Latest from Horse & Hound in Bitless

‘We must adapt to face new challenges,’ says top showing producer Vicky Smith

Bethan Simons — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:45:45 +0000

Top show horse producer Vicky Smith on travelling horses, bitless bridles and hot competitions

With the county shows in full swing it seems busier than ever. Still, on my team we try to take just one or two horses to the busier shows, making it easier to manage for both us humans and for the horses.

Traditionally, county shows fit around the agricultural calendar, explaining perhaps why so many are crammed into such a small space of time. Any date clashes were irrelevant, as on the whole, they were attended by local people showcasing their produce and livestock.

But in this day and age, as so many hold Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifiers, having so many crammed into a short period of time – including several into just one week – poses problems.

A quick scroll on social media alone reveals that this super-busy run of fixtures has people and horses on the road up and down the country chasing qualification tickets.

At Lincolnshire Show, I chatted to John Killingbeck, who was the team vet for the British eventing team for 20 years. Before the Atlanta Olympics, he was involved in the research around transporting horses to the Games. It was concluded that broadly speaking, horses used the same energy and strain for every mile travelled as they would if they were walking there.

This is food for thought as we travel our horses.

It’s particularly worrying in the case of young animals presumably chasing in-hand tickets. For me, such youngsters should be shown a handful of times for education, and qualifying is a bonus. They should not be on a lorry week in, week out.

It’s not just a case of it posing an immediate welfare risk. Showing youngsters excessively also runs the risk of having them grow sick of showing before their ridden careers have even begun.

Welfare first

Without doubt, welfare has rightly become a more pressing issue in equestrian sport and as a result, there’s a rise in the use of bitless bridles. I recently saw footage from the UK’s first bridleless competition with both dressage and showjumping classes. The venue – Merrist Wood – was full to capacity with spectators and the event went viral on social media.

Meanwhile next month, Iverk Show in Ireland plan to host their first bitless showing class. With a prize pot of €350 (£300), it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Is there an appetite for such classes in the broader showing circuit?

I believe that the trend for using driving and strong bits is lessening its grip. But with research suggesting that around 27% of horses have mouths that are unsuitable for even a snaffle bit, I have to ask, is it time for showing to hold stricter rules on harsh bitting?

I know it has been mentioned in previous columns, but I feel I have to remind competitors that we hold full responsibility for showing’s social licence. We must be mindful of how our discipline is portrayed to the public at shows themselves and on social media. A readiness to question practice shows a willingness to prioritise welfare.

In a similar vein, is it time for professionals to question their use of gadgets at home and at competition? This is particularly the case when posted on social media, a space young riders use for inspiration and as a learning tool.

On a more positive note, it has been great to see county shows bending over backwards to ensure equine welfare at their venues during very hot recent weather conditions.

There have been extra hydration points and plenty of guidance for those competing on caring for themselves and their exhibits. Well done to them for adapting in the face of new challenges. We must do the same.

● How and where would you introduce bitless competition to the showing circuit? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

‘Encouraging welfare conversations and celebrating good horsemanship’ as agricultural show announces bitless showing class

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:29:49 +0000

One of Ireland’s longest-established agricultural shows is running a bitless showing class – with a €350 (£300) prize pot, as it “embraces the growing focus on horse welfare”.

Horses and ponies in class 23a at the Iverk Show, in Kilkenny on 22 August, may not be ridden in bits, mechanical hackamores or bridles relying primarily on poll pressure.

“Sponsored by best-selling Irish equestrian author and award-winning filmmaker Elaine Heney, the class is believed to be one of the first of its kind at a major Irish agricultural show,” a spokesperson for the event said.

Permitted tack and equipment includes rope halters, side pulls, bosals and mecates. No draw reins, standing martingales, tie-downs or “auxiliary devices that restrict the horse’s natural head and neck position” are allowed.

“The introduction of the class reflects the growing number of riders choosing bitless bridles, either through personal preference or because they better suit their horses’ individual needs,” the spokesperson said.

Ms Heney, who has spent more than two decades writing books, running online courses and creating award-winning documentary Listening to the Horse, welcomed the new class.

“I’m delighted to support this new class at Iverk Show,” she said. “Every horse deserves to be ridden in equipment that is comfortable and appropriate for them as an individual. For some horses that may be a traditional bit, while for others a bitless bridle can be a better option.

