Susan Harrower Independent Bit & Bridle Consultant

15/11/2022

Very interesting post with regards to your tack

For this post Kay Hastilow welcomes Guest Blogger Rachael Argo, who like Kay, is a Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter. Originally fro...

15/11/2022

I have found that some riders think that because a bridle is "anatomical" then it will be much more comfortable for their horse - not necessarily because again they are made in standard sizes and there is no such thing as a standard horse head

Did you know.....anatomical bridles need to be fitted correctly too. There are dozens of anatomical bridles on the market today and one brand will not fit all horses. Often people take advice from social media posts but each horse is an individual and you can waste money buying an off the peg bridle if you don’t have it fitted.
A Qualified Bridle Fitter will help you select the best fitting anatomical bridle for your horse.

15/11/2022

Did you know.....The cavesson noseband should sit 1-2 fingers below the bottom edge of the facial crest, and with at least two adult fingers placed side by side under the front on the nasal plane. This allows your horse freedom to move the jaw and tongue, enabling them to swallow. It also prevents peak pressures against their facial nerves, veins and arteries.
A Qualified Bridle Fitter will help you get the correct fit for your horse.

15/11/2022

Did you know.....Flash nosebands have been shown to cause more peak pressures in sensitive areas than most other nosebands. The attachment shown here on the left creates another unwanted pressure point. There are some types of flash noseband which are more comfortable than others such as the one of the right, but why not consider an alternative?
A Qualified Bridle Fitter will be able to advise on a more comfortable noseband for your horse.

05/11/2022

Did you know......Nerves emerge from holes in the skull called foramen. The Infraorbital Nerve emerges from the Infraorbital Foramen and the Mental Nerve emerges from the Mental Foramen. Both theses nerves can be irritated by nosebands which is why they mustn’t be overtightened. Remember, you must be able to fit at least two adult fingers under any noseband on the front of the nasal bone. A Qualified Bridle Fitter will help you fit your noseband correctly.

04/11/2022

Did you know.....the Facial Crest is a sharp ridge of bone on the cheek with only a thin layer of tissue covering it and the Nasal Bone tapers down to be very thin towards the muzzle. Nosebands shouldn’t sit up against the Facial Crest but neither should they interfere with the nostrils. Ask a Qualified Bridle Fitter to check the fit of your noseband.

10/07/2022

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15/06/2022

Often I am asked to go out to a bit/bridle fitting because the client feels that their horse doesn't like its current bit, however in so many cases it's not the bit the horse doesn't like but the bridle. One of the main indicators of this is that the horse either tilts their head to one side or shakes or tosses its head when ridden, or doesn't go forward; one reason for this, I'm finding, is that the headpiece and/or browband is too tight and causing pressure and the horse is trying to alleviate this by shaking their head - a useful analogy is you wearing a hat that is too tight or the pressure on the top of your ears from wearing sunglasses too long. The ideal way to change this is to change your bridle, especially to one with a mono headpiece like the one illustrated below. The older style bridles where the noseband strap sits underneath the headpiece causes extra pressure too and probably the worst issue of all is the pressure where the headpiece feeds through the loops of the browband; the bridle below, which I recommend and use in my bit fittings uses clip on browbands which again reduces pressure. My daughter and I use these bridles on all our horses now and they are a game changer; they are so soft and light and have helped so many horses that I have seen to go forward in a happy, soft outline. We might not be able to totally reduce bridle pressure on our horses but anything that helps is a step in the right direction.

13/05/2022

One thing I have noticed when I am out and about is that there are quite a few dirty bits and uncleaned bridles! Bits should be washed after every use because saliva and grass dry and harden at the edges of the bit and this can cause discomfort and sores at the corners of the horse's lips. Also bridles should be cleaned as often as possible, preferably after every ride because it keeps the leather soft and supple and again, more comfortable for the horse. Hard, brittle tack is also more liable to break. Another tip is where possible, hang your bridles on a proper bridle hook, as illustrated, because it keeps the headpiece from becoming distorted which would cause uneven pressure behind the horse's ears.

