I have been helping horses and their riders with bit and bridle fitting since 2017 and was originally trained and worked for Horse Bit Fit, prior to becoming an independent bit and bridle fitter.

 

I believe that riders should understand more about the effects that we as riders have on our horses, and that our horses should have a comfortable bit and bridle.  

Our horses deserve a bit and bridle or bitless bridle that fits their head and mouth / tongue anatomy, as well as the horse’s character, and of course meet the rider’s needs, ie by being dressage legal, or by helping with steering or brakes.  

There are so many issues that can arise from incorrectly fitted bits and bridles and I am intuitive in reading horses and working out what it is that they are happy or unhappy with.

My aim is to help riders learn more about how they affect their horses, and to help horses relax and move better in their bit and bridle.  

I have grown up with horses, in Pony Club and competing in British Dressage and Eventing, doing my BHS Stages along the way. My first degree is in Equine Sport Science at Warwickshire Agricultural Collage, though as a dyslexic I scraped through my exams! I then joined the Army as an Officer, (serving 20yrs in the Royal Corps of Signals.
In the Army I was the Officer Commanding of two Military Saddle Clubs, one in Episkopi, Cyprus and the other in Herford, Germany.
I like many, have had a number of horses through my life and kept them in a variety of different livery yards around the UK and Europe. Prior to becoming a bit and bridle fitter, and finding a more holistic path for horse training, I was trainined in a very traditional riding master and servent method of riding - which I never enjoyed.
My last horse - Pergamos (an ex Army Polo Pony), was the horse who taught me that less is more, which is the ethos I had to use to gain Pergamos's trust and have been following ever since with my current horses - Alegre my Stallion who I ride in both a bit and bitless, and Novio who is a bit of a stress head - but we're working on that! .

Photo 1 - Pergamos (The Grey) - An ex Army Polo Pony who taught me less is more! He bucked you off if you used too much hand or leg - A great teacher!

Photo 2 - Alegre (PRE Stallion) - Doing TREC in a bit - He was the motivation to find out more about bits and their effects etc - He sucks his tongue!

Photo 3 and 4 - Alegre - Doing TREC Bitless - far more relaxed and open through the shoulder, and so easier to communicate with.

Photo 5 - Novio (PRE Gelding) - who hates being ridden on his own - and gets stressed and bunched up as you can see in the photo - but he's getting better! He's currently better with a bit than bitless as he hates any pressure on his nose.