English edition

"Riding with a bitless bridle."

On the third day of my COVID-19 symptoms, my low-grade fever persists. However, constantly lying in bed results in various body aches.

So, I decided to sit at my computer during the moments I feel relatively well in the morning.

I was surprised by the news I received from Mr. R, who always observes my riding lessons. He told me that he went to Shinshu Azumino and rode a horse using a "bitless bridle."

My immediate question was, "What happens to the 'bit pressure'?" I've always understood that using a bit helps to push the horse's head

down, shifting its center of gravity backward, making the forelimbs lighter. It seems that the concept of "bit pressure" in this context is

different from what I had imagined.

Next, a simple question came to mind: How do you stop the horse without a bit?

Fortunately, I have scheduled a lesson with Mr. R later this month. I hope by then my health will have fully recovered. I am eager to ask him what riding with a bitless bridle feels like.

Although Mr. R sometimes tells me, "Your horse's contraction is improving, and it's becoming more rounded," I honestly can't feel the

difference. I wonder if he means I'm getting better at half-halts. Still, without a true sense of what a half-halt feels like, discussing the

experience of riding with a bitless bridle might be premature for me—perhaps a decade too soon.

However, if given the opportunity, I'd like to try riding with a bitless bridle. I heard there's an equestrian club in Azumino where I can

experience it. I'm considering giving it a shot. (This might be a bold statement, influenced by my feverish state due to COVID-19!)

-English edition