“This class isn’t about saying one approach is better than another. It’s about recognising that horses are individuals and giving riders who choose to compete bitless a welcoming place to do so. I hope it encourages great conversations about horse welfare and celebrates good horsemanship above all else.”

Bitless showing: Iverk Show judging criteria

It is hoped the class, open to horses aged five and over, and standing 14hh and above, and riders 18 and over, will attract entries from across Ireland, and “showcase the growing diversity within the equestrian community”.

Cantering is optional and the judge will not ride. Judging priorities will be: Relaxation and confidence, sound, free, and regular movement, partnership and sympathetic horsemanship, correct self-carriage, with the horse travelling comfortably in front of or at the vertical, good conformation and condition, lightness and willingness and manners and safety. “Obvious tension and conflict behaviours” will be penalised.

Iverk Show’s Liam Kearns told H&H: “We are celebrating our 200th show this year and are delighted to host the Elaine Heney bitless showing class. This class is a new venture for all involved and will make a great spectacle on show day.

“All horses are different and some may really benefit from being ridden bitless.We think this class will have a big future going forward.”

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Super feedback as riders allowed to go bitless in eventing dressage

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 13:46:18 +0000

Competitors were allowed to do dressage bitless in an unaffiliated three-day event, in an initiative it is hoped will be picked up by more organisers.

Moreton-Russell Events allowed combinations to compete without bits in the unaffiliated section of their competition, which also incorporated National Schools Equestrian Association classes, at Moreton Equestrian Centre in Dorset from 1 to 3 September.

The highest-placed bitless combination in each class was given a special rosette, and organiser Sue Russell said they, and the concept, went down well.

“We put on the sections to allow riders who wouldn’t normally be allowed to ride in a bitless bridle, to do their dressage in one as I know lots of associations don’t allow it,” she told H&H.

“Our three-day event is a competition but it’s about having a fun weekend with your horses and doing something a little different to a standard one-day event. So we thought this section would be a good idea as we want riders and horses to compete in what makes them happy. I know a lot of horses prefer not to have a bit.”

Ms Russell said riders were pleased to have the chance, and the judges were very “welcoming” of the idea.

Mark Smith, who has long campaigned for bitless bridles to be allowed in dressage, told H&H he had spoken to different unaffiliated organisers about the idea; it was he who donated the prizes to the best bitless combinations.

Picture by Dorset Photo Event (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“There’s no earthly reason you shouldn’t do bitless dressage,” he said. “In these days when horse welfare is such a huge issue, it can’t be anything other than in the horse’s best interests, if that’s what they are happier in.”

Mr Smith said he is perplexed at the fact bitless dressage is not more commonly allowed – “It can’t be a safety issue as you’re allowed to go bitless in the showjumping and cross-country,” he said. He also applauded the position taken by racing; if a vet determines that a horse’s welfare is better if allowed to run bitless, this is permitted.

He added: “There’s no bit that can hurt a horse; it’s all about the rider on top.”

The rosettes made for the best bitless combinations – Hannah Welfare and Mister Rehill and Jazz Diggens on Dream Catcher X – were a bit different too.

“They didn’t have tails, so they were also a bit less!” Mr Smith said.

“We had super feedback. It did surprise me a bit that one of the winners did her showjumping and cross-country with a bit in, but she’s obviously right her horse does a better dressage test bitless

“I’m very optimistic of other events coming round to it too; it’s a horse-friendly way of getting more interest and entries.”

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National championship acts as ‘pioneers’ with new bitless classes for horses

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:49:28 +0000

The official organisation representing Spanish horses in the UK is running bitless dressage and showing classes at its national championships this year.

GB PRE, which promotes pure and part-bred Andalusian horses in this country and is affiliated with the breed’s Spanish governing body, said it is “extremely proud” to run the classes.

The GB PRE show, which runs at Hartpury from 28-30 July, hosts showing qualifiers for the world championship show SICAB in Spain, dressage, British Breeding Futurity evaluations, working equitation and a range of showing classes.

“We are extremely proud to announce that we will be hosting bitless classes this year, in a breed show first,” a GB PRE spokesman said.

