Describing a horse or other animal that is ridden without a bit, the metal piece normally placed in the horse's mouth for control; or lacking teeth or a cutting edge.
From Old English 'bite' (the horse equipment) plus '-less' (suffix meaning without or lacking). The term has been used in horsemanship for centuries, and can also literally mean 'without bites' or 'toothless'.
Bitless riding is ancient—many Indigenous peoples rode horses without bits using just neck reins and body weight—and modern bitless advocates argue horses respond better to communication than restraint, challenging centuries of Western riding tradition.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.