Responding to requests for clarification as to The British Horse Society’s policy on the use of bitless bridles when riding on the highway, Chief Executive Graham Cory explained as follows:
“It is self-evidently true that the horse and rider should be working in harmony in all situations. If this is achieved, both should be safe, on the road and elsewhere. Of course, horses and riders are individuals: what might suit one horse-and-rider combination may not suit another, so this will never be a question where a single hard and fast rule will be conducive to the safety of every horse and rider.
“Following closely from this first proposition, the degree of harmony (and therefore control) which it is possible to achieve is affected by the characteristics of the particular horse and the competence of the rider. An exceptionally well-schooled horse, or a less well-schooled horse ridden by a skilled rider, may be controllable with the most subtle aids of leg and seat, with minimal contact on the reins. The corollary is that a more spirited horse and/or a less skilled rider – both of which will always exist in their hundreds of thousands – may not achieve harmony (and therefore control) quite so easily. So when choosing tack the ability of the rider and the standard of training of the horse must always be taken into account.”
On the issue of insurance cover, Mr Cory said:
“As regards your question about the BHS insurance cover, in the event that a rider should ever be called to account for an accident, one can see that s/he might find it difficult to avoid the charge of negligence if it were shown that s/he had chosen to use tack which did not achieve the fullest measure of control. Nevertheless, the £10m of Public Liability cover provided to all Gold Members does not exclude the wearing of bitless bridles, and any indemnity provided by the policy in respect of legal liability to provide compensation (including claimants’ costs and expenses) would operate.”
He concluded:
“The key point, therefore – and the BHS policy – is that any tack is permissible provided that it promotes horse and rider harmony without compromising the welfare or safety of either.”