Diddy Bits

13/08/2024

Everyone who owns a horse or pony should read this!

08/08/2024

Cherry wearing a beautifully fitted bridle with a blue stone bling browband. Bits are fitted to suit the individual mouth confirmation of your horse! Bridles are fitted piece by piece to ensure the perfect fit! The headpiece is shaped to avoid irritation to the base of the ears. The browband shaped and fitted to avoid pressure on the temporomandibular joint. Buckles fitted to avoid pressure points and salivary issues. Incorrectly fitted buckles can cause eyesight issues and can also cause spooking! Nosebands are designed and fitted to avoid poll pressure and jaw restrictions. A poorly fitted bit and bridle can restrict the jaw and poll which will affect the biomechanics of your horse or pony! Freedom of movement and stride length will be affected and unwanted behaviours can be associated with a poor bit or bridle fit!
I am taking bookings for bit and bridle consultations. Please private message me or call 07568549278 to book in. Consultations can take up to two hours.

03/08/2024

As a fully qualified bit and bridle fitter I am available to fit bespoke bridles to ponies and horses! This is Wizz my Welsh A pony wearing his newly fitted anatomical bridle! These are superb quality! They are fitted piece by piece to suit the individual and also there are a selection of different headpieces and browbands to suit a variety of different shaped heads!
Traditional bridles are often tight over the poll causing poll and TMJ pressure and restriction. Ears are often pinched with traditional bridles due to the headpieces not being shaped to accommodate them and fitted too tight with browbands also fitted too tight. Buckles are offen sat too high and laying over the top of eachother causing pressure points, salivary issues and can also cause spooking! Nosebands are often fitted too high, too tight or too low which can cause pressure points, face numbing, irritation, poll and jaw restrictions.
All the above can affect your horse or ponies biomechanics and restrict movement. Unwanted behaviours such as napping, spooking, head shaking amongst many are very often due to a poor bridle or bit fit.
If you are interested in having a bespoke bridle or a bit fitted to your horse or pony then please message me to book a consultation 😊

23/07/2024

The hyoid apparatus. Directly connected to the base of the tongue. The hyoid is connected through muscular connections right through to the hind quarters! On an equine dissection, once the hyoid was restricted, the hind legs were also restricted. This is fact! Any bit that restricts the jaw and tongue will restrict the hind legs!
Balance, stride length, movement and performance of the entire horse is restricted! A comfortable mouthpiece is vital for your horse or pony to be able to perform at its best!
I am starting to take bookings for bitting consultations . To book please contact me on 07568549278. North wales, Cheshire & north west areas covered.

18/07/2024

17/07/2024

Due to popular demand we are including a Wilkie cheek in our comfort barrel mouthpiece. These will be available soon! We have received amazing feedback on these bits, ponies just love them!

17/07/2024

The new PONIE sweet treats no full and the bunnies & carrots dual 50g rug are now available to purchase on our website. Sizes start from 3’6” up to 5’3”. To purchase click link below:
https://diddybits.co.uk/ponie-rugs-4-c.asp

27/06/2024

So today I became a fully qualified LANTRA accredited bit and bridle consultant. I did this course to improve my knowledge on bits and bridles and to learn about the affects of bits and bridles on the horse. It has been a real eye opener and I have gained so much valuable knowledge! I passed with a higher distinction gaining 97%. If anyone needs any bit or bridle advice then please don't hesitate to get in touch as I am more than happy to help!

24/06/2024

The brand new PONIE Sweet Treat and Plain fly rugs are in stock now on our website. Sizes 3'6", 3'9", 4'0", 4'3", 4'6", 4'9", 5'0" & 5'0"
These are extremely popular so don't hang about!! Order through the link below:
https://diddybits.co.uk/ponie-rugs-4-c.asp

16/06/2024

Check out this fabulous pair, 9 year old Libby and Dolly in their first ever dressage competition coming 2nd place with 67% against adult riders too! Ridden in a comfort loose ring snaffle 🥰

12/06/2024

Palate height is so important when choosing a bit for your horse or pony! To determine palate height, feel with your thumb how deep or shallow the palate grooves are. The deeper the grooves the higher and more arched the palate. Shallow grooves mean your horse has a low palate and cant take a thicker bit. Low palates cause more problems as the horse has less room in the mouth to fit a bit comfortably over the tongue and under the palate. The mouth is unable to close. This often causes tongue evasions, the horse may draw the tongue right back or stick the tongue out to the side to avoid the uncomfortable pressure. A horse must maintain negative pressure at the back of the mouth to enable swallowing and to breath efficiently. If your horse is producing excess saliva, then your horse is having a hard time swallowing!

