🐴💕🦄 Have You Ever Considered Riding in a Bitless Bosal?
- Natural Horse NZ
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
When most people first start looking into bitless riding, they quickly discover there isn't just one type of bitless bridle. There are many different designs, each working in slightly different ways and offering a different feel for both horse and rider.
One design that has stood the test of time is the Bosal.
I first started riding my own horses bitless more than 20 years ago after struggling with one particular horse who simply hated having a bit in his mouth. The transformation when I removed the bit was remarkable, and it inspired me to help other riders discover that bitless riding could be a realistic option too.
As my interest in bitless bridles grew, I was naturally drawn to the Bosal.
I loved the simplicity of the design and its long history within traditional horsemanship. However, one thing always concerned me.
Many traditional rawhide Bosals are very firm and quite rigid. While this stiffness plays a role in how a traditional Bosal works, I couldn't help wondering whether there was a way to achieve a similar style of communication using a softer, more forgiving design.
Because everything I do with horses revolves around promoting softness, feel and clear communication, I decided to develop our own version.
The result was the Natural Rider Soft Bosal.
Rather than working exactly like a traditional Bosal, our design functions more like a Bedouin Bridle, with the rein cues coming from the rear of the noseband. This creates a different feel from many conventional bridles while still retaining the classic Western and Natural Horsemanship appearance that so many riders enjoy.
One of the things owners appreciate most is how versatile they are.
They can be fitted to around 99% of traditional bitted bridles, allowing you to convert an existing bridle into a bitless bridle in just a few minutes. They can also be used with a variety of rein attachments, including a traditional mecate or hackamore set-up.
Comfort was another priority during development.
Our Soft Bosals are designed to be gentle against the horse's face while remaining clear and effective. Each one is handmade in our New Zealand workshop and is available in a range of colours and sizes.
The response from riders has been incredibly rewarding, with many owners telling us how quickly their horses have adapted and how much they both enjoy riding in them.
🌿 The next time you're looking at bitless bridles, remember there isn't just one option.
❤️ Different horses often respond differently to different styles of equipment.
🐴 The best choice is the one that allows you and your horse to communicate clearly, comfortably and confidently.
🦄 Bitless riding isn't about following fashion—it's about finding what works best for the individual horse.
🐴💕🦄 Part of The Bitless Horse Series
Every horse is an individual, and bitless riding is about far more than simply removing the bit. Throughout The Bitless Horse Series, we'll explore the science, behaviour, training and practical knowledge behind riding without a bit, helping you better understand how horses learn, communicate and respond to pressure, so you can make informed decisions for your own horse.
Explore the series:
🐴💕🦄 Ever Thought About Going Bitless?
🐴💕🦄 Houston Mounted Police Go Bitless
🐴💕🦄 Have You Ever Considered Riding in a Bosal?
🐴💕🦄 The Horse That Changed Everything
🐴💕🦄 Do Bits Really Control Horses?
🐴💕🦄 How Horses Learn Without a Bit
🐴💕🦄 Choosing the Right Bitless Bridle
🐴💕🦄 Teaching Your Horse to Go Bitless
🐴💕🦄 Common Bitless Myths
👉 Explore the complete Bitless Horse Series:
🐴💕🦄 Discover Our Natural Rider Soft Bosals
Our journey into bitless riding began more than 20 years ago with one horse that completely changed the way we thought about riding. That journey eventually led to the development of our Natural Rider Soft Bosals—designed to provide a softer, more comfortable alternative while retaining the classic Bosal style.
Each Soft Bosal is handmade in New Zealand and can be fitted to most traditional bridles, making it an easy way to explore bitless riding without replacing your entire bridle.
👉 Learn more about our Natural Rider Soft Bosals:
👉 Interested in the history of the Bedouin Bridle? Read more here:
