Bitless Bridle™ UK
Meet our Bitless Bridle Instructors (BBI)
We have BBIs in Ceredigion & Mid Glamorgan in Wales | Co Louth, Ireland; and in the English counties of Avon, Derbyshire | Sussex | Wiltshire
About the BBI program
In 2006, The Bitless Bridle Inc added a third class of appointment to further the company’s educational program in the USA and abroad. This appointment will carry marketing privileges in the USA and abroad but the primary criteria of selection are the appointee’s ability to spread the word as part of their own pre-existing educational program. Such people will have education as their primary goal and sales activities will be of secondary importance. Appointees will carry the title of Bitless Bridle Instructor (BBI).
The first BBI to be appointed outside USA was our very own Rosemary Carrington-Rogers, who teaches natural horsemanship and bitless riding at Bitless Bridle UK's premises near Talsarn, Lampeter in Wales.
Rosemary Carrington-Rogers BHSAI, BBI - Ceredigion, Wales
I have been fortunate enough to be around horses for most of my life. From a rural background I was able to spend all of my spare time first with my friends’ horses and then my own pony. Growing up with horses taught me they were first and foremost my friends and should be treated with the dignity and respect they deserved.
My early riding was spent on ponies that were bareback and ridden with only a halter. I believe to this day that my balance is attributed to this time.
On leaving school I worked for 2 seasons at a racing yard. I began starting youngsters and rose to being offered (and accepting) a number of race rides.
Still wanting to gain as much experience as possible I left the racing yard to work at a driving yard. Here I was solely responsible for a team of four and both rode and drove. I also started youngsters and helped with driving horses that had developed problems.
From there I spent a number of years at my parents’ yard, specialising in bringing on youngsters and rehabilitating horses with problems. This venture grew when I teamed up with a friend – giving me more acreage.
I was enjoying competing but was becoming increasingly aware that if I wanted to be totally accepted in some fields of equestrianism I would need to gain accepted qualifications. I studied and qualified as a BHSAI and moved to Windsor to work as an Instructor in a busy riding school.
I still had horses at home and when offered a partnership in a local riding school decided to take the opportunity to move back to Wales.
The school quickly gained BHS and ABRS approval. Horses were trained and schooled and lessons were given to both children and adults of differing abilities. However, I became increasingly concerned about finding ways to improve the day to day lives of the horses at the yard. I was becoming concerned about the restrictions put on them. With this I remembered the times when I rode bareback and communicated with the horse, and began to search for ways to work the yard in a more holistic way. Working with respected natural horsemanship trainers (including Faris Collins who travelled to the yard to give me lessons both ridden and from the ground) I was able to see a way of moving forward.
Unfortunately the school had to close after just 3 years but I continued my work. I began teaching freelance and went back to training horses from my parents’ yard.
Looking for still more platforms to encourage a holistic approach to horsemanship I set up NAGTrader, a site dedicated to everything natural. At this time I was fortunate to be introduced to the Dr Cook's Bitless Bridle and became a firm supporter.
I ride bitless, barefoot and treeless and encourage every client to do the same, witnessing time and time again the problems which can be solved by removing metal from horses' lives.
I am in the process of looking for a suitable horse to event in a Dr Cook Bitless Bridle – how wonderful to show that metal is not required to go across country!
Rosemary can be contacted by email or phone 07890 888 762
Rosemary's web site is www.NAGTrader.co.uk
Rosemary is available to teach you, your horse, or both of you - whatever the problem... or if you just want to improve your riding or horsemanship skills (contact info above)
Photos of Rosemary teaching at Castle Horses, Co Louth, Ireland in April 08
Erica Dixon – Natural Horsewoman & Homeopath RSHom: Bath, Bristol, S West & beyond where needed!
Bitless riding experience since 2000. Individual sessions or Clinics.
Barefoot - Balanced – Bonded – Bitless... Bridle-less! You can do it!
I believe the key to successful bitless or bridle-less riding is about the bond & relationship you have with your horse with you as a compassionate leader. Horses naturally & willingly follow leaders... Leaders never use fear, manipulation, domination or act like a predator. Neither do they bribe with treats, but they will lead you to food, water & safety! (Using a bit is akin to predatory behaviour. The horse fights or yields to avoid further pain – I really don’t want to act like a predator around a prey animal that I consider my friend – do you?)