06/04/2022

Due to a cancellation I now have space for one horse/pony for a bit/bridle consultation in Fort William this Saturday 9th April - please pm if interested

12/03/2022

A very interesting and informative webinar which I'm sure I will refer to over the coming months and incorporate into my fitting sessions

06/03/2022

Help horses in Ukraine

02/03/2022

One of the very interesting facts to come out of Centaur Biomechanic's webinar on Bridle Fit which I have just watched, concerns the school of thought that it is much kinder for our horses to be ridden without a noseband: horses WITHOUT a noseband were 2.55 times MORE likely to have oral lesions than those wearing a loose noseband; the main reasons for this being that a bridle without a noseband is less stable and tends to move about more, which impacts the bit and the rider is also more likely to rely on stronger rein tension to control the horse; something to think about 🤔🙂

23/02/2022

Soon we'll be heading in to Spring, hard to believe at the moment, I know and everyone will be turning their thoughts to getting their horses going, either to enjoy hacking or to start the year's competitions, so this is also the time to make sure that you are happy with your horse's tack and in my case, your bit and bridle.

Are you happy with the fit of the bridle? Do your buckles sit about level with your horse's eye? Any higher than this and they can impact on the TMJ joints and cause pressure; is your browband the correct length and doesn't ride up to sit under the ears or pull the headpiece onto the back of the ears, both will cause unnecessary pressure; does your noseband have space between it and the front of your horse's nose, again, if it's too tight this will cause pressure and discomfort; is your bit the correct size, neither too small which pinches the lips, or too long which will get pulled back and forward in your horse's mouth and could cause sores?

Research has shown that an ill-fitting bit and/or bridle can impact on your horse's way of going, including shortening its stride and not allowing it to go forward, engaging the hocks or being able to round over its back.

If you're not sure about any of the above then please contact me for a consultation and I can come out and check that all is well, or recommend a new bit or bridle. I will be taking bookings from about the middle of March onwards, here's hoping the weather will have improved by then!

16/01/2022

A worldwide audience logged on to listen to leading equine specialist veterinary clinicians, research scientists and practitioners last month. The world class presenters shared their equine knowledge and disseminated the findings from recent evidence-based studies at the Saddle Research Trust’s 4th International Conference entitled Welfare and Performance of the Ridden Horse: The Future.

One of the expert's, "Dr Rachel Murray, went on to look at the importance of bridle fit, stating that while there is much discussion on bit and noseband issues there is little research on bridle fit for optimal welfare and performance. She explained that the huge variability between horses in head shape, size and symmetry means that bridles should be individually fitted, taking account of facial asymmetry, and that bridle stability is important; without a noseband the bridle is less stable, which can allow the bit to move excessively, causing injury in the mouth. However, a tight noseband places pressure on the nose, jaw and headpiece and limits movement. She raised the importance of routine dental care; many lesions in the mouth are not the result of the bit or noseband but secondary to teeth problems that could and should be managed".

I thought that the points she made were very interesting and I wanted to share them with this page because I also believe that it is very worthwhile to consider having a bridle fitted specially to your horse and not just buy one "off the peg" as every horse's head is different.

29/12/2021

CENTAUR BIOMECHANICS - BLOG SERIES

FLY VEILS > EQUINE COMFORT AND PERFORMANCE.

During ridden exercise, an equine fly veil (from here on referred to as a bonnet), can be used for multiple reasons; to prevent fly’s and bugs entering the ear space and causing irritation to the horse, in some cases they are used to reduce the external noises and sometimes just for fashion! Whilst there is a paucity of evidence on the effect that bonnets have on the horse from a psychological perspective, previously we have looked at the pressure distribution beneath a bonnet and its effect on equine locomotion.

Bonnets come in all shapes and sizes, varying materials, and some can feature a braided trim. The braiding can vary in thickness and can provide a mechanism (due to weight), to stabilise and prevent the front of the bonnet flapping up during locomotion, especially when jumping. In addition, riders can express themselves in terms of colour preferences. In our pilot study, we used a pressure mat to quantify the pressure distribution beneath a headpiece with and without a bonnet, in addition we also quantified limb kinematics in elite dressage horses.

