A Bit Unique

30/03/2024

25/02/2024

Yesterday started like any other day…got up and went straight outside to feed the horses. Got the feeds made up and set off with the buggy only to start feeling nauseous and lightheaded!!🥴
So I walked back to the house (no doubt with the horses cursing at me…where’s my breakfast??!!😖) and had an electrolyte drink and a small piece of chocolate, thinking my blood sugar must be really low.

Anyway, half an hour later I felt ok so had a boiled egg for breakfast. (Should say that my dear Mum had fed the horses by now so they never suffered!!).😉

No sooner had I finished my brekkie and I passed out totally, only to fall into the edge of the glass coffee table which at least caused enough pain to bring me around again! Got a lovely shiner to show for it!!😵‍💫

So up to ED for me and long story short, I had two more fainting episodes with the second one resulting in 3 chest compressions because my heart decided to stop doing its job for 8 seconds…basically I flat lined!!!😮
It was super scary to return to consciousness and find 12 dr’s and nurses around my bed all looking concerned!!

Now I’m writing this post from my hospital bed in the Prince Charles cardiac unit in Brisbane and will more than likely be having a pacemaker fitted tomorrow.⏱️

I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel to have been at the right place at the right time otherwise I could’ve been a goner!! The staff at Gladstone Hospital ED and resus department are nothing short of amazing and I think they’ll remember me for being a troublemaker!!😈😇

Events like these definitely make you realise how fragile life can be and it’s made me even more determined to stop worrying about things that don’t really matter and focus on what’s important to me.🥰

P.S I know it should be ‘quietly’ not ‘quitely but it definitely captures the way I feel at the moment!!😍

06/02/2024

⭐️⭐️ 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR HORSE’S BIT FITTED ⭐️⭐️

❇️ 1. Your horse can’t tell you that the bit you’re currently using is uncomfortable for him. The only way he can show you is by avoiding the contact. This might be subtle and just not quite travelling into both reins equally, or it might be as obvious as head tossing or tongue rolling.

❇️ 2. Every single horse has a different mouth shape…some horses have a tiny oral cavity and narrow lower jaw, even though they might be a 17hh Warmblood. This inevitably means their mouth will measure more like a dainty pony. In contrast, a Shetland pony could easily have a fairly wide lower jaw, and large oral cavity with a fleshy tongue, in turn meaning that the bit would need to be wider. So one type and size of bit cannot possibly fit all horses.

❇️ 3. Because of this variation in mouth conformation, some horse’s need less tongue pressure (tongue relief), more bar pressure, some horses need less lip pressure, more overall mouth pressure and some horses need as little pressure as possible.

❇️ 4. In relation to the above reason, some horses need a single joint, some horses need a double joint and some horses need a Mullen mouth that’s made from synthetic material because any metal is too harsh.

❇️ 5. Do you know whether your horse is better in a fixed cheekpiece (eg., Eggbutt/D-ring, hanging cheek) or a loose ring and if so why does your horse go better in one than the other? If you don’t know the answer to this question then it’s another reason that Clare Figueiredo from Bit Unique can help you. 🩵🦄💜

Get in touch and book your spot…your horse will thank you!☺️

31/12/2023

Wishing all my valued clients past, present and future A Happy New Year!!🥂

I have lots of exciting plans for 2024 and I’m looking forward to helping horses and humans alike, in their quest for the perfect connection!!🩵🦄💜

24/12/2023

I can’t believe it’s Christmas again already!! 😳😳

Here’s wishing a fabulous, festive season to all my valued clients, sponsored riders and their four legged friends.🎄🌟

2023 has been a challenging year but as they say ‘ if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you!’ 👌👌

Thank you for supporting my endeavours in the last year and watch this space because I have even bigger and better things to come!!🤩🤩

Wishing you all good health and happiness into 2024 and beyond!!🥂💫

A Bit Unique…making a difference, a bit at a time!!💜🦄🩵

Equine Bit Fitting Service

01/12/2023

Don’t miss this opportunity!!😁

🦄🦄 AN EARLY XMAS PRESENT FOR YOUR UNICORN 🦄🦄

A Bit Unique is heading to Brisbane and Beaudesert regions next Wed 6 and Thurs 7.

A few spaces available for a bitfitting.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT there is a bit that suits each horse’s mouth and when you find it you just know! 🥰 Then you understand what all the fuss is about.

Last trip to Brisbane for a few months.

