Table of Contents

Addressing the Bitless Bridle Question [2010]
In her letter printed in the British Horse Society magazine’s September-October issue, Janet Astley adds her voice to the call for the crossunder bridle to be allowed in dressage competition.Click here to read the article in PDF format…

Cost/Benefit Analysis [2010]
A comparison of the costs and benefits of use between the bitted bridle and the crossunder bitless bridle.

If a riders goal is to compete in dressage & certain other disciplines under present day rules, a bitted bridle is unavoidable. It is mandated by the FEI, most national equestrian federations, Pony Clubs and 4H organizations. This in spite of the fact that a bit adds to the risk of accidents, increases the cost of keeping a horse and leads to disappointment and frustration on the part of the rider. For the horse, a bit is a scourge that lowers its quality of life. A more humane and safer alternative to the bit has been available for a decade. If a riders goal is the welfare, safety and happiness of her horse and herself, rather than to compete, a crossunder bitless bridle is the bridle of choice. The satisfaction of a achieving a higher level of performance is an added bonus.

The advantages and disadvantages of the bitted bridle compared with the crossunder bitless bridle (CBB), tabulated in a cost/benefit analysis of each method that considers the question from 19 different aspects, reveals the following result.

The bit has only 2 benefits out of a possible 19, the CBB has 17 benefits out of 19. Conversely, the bit has 19:19 costs and the CBB only 2:19. Both of the two CBB costs arise because of competition rules that have not yet been updated to permit the crossunder bitless bridle.Click here to see the full analysis.

Cooling Down the Warming Up Debate [2010]
Dr. Cook’s considers the perplexing attitude of the FEI towards Rollkur and similar training methods. Click here to read the article in PDF format.

Warming Up [2010]
Over bending, by whatever name, is inhumane. Whether it is produced by force or – as some would claim – without force, it frightens and hurts a horse, unbalances him, limits his vision, partially suffocates, prematurely tires and makes it painful for him to move. Over bending, defined as any position of the head behind the vertical, if practised at any stage in a horse’s lifetime, transgresses the FEI Code of Conduct and Dressage Rules. Over bending is a welfare scandal, a disgrace to dressage, and – for as long as its rules are not enforced – a blot on the escutcheon of the FEI.Click here to read the article in PDF format.

Dr. Cook interviewed for Veterinary Practice magazine [2010] John Bonner interviews Dr. Cook for Veterinary Practice magazine Click here to read the article in PDF format.

The Why, What and How of Fitting the Crossunder Bitless Bridle [2010] Click here to read the article in PDF format.

Are you riding like the primitive Bronze-Age man? [2010] An article from the Philadelphia Examiner suggesting that riders step into the modern era of human-equine interaction by removing the bit.  Click here to read the article on their website.

Pain Is Not Acceptable [2010]
An article by Stacy Tanner that brings some doubt to that “no animals were harmed in the making of this movie” disclaimer, at least when it comes to horses. Click here to read the article. Pain Is Not Acceptable

Hollywood Horses [2010]
While this set of videos does not feature or relate to the Bitless Bridle directly, it does make a compelling statement about the harsh treatment of horses by the movie industry, specifically through pain inflicted to the mouth.

Two short videos from Stacy Tanner showing horses reacting to harsh treatment on movie sets. As Stacy notes: horses can be trained but they can’t act. If it looks like pain… IT IS.