By JANE HOUIN<br>
Ohio Correspondent</b> </p><p>

WORTHINGTON, Ontario — Millions of Americans read the book or saw the movie based on The Horse Whisperer and wondered how a human could communicate so effectively and intuitively with an animal that doesn’t speak our language.</p><p>
The answer? By learning to communicate like a horse.</p><p>
Natural horsemanship is based on understanding the natural herd hierarchy, or pecking order, how horses use body language to communicate and the understanding of horses’ “explosive flight” instincts that have helped protect them from natural predators.
The movement has evolved from training techniques to tack and equipment that further instill the principles of natural horsemanship. Trade publications and horse owners alike are spending time measuring the pros, cons and best uses for treeless saddles and barefoot horses.</p><p>
Bitless bridles are also becoming increasingly popular as a gentler yet effective tool for riders to control their horses. While the use of metal is centuries old, many of today’s equestrians are discovering that bitless bridles don’t compromise control.</p><p>
Zoe Brooks, a quality management consultant and horse farm owner, admits her first foray into owning a horse didn’t start with the mutual, caring relationship she expected.</p><p>
Brooks was born and raised in the tiny town of Port Loring in Northern Ontario. She was a devoted horse lover from birth, explaining that some people are born with a love of horses and their souls feel complete in the animals’ company.</p><p>
Brooks acquired her first horse when she and her husband, Guy, bought a farm. She was more than a little surprised when her horse, Hazel, began pushing her around. </p><p>
That’s when she did some research and began using natural horsemanship methods.</p><p>
Hazel was content to take trail rides outfitted in a rope halter with no bit, but as soon as Brooks tried riding her with a bit and bridle, Hazel’s personality changed and she became combative. That’s what led her to design the Nurtural No-Bit Bridle.</p><p>
“When you think about the mechanics of shoving a harsh hunk of steel into a horse’s mouth, it sounds rather barbaric,” said Brooks, co-founder of Nurtural Horse products. “Attila the Hun succeeded by teaching his army to control their horses with metal bits.</p><p>
“While today’s bits aren’t as primitive, the fact is that much of our modern equestrian practice evolved from military training. The idea behind the bitless bridle is that if you remove the distraction and pain of a bit, the horse and owner are happier.”</p><p>
Bitless bridles are gaining credibility among all sectors of the horse set. </p><p>
From the casual pleasure rider to the precision of Grand Prix Dressage riders, horse owners are discovering the difference “going natural” can make. They feel their horses are calmer and happier to be with them.</p><p>
While natural horsemanship is often viewed as a “softer” way to train, it focuses on creating a partnership, with the human as the dominant “horse” to be respected. </p><p>
By catering to the horse’s innate knowledge and instincts, the animal feels secure and willingly turns to its human teammate for leadership.</p><p>
Though many horse lovers see the value in the natural horsemanship movement, they may balk at bitless bridles, believing they all look like a standard hackamore. The often bulky or rudimentary appearance of hackamores doesn’t seem to mesh too well with the grace and poise required when showing. But Brooks says bitless bridles have become so refined and elegant in appearance that, at first glance, many riders don’t even realize a horse isn’t using a standard bitted bridle.</p><p>
“Once they see the responsiveness and control that a bitless bridle can offer, most riders become interested,” she said. “After all, what horse owner wouldn’t want to find a more nurturing and gentle way to work with the horse they love?”</p><p>
Brooks said her Nurtural bridle is different from other bitless bridles on the market because of the trademarked Circle-X system that holds the reinstraps consistently in the best position for the horse to improve communication.</p><p>
Using bitless bridles also leads to better riding, according to Brooks, as riders learn to focus on using their seat, legs and hands to guide their mount, as opposed to relying on the pressure of a bit, which often leads to “lighter hands.”</p><p>
Brooks is proof that horse lovers come from all walks of life.
She leads another life in the world of quality management consulting for medical labs.</p><p>
She pioneered the concept of “Performance-Driven Quality Control” and is even the author of a textbook by the same name, published by the American Assoc. for Clinical Chemistry.</p><p>
She is on faculty at The University of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark, N.J., where she teaches an online post-graduate course in Clinical Laboratory Data Analysis. </p><p>
Her quality control work has taken her across Canada, the United States and to Korea, Taiwan, China, Thailand, England and Wales. She’s served as keynote speaker and presented workshops in Australia, Finland and Bermuda.</p><p>
Brooks publishes articles and maintains a website dedicated to laboratory quality management.
She also designs and presents seminars, workshops, home study courses, CDs and software programs for quality management.
For more information about Brooks’ bitless bridle products, visit www.nurtural horse.com to find photos, videos of the bitless bridles in use, customer testimonials, ordering information and more.