01/12/2023

🦄🦄 AN EARLY XMAS PRESENT FOR YOUR UNICORN 🦄🦄

A Bit Unique is heading to Brisbane and Beaudesert regions next Wed 6 and Thurs 7.

A few spaces available for a bitfitting.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT there is a bit that suits each horse’s mouth and when you find it you just know! 🥰 Then you understand what all the fuss is about.

Last trip to Brisbane for a few months.

14/10/2023

💜💜 Limited Spaces available for this clinic next weekend. 💜💜
🩵🩵 Come and see what all the fuss is about regarding bit fitting — fence sitters welcome 🩵🩵
💜💜 Many professional riders have had their horses bits fitted with me and so far, all of them have been stunned by the difference a correctly fitted and shaped bit can make.💜💜
🩵🩵Each consult includes initial assessment of horse in current bit, a thorough mouth examination to determine the horse’s pressure preferences and the opportunity to trial between 3-5 different bits to find the perfect option for your horse.🩵🩵
💜💜Contact A Bit Unique or call Clare Figueiredo 0413 398655 to make a booking.💜💜

30/08/2023

🌟🌟EXCITING NEWS!!!🌟🌟

A Bit Unique (Bitfitting service) is coming soon to the Lockyer Valley region.

02/08/2023

“You look like you’re knitting a sweater!”

Pretty sure in riding (especially dressage) that is one harsh insult, intended to invoke the image of someone who is overly busy - hands pulling left, right, left, right. 😣 Certainly not something we want.

But as a rider, you do need to be *creative* with the contact, to communicate something to your horse. When I was learning to ride, I thought “good hands” meant hands that were perfectly still, doing absolutely nothing.

And then when I was a working student for Lilo Fore, one day she yelled at me out of exasperation, “ELIZA!!!! Good hands doesn’t mean you do NOTHING!! You must USE your hands!!!” (In her thick German accent at a very high volume 😳)

I gradually realized that if your hands are perfectly still, they are not moving WITH the horse, and they are not helping him in any way. And the horses need our help! Over time I got braver about learning to try things with my hands. And yep, I did it wrong a lot at the beginning - too strong, too wimpy, holding too much, giving for too long. But as my seat became more and more independent, I could actually “make” something with my contact.

How do you use your hands effectively without looking like you are knitting? Remember, it's all about fostering a harmonious connection with our horses, one stitch at a time.🧶🐴 😜🧣


Image by Susan DiFelice Design

22/07/2023

❓ A common question we get is, "My horse is very sensitive so I bought the softest bit I could, it's a really thick hollow snaffle - but my horse is still not accepting the contact. Can you help?"

YES! A very common mistake people make when bitting their horse is to purchase the thickest (sometimes its up to 20mm-25mm thick!) and also lightest hollow or thick rubber snaffle they can find. Somewhere along the line, they have been taught that thicker bits = kinder bits. As it spreads the bit pressure over a greater surface area, it must be kind, right? Wrong.

Put your finger in your horse's mouth between the top and bottom jaw over the top of the tongue and you'll quickly realise that they don't have a lot of room between the top and bottom jaw to accommodate a big thick bit.

Horses are also considered 'obligate nasal breathers' - their physical anatomy means they cannot breathe orally. The epiglottis sits above the soft palate while the animal is not swallowing, which forms a seal. A thick bit affects the action of swallowing and nasal breathing and often causes a horse to suck its tongue back in an attempt to make the airtight seal leading to tension in the jaw and neck, displacement of the soft palate, and getting their tongue over the bit.

As a general rule, the thickest bit that an average horse can accommodate within their interdental space is 16mm in diameter. Check out some of our favourite bits which have been anatomically designed to take up minimal room in your horse's mouth ➡️ www.bitbankaustralia.com.au/allabouthorsebits/shut-your-mouth-how-bit-thickness-impacts-performance/

10/07/2023

Does your horse's bridle fit their anatomy? At Bit Bank, it's not just our mission to ensure that every horse is wearing the right bit for them, but also the right bridle!

We love the Bridle2Fit and Micklem bridles, both of which have been designed taking into account the horse's facial anatomy and avoiding any sensitive nerves. Maximise your horse's comfort and therefore their performance!

➡️ Browse our bridle range www.bitbankaustralia.com.au/bridlewear/

24/06/2023

SE Qld based riders don’t miss this!!

Nominations are now open for our July Horse and Rider health clinic!

Choose your path for this months clinic from body workers to bit and saddle fitters! Plus Exercise Physiology sessions as well.

This is going to be a very exciting clinic and definitely one not to miss!

