The History of the Bitless bridle

Bitless riding is nothing new, it is likely that the first domesticated horses were ridden with some type of noseband, made of various materials such as sinew, leather, or rope. However, because these materials decay quickly, it's hard to find archaeological proof of the earliest use of bitless gear. The first artwork showing bitless bridles comes from around 1400 BC, showing horsemen from the Syian culture. 

Horses were domesticated between 4500 and 3500 BC, and the earliest use of metal bits dates to about 3500-3000 BC in the Botai culture. This suggests that bitless headgear was used to control horses before the development of bits.