Genuine Dr Cook BETA synthetic Bitless Bridle The best-selling Bitless Bridle! Start Price GBP 59.00 Current Price GBP 59.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Tuesday, October 07, 2008 End Time Thursday, November 06, 2008 Location Lampeter See more about 'Genuine Dr Cook BETA synthetic Bitless Bridle' Description Bitless Bridle UK - first authorized distributor of Dr Cook's Bitless Bridles in UK (established 2004) Friendly FYI: Don't pay more than you need to! If you purchase a bridle, or indeed any item of saddlery, outside of the EEC (European Economic Community) - eg from USA, Canada, Australia etc, then your purchase will be subject to the addition of the relevant import duty, then VAT at 17.5% on top of the purchase price & import duty combined, which must be paid before the goods are delivered to you in the UK. This information may be helpful when comparing prices. "Horses prefer a bridle with a 'bit' missing" Benefits of going bitless “Forget the no-more-metal rhetoric, forget the pain, forget the cruelty – all of which are true – the darned thing just works better than a bit!” From film-maker, author & horse-owner Joe Camp (read what Joe says about going bitless) This auction is for a brand new, genuine Dr Cook beta synthetic Bitless Bridle The Dr Cook synthetic bridle in Beta is our best-selling Bitless Bridle! Beta material is a vinyl-covered nylon that looks very much like leather with a slightly grainy finish and low-sheen surface. Beta bridles are durable and easy to clean… just dunk in a bucket of water and swish around (or gently machine-wash on a cool cycle) and hang to dry. You can use a horsewear washbag to protect your washing machine. Beta bridles are available in 3 colours black, dark brown or chestnut brown and 4 sizes Extra Small (special size noseband & browband for Section A & other small ponies), Small, Medium, Large In general, the medium size beta and nylon webbing bridles and one-size western leather will fit all horses except large warmbloods and ponies. To be certain of getting the correct size, please see sizes & measuring instructions. Please state colour preference for bridle when making payment or email us. How does it work? How can you control a horse without a bit? Steering with The Bitless Bridle™ Pressure on one rein (yellow arrow) pushes painlessly but persuasively on the opposite half of the head (red arrows). Horses respond better to being pushed painlessly with the Bitless Bridle™ (over a large surface area) than being pulled painfully by a bit (with highly focused pressure on the sensitive tissues of the mouth). Where the head goes the horse follows. Unlike the effect of a bit that tends to twist a horse's head, the head stays upright and the turn is more natural and physiologically correct. By comparison with either bits or other bridles with no bit (hackamores, bosals, scawbrigs and sidepulls), more effective steering is one of the first benefits that riders notice. The Bitless Bridle™ works with both direct and neck reining. Slowing & Stopping Pressure on both reins or quick alternate pressure on each rein applies a gentle squeeze to the whole of the head and triggers a 'submit' response. Braking is probably attributable to a combination of the calming effect of a whole-head-hug; to initiation of a balancing reflex at the poll; to the stimulation of areas of special sensitivity behind the ears; and to painless pressure across the bridge of the nose. The "brakes" are more reliable than those provided by the bit. First, bit-induced pain causes many a horse to bolt rather than brake. Secondly, at no time can the horse deprive the rider of all means of communication by placing the bit between its teeth or under its tongue. Unlike the mechanics of the bit, hackamore, bosal or sidepull, braking is not dependent on pain across the bridge of the nose, poll flexion and obstruction of the airway. The two cross-under straps move freely and independently of each other. Whatever the particular conformation of a horse's jaw, each strap falls naturally where it should and without the built in tension that results if they are locked together. Being themselves relaxed, they exert minimal stress to the skin they lie on and mould themselves comfortably to the contours of the jaw. Being themselves free to move, they automatically adjust to any movements of the jaw and to the constant flux of rein pressure. For these reasons, it is a principle of the design that the cross-under straps should not be united and 'stabilized'. Beware of Copies & Imitations! Especially from those who claim that their copy is somehow "better"... There have been various designs of no-bit bridle (hackamore, bosal, and sidepull) in use for many years, but the crossover / cross-under / crosspull / whole-head-hug design (a defining feature of The Bitless Bridle™) is the only one to provide both pain-free and comprehensive communication. Dr W R Cook, a UK-trained equine vet, first marketed The Bitless Bridle™ in the USA in 1999 and it has been available in the UK from us since 2004. It is the only bitless design that has been developed and physiologically validated by a respected veterinary surgeon, one who has focussed 50 years of his research on the mouth, ear, nose and throat of the horse, particularly unsoundness of wind, the cause of bleeding in racehorses and the harmful effects of the bit method of communication. The success of The Bitless Bridle™, backed by the convincing scientific evidence published by Dr Cook has inevitably meant that companies worldwide have started to market copies of the bridle. Most of these are straight copies, although many are marketed by persons who claim to have thought of the idea independently, which is dishonest, but at least the horse is still the beneficiary. