Preliminary study of jointed snaffle vs. crossunder bitless bridles: quantified comparison of behaviour in four horses.

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Jointed Snaffle versus Crossunder Bitless Bridles Cook and Mills investigated whether switching from a conventional jointed snaffle to a crossunder bitless bridle produces measurable changes in ridden horse behaviour, testing four horses with no prior bitless experience. Using video analysis, an independent assessor scored 27 distinct behavioural phases across two four-minute ridden exercise tests (first bitted, then bitless) on a 10-point scale, with mean performance scores rising substantially from 37% when bitted to 64% during the initial bitless period—a difference statistically unlikely to occur by chance alone. All four horses transitioned to the bitless bridle without resistance, suggesting immediate acceptance despite their unfamiliar nature. Whilst the small sample size warrants cautious interpretation, these findings indicate potential welfare and performance benefits to crossunder bitless bridles and prompt consideration of whether bit-related oral aversion and discomfort may underlie some behavioural problems encountered in ridden work. Farriers and allied professionals should be aware that regulatory bodies now face evidence-based grounds to reconsider competition rules mandating bits, particularly given the apparent safety profile demonstrated here.

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Key Findings

• •Mean behavioral score improved from 37% when bitted to 64% during first 4 minutes bitless (p<0.05 by binomial distribution)
• •All 4 horses accepted crossunder bitless bridle without hesitation despite no prior bitless experience
• •Null hypothesis that behavior would remain unchanged between bitted and bitless conditions was refuted

Conditions Studied