trail riding with no bit?

Thenrie, thank you for your response. I always feel the censorship, even when no one says anything. Those who do say something have no fixes, only critism for the answers I have finally found. I worked with this boy for months before finally resigning myself.

I have been riding for 25 years, all types and kinds. Before this horse I had never worn spurs and my bit collection was every soft and kind creation I could find. None of those bits could get this boy to listen, even after he came fresh from the trainer. Without spurs, he became heavy on my leg within our first 30 mins ride back.

Merlot, you would NEVER find a mark in the mouth nor a hair on his side out of place, after my 3 hour ride with my boy.

I take offence to the mindset that hardware = abuse. My best mentors always drilled into me that any tool is only as cruel as the 'tool' using it.
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I ride bitless in a riding halter. It is a snugger fit through the nose than a regular rope halter so it doesn't ride up or turn on the horses face. It has a place to attach the reins on the sides. I have one with metal rings, one with loops. I also use rope reins. So I can ride and tie with all the same head gear. Easy convenient and handy.

Yep I trail ride with the Nurtural Bitless bridle. Had my horse for 8 months and never has she had a bit in her mouth since i've bought her, I always ride with my bitless bridle wherever I go! :)

I don't think it's the hardware that makes it abuse but the user who is abusing the hardware that does.......

Ok, honestly, I read the OP and skipped to the end just to see. Kinda looks like I'm glad I did. To the original question, most of our trail rides are in nylon halter and lead rope tied back for reigns. So no it's not crazy to consider it. As long as your horse is up to it, we got a lot more riding time in this way. A quick 15-30min ride is so easy bare back in a halter. I also feel its a good strength for a horse to be able to ride in just a halter or even just a lead rope through the mouth.
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I train my mare in a Myler snaffle and trail ride in a Light Rider bitless bridle.

She goes really well in it, and I can actually get passable flatwork in it as well. I like being able to hop off and turn it onto a halter to let her graze or drink. It's leather and is actually really nice looking.

It is similar to this one:

I don't use a bit at all in any of my three mares and I trail ride a few times every year, on all kinds of trails. I just don't like bits at all, I sure wouldn't want a piece of metal in my mouth for how ever long were out.

I use a bit-less bridle type of set-up and had ZERO issues with the control of my horses. She is just fine with the setup and it will not cause and pain or discomfort for her. I had both Babe and Mea since birth and they grew up bit-less when I started their training. Gypsy came to me as an adult, she was an ex-barrel racer/show horse by her previous owner. Gypsy did use a bit before I got her, but I switched to a bit-less right away and she took to it right away with zero issues at all. It was like she never used a bit. I understand that all horses are different and not all will take to a bit-less and will require a bit. I'm just glad I don't have to use one, I feel so much better and I know my girls do too. I also know that some shows require the use of a bit so again I understand if folks need one.

Nearly all of the riding I do is on trails, and I've been using a bitless exclusively for the last two years. Whether it's a good idea or not depends on the horse, and if it works for you, you should not be ashamed to go without a bit, but you've probably gotten that much from the previous posters.:) For my mare, she was much happier when she first wore the bitless. Other benefits include being able to hand graze in the bridle without the bit getting all nasty, and not having to worry about warming a cold bit in the winter.

I do agree that you don't have as precise control over the nose/lateral flexion in a bitless as you do with a bit, but that is why I use bitless on the trail and a bit for flatwork and competeing. A few times my mare has had a 'moment' where she jumps around and flings her head, and it is definitely easier to bring her back in a bit, but is still possible in my bitless, just slower, takes longer for her brain to kick back in.

I am also one who won't ride in a rope halter for anything other than coming in from the paddock. In my experience they slide up and/or around on the face and aren't very clear in signal. I much prefer a specifically designed bitless set-up.

Wildspot, I like the looks of that bridle. Very nice.