Call for choice over bitless bridles in competition

Wragg has had 100 emails this week since launching her online petition which seeks the option of using crossunder bitless bridles in all equine competitions worldwide.

She has been surprised by the depth of emotion surrounding the subject.

While most of the emails received have been in support of her efforts, one contained a death threat and threatened to burn down her home.

"It seems to have opened a big can of worms," she says.

"I'm not anti-bit, I just want the choice."

She believes tradition is behind the reluctance to allow bitless bridles in competition and she had yet to see any evidence arguing against their use.

Wragg says there are very few competitions in New Zealand which allow their use at this stage, but there was growing acceptance overseas, with the Dutch allowing them in competition since September last year.

"I am not asking anybody to ban the bit. I just want riders to be allowed the choice. If they allow us that choice, the bridles will speak for themselves."

Thirty-nine-year-old Wragg, from Marton, about 40km from Palmerston North, returned to riding about two years ago after a layoff of some 20 years.

Wragg said she asked a lot of questions, one of which was, "why do I need to use a bit?"

She said she had a thoroughbred who proved a handful in a conventional bit. She had been bucked off, kicked and run over.

She bought one of Dr Robert Cook's crossunder bitless bridles over the internet and the horse's personality when ridden changed instantly.

"He became an absolute joy. I was very, very impressed."

Wragg said she has had 12 horses since then and had enjoyed success with all of them with the bitless bridle.

Tracy's daughter Alana, who was not allowed to compete in a recent competition because she intended to ride in a bitless bridle.

"I have seen some horses go from loonies to calm in five minutes," she says.

Wragg said there were several petitions around the world seeking the use of bitless bridles. She decided on a worldwide focus for her own, seeking choice in all competitions and all jurisdictions.

"I don't understand why this should be such a big fight," she says.

"I don't understand what the big deal is. If someone wants to use a crossunder bitless bridle in a competition, what is the problem? It's hard to break the tradition."

She says she does not accept that a horse in a bitless bridle would be difficult to control if it ran out of control. "A runaway horse won't be stopped by a bit, either."

Wragg said her five-year-old daughter had not been allowed to compete in a recent competition because she intended to ride in the bitless bridle.

She said she had written to the Pony Club in New Zealand seeking their use, and had been invited to put forward her evidence for the organisation's yearly review of rules in April. She intends to take up the invitation.