Soft, Round and Bitless (How to Train or Transition Your Horse for Competition or Pleasure)

In her beautifully illustrated new book, horsewoman Ali Kermeen, author of The Working Equitation Training Manual, shows how it is possible to develop a horse that is soft, round, and responsive without using a bit, side reins, or longeing equipment.

For many riders, going bitless can feel like a leap of faith because of a perceived loss of control. Kermeen argues that true control has far more to do with training, clarity, and partnership than with equipment. A thousand pounds of muscle and instinct is guided not by hardware alone, but by understanding.

Kermeen does not suggest that all horses should be ridden without a bit. As she notes, some bitless bridles can be just as severe as bitted ones, and many horses are perfectly comfortable carrying a bit when it suits their anatomy, training, and rider. Ultimately, she believes the choice between bit and bitless should be made with the horse’s needs in mind. As she explains, learning to ride and train without a bit has made her a better rider when she does use one.

Successfully transitioning a horse from bitted to bitless riding requires more than simply changing equipment. Drawing on years of experience training and competing horses without a bit, Kermeen presents a series of exercises she uses for all horses, regardless of discipline. Her method helps horses learn to carry themselves in a soft, round frame without force, creating harmony, balance, and athletic freedom.

In this book, readers will learn how to:
• Develop essential groundwork skills that set horses up for success
• Compare different types of bitless bridles
• Choose and correctly fit a bitless bridle
• Apply ridden exercises that build on groundwork principles under saddle, without a bit

Clear, approachable, and horse-centered, this guide is for riders who want to improve their own effectiveness while prioritizing their horse’s comfort, soundness, and well-being, whether riding bitless, bitted, or both.