30/05/2024

What a great story 😀

From the slaughterhouse to fourth place at the Badminton Horse Trials grassroots championships; meet this lorry driver's sensitive star

Read more via link below

27/05/2024

So who thinks the hanging cheek creates poll pressure?? This is a common myth that is still stated on many websites. The hanging cheek actually gives poll relief! Watch the cheek pieces slacken when rein tension is applied! The hanging cheek is designed so it suspends above the tongue and bars giving relief. A very stable bit which is useful for ponies that dislike a moving contact!

30/04/2024

All our comfort barrel bits are now in stock and all pre-orders have been sent. Our pony Wizard approves of his new comfort barrel hang cheek. This pony could not take any metal bit previously as he was far too sensitive in one. He loves his new comfort barrel as it doesn't take up too much room in his tiny mouth and is very happy to take a contact in it!
www.diddybits.co.uk

29/04/2024

It is so rewarding receiving messages from owners telling me how much better their ponies are going in their Diddy Bits. Every pony no matter how big or small deserves to be comfortable in their bit and it is my aim to make sure as many ponies as possible are comfortable and pain free in their mouths. A horse or pony comfortable in its mouthpiece will be more accepting of the aids given by the rider and willing to work.

28/04/2024

We are expecting delivery of the comfort barrel bits and replenishing stock of some of our other bits tomorrow. I am very sorry for the long wait but delivery date is tomorrow and all pre orders will be sent out tomorrow. Thank you all very much for being so patient :)

18/04/2024

The difference between thick and thinner bits! The first picture shows a pony wearing a 10mm Diddy Bit. Look how little room there is for a bit to sit between the tongue and palate! Virtually none! A bit that is too thick will prevent your horse or pony being able to close its mouth and will exert greater pressure on the tongue. A horse or pony unable to close its mouth properly will find swallowing very difficult. Bits over 16mm thick are not recommended. The bit must allow the mouth to close fully and the tongue to sit comfortably underneath!

10/04/2024

We are really excited to receive our new comfort barrel bits. I have just been informed that there is a slight delay in transit and these are now due in next week. All pre-orders will be sent as soon as they come in. Many ponies have low palates and little space for a bit to sit above the tongue comfortably. These bits have a 10mm mouthpiece which will suit a lot of ponies small mouths!
Available in sizes 4", 4.25", 4.5", 4.75" & 5"

09/04/2024

😓

02/04/2024

As requested. Our comfort Barrel bits are available to pre-order. Please bare with me with the pictures. Better pictures will be updated ASAP. These are due in next week.
https://diddybits.co.uk/diddy-bits-1-c.asp

31/03/2024

Happy Easter Everyone!
Here’s a sneak peak of our new sweet iron comfort barrel mouthpiece with pony sized cheeks. These will be available next week in loose ring, full cheek and hang cheek in sizes 4”, 4.25”, 4.5”, 4.75” & 5”

21/03/2024

I get a lot of messages off customers asking what size bit their pony needs! This is impossible for me to judge off a picture 😅 So I’ve made this little video on how to fit your fixed cheek and loose ring bits. I hope this video helps answer those questions 🙂

Check out Diddybits’s video.

16/03/2024

This comfort barrel mouthpiece will soon be available in loose ring, eggbutt, full cheek and hanging cheek! This curved slender mouthpiece is ideal for ponies with little space in the mouth! Ponies with large tongues and low palates will appreciate this mouthpiece!

12/03/2024

Did you know a French link bit is not a kind bit like a lot of websites state! The link does not lie flat on the tongue, instead it lies with the thinnest part in contact with the tongue, like this picture. Imagine that pressure on the tongue when a contact is taken up. This can cause a lot of stress and unwanted behaviour. Our bits have a thick lozenge which is much kinder to the horse as it has a much greater surface area!

11/03/2024

Look what's arrived today!! Anyone who pre-ordered, your bits have been dispatched today 😁
Our Full cheeks, Wilkie and Eggbutt bits are all now in stock in all sizes.
We now have Full cheek and Wilkie in the Verbended mouthpiece!
We also have our new driving bits available!!
www.diddybits.co.uk