http://www.thebitandbridlefitter.co.uk/

The Bit & Bridle Fitter, Lampeter (2024)

23/04/2024

Thoroughly enjoyed delivering this evening’s webinar on Dr David Marlin’s Animalweb and having the opportunity to delve deeper into equine cranial and facial anatomy and bridle fit, and to expand on and explain the anatomical connections from skull to hind limb and therefore how a bridle can influence the horse’s biomechanics and performance.
Next for me is catching up on webinars by other experts.

Emma Busk is an independent bit & bridle fitter and the newest member to our team of experts, Emma is starting strong with this webinar on – Equine cranial/facial anatomy and bridle fitting In this webinar, Emma will discuss: Cranial and facial anatomy Description of the cranial nerves How both ar...

20/04/2024

My first webinar for Dr David Marlin’s Animalweb on Tuesday…

Book your seat now!

Emma Busk - Animalweb's Independent bit and bridle fitter, is helping us with Bridle Fitting. FREE for members!

TUES 23rd APRIL '23 - 7pm (UK).

Join host Dr Gillian Tabor and our presenter Emma Busk for Equine cranial/facial anatomy and bridle fitting!

https://kont.ly/54af24b9

MEMBERS WATCH FOR FREE! !

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Not a Member? Join for as little as £6 a month or £8 for just one month of access to this webinar for FREE, all the product test results and have a say in what we test and investigate next. Have your questions answered!

JOIN HERE> https://kont.ly/73ed71d4

Head over to AskAnimalweb.com and enjoy!

06/04/2024

Lots going on at Animalweb this week…

🤓 DON'T MISS NEXT WEEK!

🎙️ Podcast: Emma Busk interview – independent bit & bridle fitter. Dr Gillian Tabor meets the latest member of the Animalweb Expert Panel. Out on Sunday (Apple, Spotify, Amazon)

💉 Dr Kirstie Pickles answers questions about Bute dependency and explains the pros and cons of this popular drug. Mon 8th April.

🧽 Thurs 11th April, Dr Kieran O'Brien's W***y or Won’t He?�Webinar. Covering Equine Sheath Problems and Cleaning.

🐴 Dr David Marlin answers a member's question about THREE specific Gastri products on the market. Out on Friday 12th April.

Head over to AskAnimalweb.com and enjoy!

https://drdavidmarlin.com/home/

05/04/2024

What an absolute pleasure to speak to Dr Gillian Tabor about bit & bridle fitting! The podcast goes live at 8am on Sunday, 7th April on (Apple, Spotify & Amazon).

Dr Gillian Tabor interviews Animalweb’s newest expert – Emma Busk a highly-qualified, LANTRA-accredited independent bit & bridle fitter. Gillian learns about Emma and her work, they go on to discuss: Why is getting bridle and bit fitting important? What areas can an owner check? If an owner want...

23/03/2024

I was saddened to see this image and others circulating on social media.

As you know, I'm always a little hesitant to comment on "moments in time". But for the tongue to turn that dark blue, there must have been a significant restriction of blood flow for some minutes. It doesn't look good.

It isn't good, and this is an easy aspect to comment on. The restriction is so tight as to overcome arterial pressure and prevent arterial blood supplying the free section of the tongue beyond the bit. At the same time, there would be no venous return. So, the oxygen in the tongue would be used up, changing the colour from red/pink to blue.

Restriction of this kind for a number of minutes could lead to pain, tissue damage and tissue death, even with permanent changes to the tongue - try putting a peg on your tongue for 20 min if you don't believe this.

The horse looks tense, stressed and unhappy at this point in time. The tension and the eye appearance may be gone in the next second, but the prominent veins and sweating (in the absence, I believe, of it being hot?) are highly likely due to a stress response. It could be due to the intensity of exercise and relatively high body temperature if this was an eventer going XC.....but it's not.

I’ve been asked to comment on the noseband tightness, but whilst the top looks tight, I can’t see the bottom half. Not a nice image and I would be interested to see a full video and appropriate action taken. Easy evidence of abuse should be dealt with.

Dr David Marlin

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This photo caused quite a stir in the Animaleweb office, and so we asked our independent Bitting and Bridle Fitting expert, Emma Busk, to comment also.