“We have been moving towards diversity, inclusion and embracing new ideas in our show, our breed society, and, we are hopeful, beyond our own society. The decision to host a dedicated bitless dressage and showing class at our event was born from listening to horse owners both in our society and outside, and realising just how many horse and rider combinations were excluded from competition due to their choice of connection.”

The spokesman added that it has top judges for the classes “both of whom are enthusiastic about moving times forward with us in this pioneering new class”.

“We recognise that many horses go very well in a bitted bridle, but we now recognise that many go very well in a bitless bridle, and this should, too, be celebrated,” the spokesman said.

Entries for the show close on 30 June and spectators are welcome.

Keeping it natural: barefoot, bitless mare who lives out wins 5* at Royal Windsor

Sarah Radford — Fri, 12 May 2023 14:28:05 +0000

Royal Windsor Horse Show debutant Victor Bettendorf of Luxembourg blitzed the opening CSI5* jumping class from a late draw with his barefoot and bitless mare Big Star Des Forets, who lives out in a herd at home.

The 33-year-old rider has been hoping to jump at this show for several years and after a successful 2022, where he won 54 international classes, leaving him currently 28^th in the Longines world rankings, he was able to make his first appearance.

While some were using the Defender Stakes as a warm-up, Victor was one of those out to win this 1.45m two-phase.

Hopes of a home win had initially looked high when John Whitaker set a decent target with Paul Barker’s stallion Green Grass but the lead then changed hands in rapid succession.

Portugal’s Duarte Seabra snipped 0.04 sec with the 13-year-old Irish Sports Horse HHS Washington, before Matt Sampson and MGH Candy girl shot to a 1.58sec advantage.

Just three from the end of 32 starters, Matt’s hopes of a win were dashed by an attacking round from Victor and this keen and careful mare, who found 0.93sec of ground.

The relatively new partnership joined forces in January and got to know each other in Vilamoura. They have come to Windsor fresh from a win in the 2* grand prix in Deauville.

“I have always loved her for two years and tried to buy her but it was difficult to get her. Then we found a solution we were happy with,” Victor said.

“She has a lot of blood and suits my riding style — she’s very careful and has the right mindset, she’ll fight for you.”

The 12-year-old Selle Francais mare has slotted in well with Victor’s regime, where all his horses are kept barefoot and in small herds of five to 10.

“I feel they’re much more healthy this way,” he said. “The sport is really something not natural, so at home I try to give them the possibility to be as natural as possible and put them out in groups so they can socialise.”

Victor also prefers to ride his horses in a hackamore.

“It’s my favourite bridle, so I always try it on every horse and if it’s working, then I go with that. I think it’s to do with the feeling — ever rider has a bit they like and this is the one that suits my riding,” he explained.

Matt Sampson finished best of the Brits in the class, setting himself up for a promising week, where he will also be riding Ebolensky, who won the grand prix at the London International Horse Show last year.

He took over the ride on MGH Candy Girl from Gemma Stevens, who has produced her through the ranks, in January.

“She won a 1.50m class in Sentower Park last week and jumped really good on the Sunshine Tour which helped me get to know her. She’s brilliant, I love her.

“She’s really my type of horse so was quite easy to get used to. She’s got loads of blood and she’s feisty. She loved it out there today. Gemma did an amazing job with her so I’m now reaping the benefits,” Matt said.

Bitless and barefoot proves best for Conor Swail’s ride Vital Chance De La Roque

Sarah Eakin — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 20:26:51 +0000

Conor Swail’s 13-year-old gelding Vital Chance De La Roque – aka ‘Vinny’ – has an unusual comfort zone, which sees him competing with no shoes and a simple hackamore at the Winter Equestrian Festival this week.

“There’s not much tack there so it’s a good system that he’s in and he goes very well. He seems to like that the best,”said Conor.

When he acquired the horse, Vinny was already accustomed to having no shoes and as a result, Conor stuck with it.

“The person we bought him from just asked me to leave them off because it was working well,” he said. “I don’t see a reason to change it if the horse is healthy and sound and doing well. The horse has stayed that way with me and it’s been over a year now.”

Conor has two supposedly identical hackamores, but he only rides in one – and it is treasured.

“They’re supposed to be the same, but when I ride in the other one I don’t like it as much,” said Conor. “I just go with the other one, so it travels everywhere or it’s at home on my couch.”