🐴💕🦄 Houston Mounted Police Go Bitless
- Natural Horse NZ
- Jul 24
- 3 min read
When people think of mounted police horses, they often picture large, powerful horses working in busy cities, surrounded by traffic, crowds and unexpected situations. They're expected to remain calm, responsive and reliable in environments that many horses would find overwhelming.
That's why it's interesting to see organisations prepared to challenge tradition in the pursuit of better horse welfare.
The Houston Mounted Police Patrol Unit has gained worldwide recognition for doing exactly that.
Several years ago, the unit began questioning whether traditional management practices were really in the best interests of their horses. At the time, their horses wore metal shoes, but they were experiencing ongoing hoof problems and other issues commonly associated with working on hard urban surfaces.
Research carried out by the Swiss Cavalry at the University of Zurich found that when a shod hoof lands on hard ground, the impact force can be 10 to 33 times greater than that experienced by an unshod hoof. The study also recorded vibrations of around 800 Hz travelling through the hoof, a frequency capable of damaging living tissue.
With this in mind, the mounted unit decided to try something different.
In 2004, they removed the shoes from one horse.
The results were so encouraging that they gradually transitioned their entire herd of around 40 horses to barefoot. According to the unit, they experienced healthier hooves, improved grip on slippery surfaces and a dramatic reduction in veterinary costs.
But they didn't stop there......
More recently, the Houston Mounted Police also began transitioning their horses to bitless bridles.
For many people, the idea of riding a police horse without a bit sounds impossible. After all, these horses are expected to work safely amongst traffic, crowds, sirens and unpredictable situations.
Yet the unit's success demonstrates an important point.
Control doesn't come from a piece of metal in a horse's mouth.
It comes from training, trust, communication and a horse that understands what is being asked.
That's a lesson every rider can learn from.
🌿 The next time someone tells you that a horse "needs" a bit to be safe or controllable...
❤️ Remember that some of the world's busiest working horses are proving otherwise.
🐴 Good training will always be more powerful than stronger equipment.
🦄 Sometimes, questioning tradition leads to better outcomes for both horses and riders.
🐴💕🦄 Part of The Bitless Horse Series
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.
Explore the series:
🐴💕🦄 Ever Thought About Going Bitless?
🐴💕🦄 Houston Mounted Police Go Bitless
🐴💕🦄 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 Bitless Bridles
For more than 20 years, we've been helping horses and riders make the transition to bitless through practical training and carefully designed equipment. Our Natural Rider Bitless Bridles have been developed to encourage clear communication, comfort and confidence, with every purchase helping to support the rescued horses at the Natural Horse NZ Sanctuary.
👉 Explore our range of Natural Rider Bitless Bridles:
