The Holistic Horse Approach

29/11/2025

🫶🏻

28/11/2025

Are you SURE your horse ' prefers' a stronger bit?
This is a statement that raises questions for me.
If someone tells me their horse ' prefers a stronger bit' or ' prefers a bit to bitless', I ask how they measure what their horse prefers.
Every single time I ask that question the reply is the same, with some variance in language.

' He/She goes better with it'
Or
' he/she argues less in a stronger bit'

Obedience is not a metric for preference. A horse being more responsive and obedient to something which inflicts more pain is to be expected. The trouble is, it also increases their anxiety.
When people come to me for help, they are very often dealing with an anxious horse. Very often, that anxious horse is ' going better' in a stronger bit.
I think we need to be clearer about what we actually mean she we say 'stronger'. Stronger means capable of inflicting more pain. That isn't my opinion, it is the actual meaning of the term stronger. When we strip away he candy coating.
For a prey animal to have the threat of pain in the most sensitive part of their body, they will be in a heightened state of anxiety.
They will be obedient, in the hopes of avoiding that pain, but it doesn't take much of an outside stressor to tip them over threshold. Once they tip to an adrenaline response all your ' control', which is really just an illusion of control, is gone.
You know how we read stories of 60kg Mom's lifting 2 ton cars to save babies, because of an adrenaline response? Imagine what a 600kg animal can run through in that state.
I know the adrenaline mom stories are often tabloid exaggerations, but adrenaline responses do push us past pain thresholds and make us capable of incredible physicality.
A horse in that state would take the risk of damage to their mouth and tongue, and your obedience runs out.
I, personally, would prefer calm communication and connection over obedience.
Obedience runs out when there is something scarier than whoever they are obedient to.
Connection is infinite.

25/11/2025

Love getting client feedback like this! 💓
When I first met Raven, she naturally carried her head very high — typical for a trotter type — so seeing progress like this is such a big achievement for her. 😊

Client message:
"Hey Sophie, just a quick vid… this is the lowest she’s ever put her head with no contact — and even with! I can’t believe the difference already and this is her first proper ride… I can’t thank you enough for your service and advice!!!"

Moments like these make all the work worthwhile. So proud of Raven and her lovely owner for their dedication. ✨🐴

23/11/2025

🌟🌸Brand Name Change & New Logo 🌸🌟
The Holistic Horse Approach — Sophie Bannon

Over the past year, my work has grown far beyond what I first imagined when I began my journey in the equine industry and into bit fitting. As my experience expanded, so did my understanding of what truly supports both horse and rider.

I realised that my old business name no longer reflected the depth of what I do — or the values behind it.
So, it felt like the right time for a change.

🌸 I’m excited to introduce my new brand name: The Whole Horse Approach.

This name represents everything my work has evolved into:
✨ A more holistic, horse-centred philosophy
✨ A commitment to welfare-led bit fitting
✨ My expansion into teaching
✨ A focus on seeing the entire horse, not just one piece of equipment

Horses deserve professionals who look at the bigger picture — comfort, biomechanics, behaviour, communication and partnership. This approach is at the heart of everything I do.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far. I can’t wait to continue growing, learning, and providing a service that truly honours the whole horse. 🐴🩷

— Sophie Bannon
The Holistic Horse Approach

23/11/2025

23/11/2025

🎄✨ Christmas Giveaway! ✨🎄

We’re spreading festive cheer with a chance to WIN a FREE professional bit fitting 🐴💫
Start the new year with comfort, confidence, and a happy horse!

To enter:
1️⃣ Like & share this post
2️⃣ Visit my page, click the three dots, and invite your friends to follow ⭐
3️⃣ Post a photo of your horse in the comments below 📸🐴 and comment “Done”

🌟 Winner will be announced on December 24th! 🌟

Good luck — we can’t wait to see all your gorgeous horses! 🎄💖

23/11/2025

👑 Bit Fitting for Poppy - Our October competition winner! 👑

Today we had the pleasure of doing a bit fitting for Poppy. She’s only recently been backed and is still quite green, so the aim was to keep everything simple, comfortable, and confidence-building for her.

After assessing her way of going and what she felt happiest in, we chose the Expert Bits Sweet Iron Lozenge. It offered her a soft, clear contact without overwhelming her, and she settled into it really well. ✨

Lovely to see a young horse feeling relaxed and supported in the right bit — excited to watch Poppy continue her journey. 💙

22/11/2025