Informed Designs new

30/10/2025

I am available for Bitting consultations now in Cheshire ! I am based at Somerford so I can either come to you or you can meet me at Somerford. I work with Hilary Vernon (informed design bits).
Don’t hesitate to contact me if you feel you haven’t got the correct bit yet for your horse or you are struggling with breaks when out on the cross country course or showjumping arena.

Please contact me on 07714495034

25/10/2025

25/10/2025

“He/she is too green”

This is something I often hear when people enquire and I send videos of suitable horses. These horses are 3/4/maybe 5yos…. I am glad they are green!! And I will never apologise for that.

It means they haven’t been overproduced and have spent lots of time in the field growing and developing between little bursts of work. It also hopefully means that they will go on to have long and happy lives as strong, sound individuals - able to do their jobs for as long as possible.

Yes - our young horses will always be “behind” others in their age group and those you see at the big sales/age classes at shows…. But what does “behind” really mean at that age? They always catch up with their peers by 6/7 if you have spent the time doing the basics correctly and have a well rounded, soft, supple horse who wants to work.

You don’t prove anything at 3/4/5 you just use up some of the finite number of jumps that I believe each horse is born with. That’s one nugget of wisdom I gleaned from a very experienced horseman in my formative years - don’t use those jumps up jumping pointless fences as a young horse.

Get out of the arena, go hacking, work on a variety of surfaces to build soft tissues and never be afraid to turn the horse away for a couple of months. They will come back mentally and physically stronger as a result. Let them into big open spaces with friends and allow them to just be horses for a little while longer.

There will be many years ahead to go competing if you take it slowly in the first few. Photo of Donal with a few 3 and 4yos growing slowly in the fields of Ballinasloe ❤️

19/10/2025

Bit measuring
A mouthpiece is measured from under and across the width measuring where the Horses lips would be not from end to end of the mouthpiece and not following the curve of the mouthpiece
Mouthpiece picture is a 5" Lozenge snaffle
A cheek is measured inside the rings
Two cheeks size pictures are Loose Ring Lozenge Snaffles 2 1/4" and 2 1/2" respectively
If you are unsure of what you need why not send WhatsApp pictures to make sure you are getting it right before you order

18/10/2025

10/10/2025

💚 World Mental Health Day – 10 October 2025 💚

Today is a reminder that mental health matters — every day, for every one of us.

In 2023, 7,055 people lost their lives to su***de across the UK.
In England and Wales alone, there were 6,069 su***des registered, the highest rate seen in more than 20 years.
Men remain most at risk, three times more likely to die by su***de than women. (Sources: ONS 2023; Samaritans 2021)

When a su***de makes the news, it always reminds me of Nigel, a friend from my early riding days who took his own life in his early 20s.

Please remember:
There is always hope.
There is always a better solution.
There is always help.

If you’re struggling or worried about someone else, reach out. You are never alone.
👉 Samaritans are available 24/7 to listen: www.samaritans.org

28/04/2025

Ok final draft of pictures
I took on board your thoughts
Added insertion and origin points colour coded
Found my new hyper focus which is transparent background so now added a little hyoid and going to put in skeletons and my logo and anything else I can make transparent so get ready for the 100 posts of transparent images 😃😃😃
I like it and not changing anything now as i am someone who always thinks things are not good enough
There you go xx
Remember flashcards will be a free element of this course you wil have access to them via a link so you can
It is getting there but I don't think people realise how much effort it takes to do a course especially when you do all of it yourself

17/02/2025

** 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗗 **

𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲

Russell MacKechnie-Guire, Hilary Clayton, Jane Williams, David Marlin, Mark Fisher, Diana Fisher, Victoria Walker and Rachel Murray

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 (𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻) https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/4/537

New research funded by the FEI investigating if pre-determined lateral locations on the horse’s head could be used as additional measuring sites to determine the laxity of the noseband. This is phase 1; the next phase is to test a measuring tool (dimensions informed by data from part 1) on the lateral aspect of the horse’s head. This work is underway.

𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Measuring tools to determine noseband tightness are available but their use requires insertion beneath the noseband on the dorsal nasal bone where the noseband is fitted. There are several locations on the lateral aspect of the head that may be practical and repeatable, offering additional sites. This study investigated the repeatability of using three anatomical locations on the lateral aspect of the horse’s head to determine noseband tightness. One hundred horses were recruited and fitted with a snaffle bridle with a cavesson, Swedish (crank) or dropped noseband. Using an ISES Taper Gauge, noseband tightness was adjusted for each noseband (2.0 to 0.0 finger-equivalents). For each adjustment, a digital calliper determined the distance (mm) between the inner surface of the noseband and three lateral locations on the nasal bone, the maxilla and the mandible. Friedman’s analysis was used to test differences between locations (adjusted significance p < 0.02). At 2.0 and 1.5 finger-equivalent tightness, the coefficient of variation was “good” for the lateral nasal and maxillary sites. These sites could potentially be used as locations in addition to the dorsal nasal site for determining noseband tightness. These data can be used to inform the dimensions of a laterally admitted measuring tool.

𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: thank you to the FEI for funding this project. Thank you to Hartpury University, the research team, research assistants, owners, data collection venues, and of course the horses.

08/02/2025