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