Diddy Bits

20/06/2025

Introducing our new tongue relief mouthpiece in a hanging cheek! Starting from 4”. These will be available in the next couple of weeks!

19/06/2025

Did you know that where the bit is placed in the mouth is just as important as the type of bit used. Many people fit a bit using the one or two wrinkle rule! This is not correct for every horse. A horse with a long smile would not be comfortable with this as fitting with two wrinkles may leave the bit sitting too high and making contact with the first molar tooth. The length of the individual horses smile and position of the first molar and canine teeth should determine where the bit should be placed. Adjusting the bit to a higher or lower position can make a huge difference to tongue pressure!

09/06/2025

These pictures show how easy it is for lip skin to be pinched in double jointed bits, especially if the bit is fitted too big which allows it to slide from side to side putting the links too close to the lips. This problem is made ten times worse with smaller ponies as many bits are too thick and bulky and not designed for the mouths of small ponies, even when purchased in smaller sizes! This is the very reason why I started Diddy Bits! Before we came along there wasn’t many other brands out there that catered for the smaller ponies. We’ve made a big change to the comfort of small ponies and many more ponies in the future will benefit from Diddy Bits!

06/06/2025

03/06/2025

Exciting news! our anatomical bridles are now available in havana.
These will fit your mini shetlands, standard shetland and all other breeds of small ponies. We are adding bigger sizes in time. For help fitting please contact us and we will make sure you order the correct size. The fitting of the bridle is included in the price of the bridle.
https://diddybits.co.uk/diddy-bits-leather-true-anatomical-comfort-bridle-havana-534-p.asp

16/05/2025

Further on from my last post about fitting ported bits. This video shows how some ported bits are poorly designed causing palate pressure. Some ports are too narrow and this will squash the tongue onto the bars of the mouth. The port must fit the tongue exactly and sit either side of the tongue. The second bit in the video is a forward tilted port and the port is also wider making it conform to the natural shape of the mouth and more comfortable for the horse. Our tongue relief barrel bit is designed with a forward tilt and wider smooth curved port for maximum comfort! Please note ported bits create more bar pressure but relieve tongue pressure.

15/05/2025

Be careful when bitting your horse with ported bits. Many are poorly designed and are either too narrow for the tongue causing the tongue to be squashed onto the bars of the mouth or too upright causing extreme palate pressure. A forward tilted and wider port is much more suited to most horses! Avoid any ports with steep angle’s! A ported bit must fit the tongue exactly!

12/05/2025

To book a bit or bridle fitting please contact 07568549278

Have you had your bit and bridle fit checked? Many bits and bridles are poorly designed and not comfortable for horses and can cause pain and irritation. This significantly contributes to behavioural problems in horses. It is common practice to have the fit of your saddle checked but bit and bridle fitting is often overlooked. The horses head is the primary source for its entire existence. The horses senses are all located in the head. Hearing, sight, touch, smell, breathing, swallowing, danger perception and communication are all located in the head. It is vitally important that the way we communicate with our horse through our bridle and bit is comfortable and pain free. Horses experiencing pain or discomfort will activate their fight or flight response and this is where unwanted behaviours manifest.

25/04/2025

Thick bits place more pressure on the tongue bars and palate especially in ponies as they have less room. Many rubber bits are too thick! Restriction of the tongue inhibits swallowing. If the jaw can’t move freely and is restricted by a thick bit then the whole horse will be affected. Performance will be affected, stride length will shorten and behaviour problems can occur due to the discomfort.

23/04/2025

Had the pleasure of meeting lovely Charlie for a new bit and bridle fitting. What a beautiful little pony. A lot more comfortable in his new set up 😊