24/06/2023

💠 ATTENTION MARYBOROUGH EQUESTRIANS💠

Sorry for the short notice but A Bit Unique (Bitfitting Service) is coming your way again on 10/11 July 23.

So what’s all the fuss about bitfitting these days?? Surely it’s not that complicated to find a bit that suits all my horses!!??🤷‍♀️

A common misunderstanding that some riders have is, we bit-fitters, are just ensuring that the bit is the correct size and position….when of course, anybody with common sense can work that out!! Right!!??

Well actually no that’s not the case…I have dealt with many talented riders (some that ride professionally) that have been surprised to discover that their current bit is either the wrong size, in the wrong position or sometimes both!!😬

And even when the size and position of the bit is perfect the horse may still be uncomfortable. This is because every horse’s mouth is like a finger print…completely unique and what one horse will like, another horse will detest!!😱😱 The science of bit design has evolved to such an extent that virtually every horse’s mouth conformation has been catered for in recent years.😃

I have seen horses go from crooked to straight, tense to soft and strong to nicely connected all by changing the bit to something more suitable.

Please don’t get me wrong, a correctly fitted bit won’t suddenly have you both heading to the Olympics…but it is one large part of the jigsaw puzzle that needs to be completed to ensure, you’re giving your horse the best opportunity to perform!😇😇

So we owe it to our horses to get a bitfit done regardless of which equestrian discipline we participate in.🥰

If you’re interested and would like to know more please comment below or give me a call 0413 298655. Fencesitters are most welcome but please let me know if you’re coming for insurance purposes.✅✅

06/06/2023

To All My Wonderful Clients and anyone who is waiting for my services….

Please accept my sincere apologies but I’m not allowed to drive at the moment as my ankle is fractured!!😏

What I thought was just bad swelling and bruising turned out not to be the case when I had an x-ray seven days after the incident (yes it was a horse that panicked and jumped on my foot!!😣)

I’m heading to the fracture clinic this Friday 9 June so hopefully I’ll know more about when I’m back in business then…I’m guessing a few more weeks and I should be released into the community again without a chauffeur!😂

Thanks everyone in advance for your patience and support.🙏🏻🙏🏻

05/06/2023

04/06/2023

If you have a horse that can be a bit fussy in the mouth, then choosing an eggbutt can be very beneficial! The eggbutt cheek supports the contact in the corners of the lips, keeping the mouthpiece a little stiller which can assist with horses that are fussy in the mouth.

➡️ Browse our range of Eggbutt Snaffles here www.bitbankaustralia.com.au/eggbutt-snaffles/

📷

19/05/2023

With winter approaching and the ☀️ sunshine leaving us, we've traded outside pony time for inside tidying time and it's time for us to have a massive cleanout!

We've got great bargains across a range of products, so shop our Clearance Sale today and move those items you can't stop thinking about from your wishlist to your shopping cart! 🛍️

➡️ Browse the sale www.bitbankaustralia.com.au/clearance-sale/

09/05/2023

So what does a Bit Fitting session actually involve? All of our Accredited Bit Fitters will have their own style of appointment, but you can expect to have:

🐴 A discussion about any concerns you're having with your horse, and why you're wanting a bit fitting/to change the bit you're using

🐴 Finding out about your horse's history, such as dental, body work, saddle fit etc

🐴 Examining your horse's mouth to understand their unique oral anatomy and what bit types will suit this

🐴 A ridden session where you can ride your horse in different bits and see what they do and don't like

🐴 Suggestions of which bit will suit your horse best, taking into account your horse's oral anatomy, the problems you were having with your old bit/horse's way of going, and what you're wanting to achieve.

Find an accredited Bit Fitter near you, and make sure your horse is in the most comfortable and effective bit for them! ➡️ www.bitbankaustralia.com.au/find-a-bit-fitter/

16/04/2023

13/04/2023

🦄 A Bit Unique will be off grid from 15-23 April.
I will respond to messages on my return.🦄

05/04/2023

We're proud to be stocking Fager - a modern brand taking bit development to the next level! 🙌

The philosophy behind their designs is fully backed by current and ongoing scientific research, and developed in conjunction with veterinarians who share their passion for equine welfare.

Each and every Fager design has been developed with a specific type or personality of horse as the focus which means that we can help you find the ideal Fager bit for your horse!

➡️ Browse the range www.bitbankaustralia.com.au/fager

03/04/2023

I’m so proud to have received such positive feedback about my services from a very well -respected coach and GP rider!!☺️