A shift in thinking is required to concentrate on the relationship aspects of equestrianism over & above everything else. The willing performance is born out of the relationship. You & your horse are unique individuals & together, you make a unique unit – the goal of which is to be in unity as one – whatever you are doing. Maybe this is easier to achieve than you think!
I teach simple, effective methods to allow riding to be enjoyable. What you desire in your horse, you simply need to become yourself whether that is performing collection, doing liberty work or remaining safe in the countryside. I have learnt & developed a way of working with horses that is similar to the homeopathic principle of using similars rather than opposites. I find this ultimately leads to greater harmony between horse & human.
I am a also qualified Homeopath. One of the greatest skills a homeopath has to develop is the ability to be the ‘unprejudiced observer’ (all reputable healers must learn not to judge). Horses are incredibly accurate unprejudiced observers and can help us learn a great deal about ourselves. As prey animals they pick up minute details, see right through us & sense the state of our emotions & energy. This ability is essential to keeping their herd safe and is usually the real reason people have ‘trouble’ with their horses. [Zebras move closer to lions that are satisfied & stuffed with food!] I offer homeopathy to anybody who asks for it or who I think could benefit from it. Homeopathy is poorly understood in both natural & mainstream areas. It has strong principles one of which is outing the dis-ease or dis-harmony from within. This can track as far back as inherited issues or it can be very present moment in a first aid or acute situation. I have witnessed horses completely relax or come alive after their owner has been treated with homeopathy.
NB: I cannot legally treat horses & other animals with homeopathy due to the Veterinary Act. [Many animals come to help us in our lives & I will listen to all of them if you seek homeopathic consultation with me].
Horse Biog:
1991 - 1992 Took BHSAI. 1992 BUNAC (Horse Camp USA - Hunter/Jumper/Equitation education).
1992 to 2002 - Classical & natural riding instructor and horsemanship instructor. A plethora of courses (including Heather Moffett, Equine Behaviour Forum etc). Ditched becoming qualified in a method involving round penning as it did not sit right with me. Instead I read Dorrance, Hunt & similar around 2000.
June 2000 - took my first horse barefoot & bitless. Previous to this had been occasionally riding in a headcollar & hackamore.
Summer 2002 qualified as a barefoot hoof care trimmer. 2002 – 2010 - worked as a barefoot hoof trimmer (adapting to a generic natural trim based around the horse itself); equine behaviour issues, natural management/health from 2001 to 2010.
From 2003 to today, experiments in bridle-less riding. Two Chiron jumping courses & some Chiron instructor training (includes bridle-less jumping Caprilli style). Mark Rashid clinic. Two Dr Deb Bennett Clinics (NB: still the simplest way to straighten a horse – straight in mind, straight in body). Dr Cook Bitless Bridle seller.
2010-11 Carolyn Resnick ‘Uberstreichen’ online course & ‘Waterhole Rituals’ interactive Spring 2011 online course. (www.carolynresnickblog.com) Consider myself a student for life of this lady’s method. It goes above & beyond all other training techniques yet it can underpin all equestrian pursuits. NB: I am still learning!
Homeopathy: Qualified & registered homeopath since December 2010: Erica Dixon RSHom. www.resonatingremedies.co.uk
07770 785753 erica@resonatingremedies.co.uk Contact me for details of rates & travel costs
Sam Webber BBI, Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Horses have always been a part of my life. Learning from a young age horses soon changed from being a hobby to being a total passion. From as early as I can remember I was spending all my time around horses, working on dealers yards, at riding schools and even exercising the local farmers hunters, anything just to enable me to be around horses.
Starting from such a young age and working in a huge mixture of disciplines, from hunting, to endurance, to stud work, I have a vast experience of a huge variety of horses and in no time at all learned that no two horses are ever the same. Straight from school I went into training to become an Instructor, going down the usual BHS route with everything being done by the book. It didn't take long at all until I was qualified, trained to a very high level by a FBHS and proving very successful, gaining lots of clients both through work and freelance. It wasn't long until I became unhappy about doing everything "by the book" and then started to look into other training methods, focusing on the horse as opposed to what the books say. I studied many methods from Monty Roberts and his join up to Pat Parelli, and from my study, I took bits from all different types of methods and made them my own. These days I focus on NH methods, working with the horse building a mutual understanding and working together. All of my own horses are bitless, barefoot and treeless and I would not go back to any kind of metal as I strongly believe that no metal is the way forward with horses.