When using a bonnet, as a function of the braiding running beneath the headpiece, in the region of the TMJ, resulted in areas of high pressures. From our previous blog season, we discussed the effect that headpiece design can have on head pressures and locomotion (1). In brief; in trot peak pressures beneath the headpiece occur soon after midstance (75% of stance) for both diagonal support phases. The magnitude of pressure is directly influenced by the fit and design of the headpiece (and attachment and fit of the browband). Meaning that every time the horse loads its limbs (every stride), wearing a headpiece and/or browband which is incorrectly fitted could cause areas of high pressure beneath the headpiece, every stride (1). The magnitude of pressures are further influenced by the fit and design of a bonnet, particularly those that feature a braided trim running beneath the headpiece. Previously we have demonstrated the effect that headpiece pressures induced by headpiece design, in the TMJ region, can have on equine locomotion (see previous blog) (1). A similar pattern, altered limb kinematics was observed in horses who had localised pressures in the TMJ region as a result of the braiding from the bonnet (2).

The findings of which highlight the importance of correct bridle fit but also, when using a bonnet, it is important to consider the fit and design of the bonnet and the effect that it may have on bridle fit, and consequently equine comfort and performance.

Some key points:

🟢Ensure that there is no braiding running beneath the headpiece.
🟢Ensure that the bonnet fits the horses’ ears – the horses ear can move 180 degrees using 10 different muscles, if the bonnet is too small it can restrict ear movement.
🟢Check if the bonnet has raised the headpiece, which can alter the height of the bit in the oral cavity.

In swimming, swimmers have been reported to suffer from supraorbital neuralgia (pain above the eye) headaches (3), this is thought to be due to the tightness of the goggles. Although we cannot confirm this is the case in horses, cautiously applying similar principles, we should not underestimate the effect that a bonnet which creates localised pressures, which are of a magnitude to cause discomfort can have on equine welfare, comfort, and performance. Horses will develop a locomotor strategy to compensate and alleviate any discomfort, therefore correct fit of the equipment here bonnet, but also bridle and saddle etc is essential.


Hope this blog is of interest. Please share to raise awareness on the importance fo correct tack fit.

Kind Regards

Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire

Www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk

Previous blogs http://www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk/blog/




1. Murray R, Guire R, Fisher M, Fairfax V. A Bridle Designed to Avoid Peak Pressure Locations Under the Headpiece and Noseband Is Associated With More Uniform Pressure and Increased Carpal and Tarsal Flexion, Compared With the Horse's Usual Bridle. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2015;35(11-12):947-55.
2. data from 2015 - unpublished
3. O'Brien J. C. J. Swimmer's headache, or supraorbital neuralgia. . Proceedings (Baylor University Medical Center). 2004;17(4: 418–9.

03/12/2021

Weather dependent, I am planning a trip through to Banff this Thursday coming and can fit in another one or two consultations if anyone is interested

03/11/2021

I am planning a trip to Morayshire next Friday, 12th November and have 2 spaces in the morning. If anyone is interested please pm.

23/10/2021

I am planning a day in the Aberdeen area in the next couple of weeks, the idea is to use an indoor school that's fairly central, if interested, please pm me

22/10/2021

Well that has been a busy week between going down to Fort William last Thursday to travelling up to Caithness yesterday and a scattering of fittings in the Inverness area in between - as before so many lovely horses and their owners, who all seemed happy with the results of their fittings and their horses subsequent way of going - if anyone would like to see the difference a new bridle or bit can make to their horse, please pm me to arrange an appointment

17/10/2021

I have a space for a bit/bridle fitting in Halkirk at the indoor school this Thursday - if interested please pm me

07/10/2021

I have had a busy few days fitting bits and bridles in Moray last Thursday, and this week around Inverness and Caithness. Lots of lovely clients and their horses. As before the main issues are more bridle related, especially concerning the headpiece and browband.
I hope to go to Fort William next week so if anyone in that area wants a fitting, please get in touch. Otherwise I have a few spaces in the next couple of weeks in the Inverness and surrounding areas.