"I saw this image last night and have been thinking about an appropriate reaction. I think David’s comments are excellent and wholly right to focus on the arterial and venous supply to the tongue. It is impossible to determine the exact tightness of the noseband (the horse has been able to move the jaw to a certain extent – I’ve certainly seen tighter, unfortunately), but this is not the primary factor leading to ‘blue tongue’. In my opinion, trying to cover all the bit/bridle issues present in this picture is impractical, and it may be worth noting that noseband fit/tightness is for a separate discussion.

Looking at the picture as a whole, rather than just at the tongue, what ‘stood out’ is the extreme activation of the parotido-auricularis muscle. A sure sign of stress leading to extreme tension."

WHAT DO YOU THINK?
We always encourage discussion and debate - BUT KEEP IT FRIENDLY!
Any nastiness will see you blocked/banned, so keep it polite, please.
AND ABSOLUTELY NO SHAMING AND BULLYING!

25/09/2023

Regular dental attention by a qualified equine dentist is absolutely crucial to a horse’s wellbeing, health and performance. Steven has attended to all my horses. Obviously, I dental and oral health is of particular significance to me in my role and I am very impressed by Steven’s skill and knowledge, as well as his sympathetic and calm handling of all my herd, especially my very sensitive, giant 3yo! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092315516840

Equine dental services

07/08/2023

Really love what I do… it’s so rewarding improving a horse’s comfort and way of going. I get to meet so many lovely people, gorgeous horses, and yesterday got to work in an arena with a view I doubt can be beaten!! 🥰

28/07/2023

This week I'm seeing a LOT of posts requesting recommendations for anatomical/comfort bridles to fit a TB, or a WB, or a connie, or whatever. Inevitably, these posts have tons of replies... and almost as many makes of bridle as responses, all that fit the responder's horse brilliantly well. I'm sure that some do, but that doesn't mean they will fit EVERY horse brilliantly well, even if the same size and breed.

Why not? Well, just as no 16.1 TB has identical conformation, wither height, length of back, etc, head conformation also varies significantly. This is important because there are key sensitive points on the head within a relatively small area (the pic shows the nerves of the head in yellow). Pressure on these can not only cause discomfort, but can cause injury, long-term nerve damage, head shaking, tension and have a negative impact on the horse's performance.

So, what can you do, as a horse owner? Firstly, check that your horse's bridle does actually fit. Starting from the top:
- Does the headpiece lie flat, or is it tipping forwards or backwards? This will focus all the pressure in one small area.
- Does your noseband run under (or over) the headpiece? This can create an unnecessary pressure point and/or cause rubbing. I much prefer a well-fitting 'monocrown' headpiece with integral straps for noseband.
- Does the headpiece push into the sensitive cartilage at the base of the ears? Ever worn (sun)glasses that dig in to your ears? Not pleasant.
- Is the browband loose enough? Or, is it pulling the headpiece forward? A tight browband is akin to wearing a hat that is too tight around the forehead.
- Where the browband attaches to the headpiece, is there extra bulk that will cause pressure?
- Does the throatlash strap also go through the browband and is it pushing the browband up into the ears?
- Where & how do the buckles (cheekpiece & noseband) lie? They should be flat and approximately level with the corner of the eye so that they don't put pressure on the TMJ.
- Finally, does the noseband sit clear of the end of the facial crest (think thumb's width) and higher than the top of the expandable part of the nostril? I will discuss noseband tightness in a future post.

If your bridle has one or more of these issues, it is highly likely that it's time to invest in one that fits your horse. The question is HOW to find the right bridle? Facebook is not the place... even if your horse and someone else's horse are identical, do you know whether that bridle has none of the issues described? You could measure and call a bridle manufacturer? Will they take it back if it doesn't fit? Some manufacturers offer a video or in-person fitting service, but remember, they want to sell you their bridle.

You know what's coming! A INDEPENDENT bit & bridle consultant will have a selection of bridles & components from different manufacturers. They will undertake a detailed evaluation of your horse's head and will recommend what is best for your horse regardless of make. Before you make an appointment, ensure that they are qualified, insured and are not working on behalf of a bit or bridle manufacturer.