From my high level of training by the FBHS, my own extensive research into NH, therefore creating my own methods, I have a very high success rate, especially with "problem" horses. Those horses that no one else wants to give time to, these are the horses I enjoy working with most. All of my own horses are rescues and I also work very closely with EMWUK, assisting in the retraining of intakes to enable them to go out on loan. From an Instructor point of view I have huge experience in teaching any age rider, any ability and any discipline. I myself have competed successfully in local Showjumping with my own horse (bitless and barefoot I might add) but also have plenty of experience in Dressage and XC.
My mission is to prove that any horse can be re-trained and that the no metal method is best for any horse and rider. I am here to help people have as much joy out of their horses in as natural way as possible.
Sam can be contacted on her mobile 07534 672287 and by email
Patricia Rogers Ridgeway BBI - Co Louth, Ireland
Patricia Rogers Ridgeway and her husband Tom own a livery yard and riding school in County Louth in Ireland. Patricia writes:
I fatefully met and became the caretaker of a 14 y.o., 16.0hh Irish Draught gelding called Toddy in June 2004. Toddy had not had the best of times in his life and in fact Tom had known him quite well in the past and knew that he had a reputation not to be envied for being difficult, angry - at times marginally dangerous.
Lots of bruises, lots of bits and lots of patience later, my mental and physical resources were exhausted. I didn’t know what else I could possibly try to settle Toddy until, one fateful night, I happened upon the Bitless Bridle website. I decided that me and Toddy had just about nothing left to lose at this stage.
I ordered one in January 2007 and life has not been the same since. The once angry and petulant Toddy is today completely happy and loving life as he has adventure after adventure with his much-relieved rider. Toddy’s contentment with the bitless bridle and his undeniably better quality of life convinced me and Tom to then convert all of the riding school ponies in our yard over to the cross-under Bitless Bridle, winning rave reviews from students and owners alike.
The Ridgeway friends who knew the ‘old’ Toddy are constantly amazed at the ‘different horse’ who now lives in Castle Horses and ever increasing numbers are converting over to the Dr. Cook’s bridle as a result.
I have recently become a BBI in Ireland. Tom & I would be very pleased to welcome anyone to Castle Horses to have a look at the bridles, or to ride in one and try one out if you’d like. Just give a call in advance and Castle Horses would be delighted to meet you and to let you see...there is another way.
Patricia can be contacted by email or by phone 353 86 6052707
Website: www.castlehorses.ie
Photo shows Toddy and Patricia in front, enjoying a recent (bitless) visit to Achill Island in Co. Mayo
Download Castle Horses October 2007 newsletter
Pat Voisey ABRS Instructor, BBI - Derbyshire
In addition to being an ABRS qualified instructor Pat also holds a National Diploma in Equine Studies, and says how very proud she is to have been appointed as a BBI.
I use a combination of classical and natural horsemanship techniques, which I find compliment each other very well and I work with horse / rider relationship / communication problems; starting with groundwork skills. I use only kind methods of riding and horse management.
I discourage the use of bits (almost all my clients are now bitless) and will not accept the use of spurs, or abuse of the whip. My horse wears a treeless saddle, and is now barefoot.I don't use or advocate the use of 'gadgets' to restrict the horse, or force 'an outline', firmly believing that horses need time to develop strength and suppleness depending on type, conformation, temperament, age, etc, just as any other athlete does.
I am a 'mature' rider / instructor. I have ridden since the age of two, and have owned horses & ridden all my life. As a qualified riding instructor I previously worked in riding school environments, but now work freelance. I teach everything from basic ground work and improving equine / human relationships, to teaching jumping and dressage, whatever is needed.
