If Horses Could Choose… Would They Pick a Bit?

Why do we use bits, saddles, and bridles anyway?

One of my students asked me a question recently that I absolutely loved.

He told me, “When I get my own horse someday, I want to ride bareback and without a bit.”

He grew up riding that way. To him, that’s what felt natural. It also made him wonder…

If horses can be ridden bareback and bitless, why do so many people still use saddles and bits?

It’s a fair question—and one that deserves more than the typical “because that’s how it’s always been done.”

Like most things in horsemanship, the answer is…

It depends.

Not on trends.

Not on social media.

Not on what discipline you ride.

It depends on the individual horse, the individual rider, and the job they’re doing together.

One of the first things I tell new riders is this:

There are very few absolutes in horses.

Almost every piece of tack ever invented exists because someone, somewhere, had a reason for creating it.

Some of those reasons are still incredibly valid today.

Others… maybe not so much.

But before we throw out thousands of years of horsemanship—or blindly cling to tradition—we should probably understand why those tools were created in the first place.

Let’s start with the saddle.

Humans rode horses bareback for thousands of years.

You absolutely can ride bareback.

In fact, I encourage many of my students to do it from time to time because it develops an incredible independent seat, balance, body awareness, and feel.

You learn to move with the horse instead of relying on stirrups for security.

But here’s the part many people don’t realize.

A properly fitted saddle isn’t just for the rider’s comfort.

It’s for the horse’s comfort too.

When you sit bareback, your entire body weight is concentrated into two relatively small points—your seat bones.

A correctly fitted saddle spreads that weight across a much larger surface area over the horse’s back, reducing pressure on any one spot.

Think about carrying a heavy backpack.

Would you rather carry forty pounds in a narrow rope slung over one shoulder?

Or in a well-designed hiking backpack with wide padded straps, a hip belt, and a frame that distributes the weight evenly?

The weight didn’t change.

The pressure did.

That’s exactly what a good saddle is designed to accomplish.

Of course…

A poorly fitted saddle can create soreness, muscle damage, white hairs, behavioral issues, and even long-term injury.

In those cases?

I’d honestly rather see someone ride bareback than in a saddle that doesn’t fit.

The answer isn’t “always use a saddle.”

The answer is use one that actually fits both horse and rider.

So… why the bit?

This is where people tend to become divided.

Some believe bits are cruel.

Others believe every horse needs one.

Personally?

I don’t think either statement is true.

A bit is simply one way of communicating.

It isn’t automatically kind.

It isn’t automatically cruel.

It’s simply a tool.

The kindness comes from the hands holding the reins.

A bit allows incredibly subtle communication.

Tiny movements of your fingers can be felt through the tongue, bars of the mouth, lips, and corners of the horse’s mouth.

A well-trained horse doesn’t require pulling.

Many respond to ounces—not pounds—of pressure.

That level of refinement is one reason bits have remained part of horsemanship for thousands of years.

But what about bitless bridles?

I like many bitless options.

Bosals.

Sidepulls.

Certain hackamores.

Even simple rope halters in the right hands.

They all communicate differently.

Notice I said differently.

Not better.

Not worse.

Different.

Bitless equipment shifts communication away from the mouth and toward the nose, jaw, cheeks, and poll.

Some horses absolutely love that.

Others don’t.

Some horses with dental issues, mouth injuries, or sensitive mouths become happier bitless.

Others are actually more relaxed carrying a properly fitted bit than having pressure across their nose.

Every horse has preferences.

Just like people.

Here’s the part many people don’t realize…

Bitless does not automatically mean gentler.

Hackamores can apply tremendous pressure to the bridge of the nose.

Rope halters can become extremely severe.

Bosals can be uncomfortable if used incorrectly.

Likewise…

A properly fitted snaffle in educated, quiet hands can be incredibly soft.

The equipment doesn’t determine kindness.

The rider does.

I’ve seen horses develop painful sores on their noses from harsh hackamores.

I’ve also watched horses quietly carry a loose-ring snaffle with relaxed lips, chewing softly, reaching into the contact, and looking completely content.

Neither picture tells you whether the equipment was “good.”

The hands do.

So why do professionals still use bits?

Because many jobs require incredibly precise communication.

Working ranch horses often need one-handed cues while the rider ropes cattle, sorts livestock, opens gates, or carries equipment.

Dressage riders communicate with extraordinary precision.

Reiners perform maneuvers that rely on tiny shifts of weight and subtle rein aids.

Eventers navigate technical courses at speed.

For these horses, a bit isn’t about force.

It’s about clarity.

Could every horse be ridden bareback and bitless?

Maybe.

Under the right circumstances.

With the right training.

With the right rider.

On the right horse.

But that doesn’t necessarily make it the best choice every day.

Just because something can be done doesn’t mean it’s always the kindest, safest, or most effective option.

Real horsemanship isn’t choosing sides.

It’s learning enough to understand why each tool exists.

It’s recognizing that every horse is an individual.

Every rider is an individual.

Every partnership is unique.

Sometimes the best answer is a snaffle.

Sometimes it’s a bosal.

Sometimes it’s a sidepull.

Sometimes it’s bareback.

Sometimes it’s a well-fitted saddle.

The goal isn’t to prove one method superior.

The goal is to build trust, communicate clearly, and leave your horse healthier—physically and mentally—than when you started.

Because horses don’t care about trends.

They don’t care what’s popular on social media.

They don’t care what discipline you ride.

They care whether you listen.

Whether you’re fair.

Whether you’re balanced.

Whether you make sense.

And perhaps that’s the greatest lesson they have to teach us.

About Real World Horsemanship

At Real World Horsemanship, I teach riders of all ages and experience levels how to understand horses from the ground up—not just how to stay on top. Whether we’re riding Western or English, bareback or in a saddle, with a bit or bitless, my goal is always the same: helping horse and human communicate with clarity, confidence, and compassion.

I offer private riding lessons, groundwork sessions, Mustang experiences, guided trail rides, and educational clinics at NFS Ranch in North Fort Myers, Florida. Every lesson is tailored to the individual horse and rider because no two partnerships are exactly alike.

I’d love to help you discover what works best for you and your horse.

🤠🐴
Danika Joy Fornear
Real World Horsemanship
📍 NFS Ranch • North Fort Myers, Florida
🌐 RealWorldHorsemanship.com
📝 Substack: Real World Horsemanship
📞 863-843-5227