Bitless and Beautiful Mission Statement
The Bitless and Beautiful mission is to promote a more just and humane world for the domesticated horse and to restore balance, harmony and mutual respect for all.
our philosophy and goals
We seek to raise the collective conscience, and modernize the human-equine relationship to create a more loving, humane, and evolved existence for all.
We are committed to education and raising awareness of the scientific research that supports our mission, and we believe that once educated, humans will enthusiastically embrace an approach that empowers us to work with horses in a compassionate way; without harsh punishment, without equipment that causes pain and fear, and with more attention to the welfare of the horse.
We believe we can increase global wellbeing by eliminating the accepted abuse and cruelty that our beloved equine partners suffer daily all over the planet. We believe much of this abuse occurs at the hands of well-intentioned humans who have been indoctrinated with the archaic belief that we must control the horse, rather than learn how to communicate with him.
The domesticated horse population has been consistently exploited, underrepresented, and underserved, despite being our faithful partners for centuries. We are committed to the belief that by developing, producing, compiling and promoting resources that support the Bitless & Beautiful mission, we can help our global community identify and implement practices
To learn more about the Bitless and Beautiful philosophy, read our manifesto here.
We are part of a robust and rapidly expanding community of enlightened horse lovers. We are many! You can access our worldwide directory here. Contact us to add your name!
Explore our website and learn how horses and humans around the world are tapping into the power of compassion. And please send us your stories so we can share!
Please enjoy some highlights from Fiona's journey to a bitless, whipless, spurless experience with her human, Lucie!
Lucie and Fiona enjoying some turnout. When Fiona first came to us, she was a sad and anxious soul. She had been passed around to different owners and riders and sent through numerous "training systems". Fiona was so out of emotional balance that she could not even enjoy her free time. Turnout, which should have been a relished and relaxing experience, made her nervous and even frantic. She would pace anxiously and have no awareness of people around her. Her angst was so great we felt it was potentially dangerous for Lucie to be in the arena with her during turnout. The tonic was time and careful listening. We began by giving her turnout in our small arena, where she felt safe and could see her human and equine cheerleaders. Once she was relaxed enough to start sunbathing regularly in the small arena, we offered her time in the large arena with one of us there to keep her company. These supervised turnouts have become rewarding for all of us, and Lucie is proud of the fun she and Fiona have practicing in hand work at liberty!
Watch this video! Wow! The day Fiona arrived at Summerwood, she was being led with a stud chain. She was strong and pushy, and running over the hauler, who forecast that we would never be able to safely lead Fiona without one. Again, we gave Fiona the respect she deserves. We allowed her to listen and to be heard, to be seen, and to observe. Now 9-year-old Lucie can safely lead Fiona without invasive, cruel hardware. And the stud chain? It will be used, to hang a water bucket, or secure a gate - because it’s hardware, not horseware!
For the first 3 months we had Fiona in our care, our trainer Nina advised us to take a break from riding and spend time on the ground with her, working and bonding, while we made the transition to bitless riding. We started at the beginning (a very good place to start), with basic groundwork, to reframe training for all of us. Honestly, it was frustrating at times, and required faith in this program, for which I am passionate, but had not had the opportunity to explore so deeply myself. This foundation work has been key and the most rewarding work I have ever done with horses. Fiona has revealed herself as a true Family Friend, and we are all having a great time discovering all the things we like to do together, and that now includes riding!
See first caption above. Turnout has turned around!
When Fiona's previous owner saw this photo, she proclaimed it a MIRACLE. Fiona had seized the opportunity to transition from a shut down, potentially dangerous and resentful horse to a lovely and loving caretaker of all those who ride her. She did not get to this new place by force or human insistence. We all got here by taking time, listening to each other and treating Fiona with the basic care and dignity that everyone deserves.
2022 IROBE - Join us!
IROBE participants in 2022 will earn beautiful year-end awards in all disciplines, including a league for the non-ridden equine and the IROBE Horse & Human of the Year! So join today!
Bitless and Beautiful is a 501(c)(3). All donations are tax deductible.