Many times I find myself working with horses that have physical or emotional problems due to poor fitting tack, injury or abuse. The work I do with the horses is not just for in the 'school' it is a change in lifestyle and I work closely with horse and owner to ensure a sound communication exists between horse and human - a sort of 'holistic' approach if you like.
I teach people and equines who participate in all kinds of activities. Many have now gone bitless, and are finding their horsey partners are much happier, both in general and in performance. They have no problems in working 'through, in an outline', however, this should not depend on the bit / bridle but on the horse's ability, conformation, and fitness to perform. (Some of the 'Naturally trained' horses are ridden in high school movements, without bridle or saddle, beautifully.) Unfortunately this is one of the many areas where there is confusion over the use of the bit, often due I think to the terms used, such as ' working on, or to, the bit'.
It is still necessary to obtain the permission of the show / competition organiser, to enter [dressage competition] in a bitless, silly I know, but I don't know of anyone who has been turned away yet, and if they do say no, ask to enter non-competitively [HC], this will show the bridle off, gain interest, and show how well the horse works with it. It is often difficult to persuade people of the advantages of the BB, especially if they compete, and some instructors are so very closed minded about anything that is not 'traditional', that you feel like screaming, but if we can all show others by example, then things can only get better.
Read Pat's Blog
Pat can be contacted by email, or phone 01457 869612
Liz Crossley BBI - West Sussex
I live near Horsham, West Sussex, with my husband, two sons and my horses. I have owned Arab horses for more than twenty six years and used to compete at the National Arab Show, in regional Arab shows and in Endurance Rides.
After a break from riding to have children and foals I started studying “alternative” ways of handling horses. Although I had not experienced any problems with my mare and homebred filly, the homebred gelding was another story!
Like many other people, it was owning a horse that just did not respond to “normal” handling, which led me to investigate other methods. Once I started studying horsemanship I realised that despite years of riding and owning horses, just how much I did not know about how horses see the world. I now know this is vital to building a good partnership with horses. I have learnt so much over the years from clinics and books and enjoy sharing this information to help other people develop a deeper understanding of their horses.
“Arab horses do have a reputation for being “excitable”, which makes it all the more rewarding when I can ride past lorries, buses and tractors on my horse who frightened me so much in the past that I had vowed never to ride him again!”
It makes me sad that there seems to be such a gulf between “traditional” and “natural horsemanship”. I would like to help bridge that gap, bringing information and practical ideas about achieving a good relationship with horses. Many traditional riders dismiss alternative methods as “just common sense”. Well most of it is just that but until these “common sense” approaches are pointed out to people they often continue do things which are detrimental to their relationship with their horse, without realising it.
“My horses are “iron free”, barefoot and bitless because that is how I choose to manage them, it works for me. The Dr Cook Bitless bridle has made a huge difference to my riding. I am lucky to have my horses at home but I need to ride on busy roads, I prefer the bitless bridle because my horses are happy and relaxed and if they do get worried or excited on a hack I can gently check them and stay in control”.
If you think I may be able to help you or you would like to try a Dr Cook Bitless bridle before you order one, please contact me.
Liz can be contacted by email or phone 01403 710718, mobile 07774 993 775
Elisabeth (Lissy) Seidel MRCVS, Dr.med.vet., PGDipAnMan (McTimoney College), BBI - Marlborough, Wiltshire
I come from a determinedly unhorsey family but have always been strongly attracted to horses...spent my teenage years helping in stables and mucking out to be able to ride. I got my first horse when I was 16 and have kept horses ever since. I went through all the orthodox ways of riding and keeping horses, but steadily developed a holistic approach, first in my professional life (I work exclusively with acupuncture and McTimoney manipulation, a whole body treatment), then gradually spilling over into my life with my own horses, developing my natural horsemanship more and more and now riding both my horses barefoot and bitless...or one of them bridleless, at least at home and out hacking! They both team-chase, Silver Cloud at intermediate level and the Black Demon at Open Level, and both had their picture in the H&H!
I offer treatments for horses (and dogs) with acupuncture and McTimoney, workshops with a variety of topics and one to one assessments on almost any aspect of horsecare.
Lissy can be contacted by email or phone 01672 861013, mobile 07788 794997
Lissy's website is What Makes Your Horse Tick?
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