of the horse. The first
problem with this is that the saddle tends to sit up above the horses body
preventing the rider from getting as good a feel of what is happening underneath
as would otherwise be possible. The second problem is that the frame or tree
does not allow the saddle to flex with the movement of the horses body. The
English style cavalry saddle went some way toward reducing weight and improving
flexibility for more modern light cavalry and has become the standard on which
most saddles used in equestrian sport are based. Yet often, particularly in
older saddles, the attachment point for stirrup leathers results in the majority
of weight being carried close to the shoulders and wither where it would tend to
interfere with free and fluent movement. The further development of the
synthetic tree certainly does allow a far greater flexibility than the fixed
wooden tree, but that flexibility can in itself be a problem. The synthetic tree
also flexes on mounting, with the result that it can easily twist, and, as heat
develops during a ride the gullet can open more bringing it into contact with
In an ideal world every
rider would be able to afford to buy a saddle that had been individually
tailor-made for them and the horse, with rider weight, shape, gender and length
of leg factored in as well as the tree and under panels of the saddle being
contoured to fit the horse. But this is rarely possible for the average person.
The alternative is to go back to the pad type saddle, and that is precisely what
‘Torsion’ Treeless saddle.
For our tests we had two
types of treeless saddle, the Barefoot and the Torsion. Although there are
several others brands available all are remarkably similar. We had tried a
number of different types of traditional fixed tree and synthetic tree saddles
on our test stallion over several years, none of which suited him particularly
well, although the fit seemed good. As with many horses he showed his discomfort
by that very unsettling habit of moving away during mounting, and he disliked
working at the trot. A top brand dressage saddle with adjustable gullet to allow
a more precise fit and greater freedom in the shoulder also hadn’t worked, so
the treeless seemed a logical progression, and right from the first ride the
difference was very clear. His paces were lighter, transitions were far
smoother, and generally he was more relaxed and comfortable. After just three
rides the habit of moving away at the mount had disappeared completely, replaced
by perfect manners. Rider comfort is very good, and while the seat obviously
lacks the depth that is possible with fixed tree saddles the contact with the
horse is simply excellent. It’s also worth commenting that when we placed the
order for the Barefoot brand saddle
details such as rider height and weight were factored in so that the
accessories, saddle cloth, girth and swinging fender style stirrups supplied all
fitted perfectly and suited horse and rider well.
With long distance endurance
riders increasingly making use of treeless saddles – and winning – it seems
certain that a lot more horses are going to be enjoying fully flexible comfort
in the future!
And with these developments
what could be more natural to complete the picture than getting rid of those old
steel shoes – and going bitless, treeless, and barefoot!