PS: unless you're in Wales, it won't be me, but I hope this helps both you & your horse. x

27/07/2023

As many of you know, I am massively opposed to tight nosebands. There is irrefutable and overwhelming scientific evidence that tight nosebands cause physical & emotional stress to the horse. I can also see no benefit to mandatory use of double bridles. I am not saying ban them, but give competitors a choice. And I full agree with ISES that, in matters of welfare, the 'precautionary principle' must be applied.

15/07/2023

This is LONG overdue… over-tightened nosebands cause physical and psychological stress, as measured by heart rate and eye temperature. In addition, they have a negative impact on performance and impede the horse’s ability to achieve true engagement of the hindquarters due to the direct muscular and myofascial connections from the hyoid apparatus to the rest of the body.

The FEI is looking to tighten its noseband rules by moving away from fingers to a standardised way of measuring, as part of its draft proposals for 2024

06/06/2023

Rooting for this combination at Bramham …

14/05/2023

This is why I do what I do. This is a fabulous combination who are a real inspiration to all who know them but had hit a bit of a wall in the dressage phase with similar comments from judges. A change of bit and a couple of tweaks to bridle fit have made a difference. Good luck at Bramham, Rosemary Myers & Easter Star 💕

10/05/2023

In 2019, I bought a gorgeous pair of Ariat riding boots at Burghley. My trusted Broginis were on the verge of giving up the ghost and I'd asked on equestrian groups what boots people recommended, for look, quality and comfort. The overwhelming winner was Ariat! I found a pair almost within my budget and they even had them in my size (7 / wide calf). They were a bit tight around the ankle, but the lovely salesman assured me they would stretch. My first Ariats... I was thrilled. I wore them around the house a few times but, honestly, although they were the right size, they just didn't fit my foot & leg shape -they have sat in their box for the past 4 years.

It's just the same with BITS & BRIDLES. I cannot overstate the importance of both fitting your horse's individual conformation. I COULD have ridden in them without actual pain, but they would have affected my performance and comfort - exactly as a poorly fitted bit or bridle will affect your horse. Don't rely on FB recommendations - a qualified Bit & Bridle fitter will help you get it right for your horse.

PS: As new (boxed) Ariat Heritage Contour Dress Zip Ladies Riding Boots FOR SALE 😀

07/05/2023

I am a member of the Equine Accredited Professional Ethos Register - consultants with the qualifications & knowledge you want with the ethos your horse needs.

26/04/2023

This made me chortle!

26/04/2023

Not one that Bit & Bridle consultants encounter often, but ensuring the bit is the 'right way round' is crucial for horse's comfort. There are many designs of bit that do have a right and a wrong way. Worth checking yours today!

At least seven competitors were eliminated at the recent Winter Dressage Championships at Hartpury for incorrectly fitted bits

The bit in question, the Sprenger Ultra Loose Ring, is dressage-legal. But for those unlucky seven, they competed with the bit attached to the bridle in the wrong way.

The manufacturer’s guidelines state that Sprenger bits that are marked with an arrow at the side of the mouthpiece have to be positioned correctly in the horse’s mouth, and this arrow has to point forwards on the left-hand side.At least seven competitors were eliminated at the recent Winter Dressage championships at Hartpury for incorrectly fitted bits.

Ms Jones added: “When a steward finds equipment that either does not comply with the legally permitted tack, or is not correctly fitted, they will refer this to the judge at C, who carefully considers the evidence and determines the appropriate action to take.

“In this particular scenario, relating to the Sprenger Ultra Loose Ring, our stewards and judges have made the correct decision to follow the guidance supplied by the manufacturer.

“While this bit is approved under BD rules, in the case of these eliminations it has not been fitted correctly and used in the conventional manner.

“Our officials have a duty to uphold the rules and ensure that there is a level playing field for all competitors.

I can remember many years ago one of our customers had used this bit the "wrong" way and did notice a difference so much so that on occasions schooling she did use the bit "wrong" way.

Even though it not dressage legal, I wonder how many people know which is the right way to use a dr Bristol snaffle.?
By using bits correctly and incorrectly you can get a big difference in a way a horse goes.