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! However, some companies combine unacknowledged imitation with denigration. Such people, having taken silent advantage of Dr Cook's groundwork, make unnecessary modifications to the design and now promote their product by claiming that their 'improved' design is better! (read more here) The genuine Dr Cook Bitless Bridle is being used successfully in many disciplines as well as in riding schools, for training etc Read what users say about the genuine Dr Cook Bitless Bridle Mark from Romford May 2008 I bought a 15.3 cob called crackers last april and when i got him he was in a double bit and a martingale, and was thoroughly miserable. I was a novice rider but still decided to get rid of the martingale and put him in a regular snaffle. Crackers would shy at anything and canter off in all directions. I had three bad falls and many scares. Whenever i asked him to trot/ canter he would swish his tail in anger and i usually had to tap him with a whip to get him going. My wife, who also rides found your site and with the money back guarantee offered, i decided i had nothing to lose. From the first time i put him in his new leather bitless bridle Crackers was a different horse. He trots and canters with the slightest touch of the leg and is so much more forward going. The shying has completely stopped and so has the tail swishing. I do not need to carry a whip any more and i would never put him back in a bit. Ever! Thanks for a very informative website that talked us into giving the bridle a try. If anyone else is deciding whether to buy this bridle i would unconditionally recommend it and with the money back guarantee they can buy in total confidence. They won't be returning it though! Polly-Anne in France, May 08 Due to a nasty riding accident I lost all my confidence on my two horses, a Fjord and a Poney Landais. Part of the problem was on-going head shaking and resistance which freaked me out when I started to ride again. All that has beeen fixed by the BBs. I have had two BBs for coming up to a year now and both my horses love them and I can steer and stop far better than in a bit. Jo, April 08 We can't thank you enough for the bitless bridle. Our small, thoroughbred mare did not like the bit much and you had to be very light with your hands, but even then you got the head held up high and sideways most times!! Knowing that she hates being restricted, we decided less was more for her and bought the bitless bridle from you. What a difference, she listens now and no more problems with her head. She is so responsive and calm it is really unbelievable. I have had a hand operation and my novice husband has even been able to ride her in the sand-school for me and she has behaved perfectly. Tried & Tested review by Stacey Hickling published in www.horsemart.co.uk 2007 I was interested to see how much control I would have with a bitless bridle, compared to a conventional bit and bridle. MEL has never liked having a bit in his mouth, and I had tried many different styles and makes but had never succeeded in finding one he was 100 percent happy with. I was given the Beta bridle made from synthetic leather, which means it can be washed in a bucket of soapy water - so easy! It comes up perfectly. In fact, everyone at my yard thought it was leather until I told them it wasn't. When I first tried the bridle I was really impressed. MEL was so much more relaxed, and much more forward (he's really lazy), and I had the same amount of control as with a snaffle. He's been hacked out, schooled, jumped, and has done cross-country, all in the bitless bridle, ridden by a 13-year-old, and is far more comfortable than before. I won't go back to putting him in a snaffle, because this one works perfectly for him. Read hundreds more testimonials here from users in UK & Europe since 2004 Meet us at the first ever Holistic Horse Show 24th, 25th, 26th October 2008 Stand E4, Unex Towerlands, EssexPlease note: we shall be unable to despatch any items between 22nd and 28th October while we are at The Holistic Horse show Every Bitless Bridle is supplied with the original User Manual and Bitless Bridle UK's Fitting Diagram Bitless Bridle UK Return / Exchange Policies We have built up an excellent reputation for customer service in the 4 years we have been selling the genuine Dr Cook Bitless Bridles in the UK and Europe; if you need help or advice please phone 07799 784350 or email us. If you have bought the wrong size and wish to swap - no problem; let us know (by phone or email) and post back to us. If you change your mind about the colour - again no problem as long as the bridle is unused. Love the bridle and wish you purchased a leather one? Not an issue. We will upgrade your bride to a leather one if you return your beta or webbing within 30 days! Bitless Bridle UK will give you full credit for your synthetic against the leather bridle of your choice, you just pay the difference and normal post & packing. If, in the unlikely event that you don't get on with the bridle, then we will be happy to credit you with 60% of the purchase price if you return it (in clean condition) within 30 days. Payment We accept payments by Paypal, Nochex, credit or debit card over the phone or bank transfer. Please contact us during office hours on 08450 95 65 65 if you wish to pay by phone. The photo below shows the black beta bridle modelled by Irish Sports Horse Louie. Powered by eBay Turbo Lister Place a Bid!