19/09/2021

Nosebands - The (Mexican) Grackle

The grackle, figure eight or as the Germans say “Mexican” noseband was named after the horse Grakle that won the British Grand National in 1931 wearing this noseband. It was first seen in jumping on the horses of the successful Mexican jumping team of the late 1940s. This type of noseband has always been more popular with the jumping fraternity than dressage riders and until 2016 was not permitted to be used by BD or the FEI for dressage competitions, although it has always been allowed in the dressage phase of affiliated horse trials. Probably one of the reasons that the FEI and BD permitted the use of the grackle and figure of eight nosebands is because it has become increasingly recognised that of all the different types of noseband, the grackle causes the least pressure on the horse's nose, even more so than the Cavesson. This fact has been borne out by pressure testing research. However there is often a tendency for riders to over-tighten the grackle, especially the lower strap, which causes great discomfort for the horse, therefore you must be able to insert 1 - 2 fingers under the strap to alleviate tension. The Mexican grackle is different from the figure 8 in that it has rings either side of the nose and this allows the noseband to move with the horse's head and the horse to move his jaw and tongue and has been designed to remove the pressure on the fleshy part of the horse's jaw and teeth.; the figure 8 is not recommended as the top strap tends to sit too close under the cheekbones and the straps can be inadvertently over-tightened. The main purpose of the grackle is to help in stopping the horse from opening his mouth too much and/or crossing his jaw and therefore evading the bit. This is especially useful when doing fast sports like cross country or hunting, when the horse can become excited and more difficult to stop or turn. The grackle in the pictures below, made by Henry James, is one that I use when I am bit and bridle fitting, it is beautifully made and very adjustable and is proving very popular with clients. It also comes with a sheepskin pad for competition days or just because it looks nicer on your horse!

16/09/2021

I will be in the Moray area on Thursday 30th September if anyone is wanting to get their horse checked for bit and/or bridle fit.

30/08/2021

Below is a little Shetland pony that I saw a couple of weeks ago now modelling his new Horsemanship (HS) bridle and HP spoon cheek bit. The HS bridles fit everything from Shetland to Shire and as you can see, look very smart. HS are one of the few manufacturers that make component bridle parts so that for fitters like me, I can make sure you have the right size that you need; so some horses need a full-size headpiece but might need a cob-size throatlash and extra full-size cheekpieces. No two horses heads are the same, which is why buying a cob or full size bridle off the peg invariably won't fit. In my experience the cheekpieces are too long which means the buckles are sitting in the TMJ area (below the ears) and the browband is often too short, which then pulls the headpiece onto the back of the ears causing pressure. Even so called anatomical bridles often don't fit properly, because one size cannot fit all heads. So if you are looking to buy a new bridle, please send me a message and I will come out and custom fit it to your horse. And again, as an Independent Bit and Bridle fitter, I don't earn commission on any sales. Like you, the riders, I also want your horse to be happy and comfortable with his tack. Bridles come in dark brown or black.

22/08/2021

Me schooling my ex- racehorse, Ellie, today. She is wearing her HBF bridle and I changed her bit to an HP hanging cheek which she really seems to like; I am hoping to start competing her soon in dressage classes and maybe some jumping too. Ellie is very sensitive and it has taken a while to find a bit that she seems happy with; in my experience bit fitting I find that most horses will tell you straightaway if they don't like a particular bit, even if it seems to tick all the boxes, so ultimately we have to let them decide what's best for them

20/08/2021

Nosebands - The Drop

This noseband is also called the Hanoverian and was invented by a German trainer who worked at the Spanish Riding School. They used to be popular with the dressage fraternity before they gave way to cranks-with-flash nosebands or just cranks. It was also a popular noseband in the hunting field because fitted properly, it helped to prevent the horse from opening its mouth. In the pictures below, the first one is of a drop fitted incorrectly because it is too low and is sitting on the cartilage and not the nasal bones. The second picture is of a properly fitted noseband, which should sit just below the level of the Cavesson noseband. However the original drop nosebands tend to pull the cheek straps too close to the horse's eyes so some manufacturers have now developed ones with two straps, as in the third picture, and these are better as they sit away from the eyes. However, good luck with finding said manufacturers because I have looked and they are thin on the ground. In pressure testing, drop nosebands came out favourably when compared to flash and even cavesson nosebands; however they have fallen out of fashion and a reason for this may be because they can elongate the horses face and today's more fashion conscious riders don't think that is a flattering look. 😏😄

20/08/2021

I will be in Morayshire next Friday, 27th August, if anyone would like a bit/bridle fitting session

11/08/2021

I am in the Moray area this Friday if anyone would like a visit after 3.00pm on my way back from Keith to Inverness