Welcome to the first, in a series of blogs ‘Forelock and Load’ are running throughout the year with Claire Lund, from Bombers Bits and Olivia Turner, local independent bitting specialist. We hope to be able to engage with other professionals, within this field, and to do some myth busting in order to better educate riders.
We felt it would be beneficial to all horse riders if we present a comprehensive, usable guide to bitting. We aim to be accessible to riders of all abilities, including (and especially) the Mum’s of pony-mad children! We want to create something that can be used as a reference tool, and referred back to, whenever your horse throws you a question you do not know how to answer.
Over the next 12 months we will cover
- Correctly fitting bit
- Bit rings
- Mouthpieces
- Weymouths and bradoons
- Different materials bits are made from
- Checking your equipment
- Nosebands
- Back straps
- Horses/ponies who get strong out hacking or jumping
- Double bridle combinations
- Mouth conformation and husbandry
- Retraining of racehorses
In the last two decades bitting has advanced in leaps and bounds. So much more is understood about the comfort of the horse, and the importance of that. We feel this cannot be sufficiently emphasised, no matter the age or issues, of your particular equine.
‘Forelock and Load’ have a long-standing relationship with ‘Bombers Bits’, spanning over 8 years. We have been fortunate enough to spend time with Bomber the grand master of Bombers Bits, his son Leroy and their bitting specialist, Claire Lund. We have gleaned so much knowledge about how, and why, bitting is such an important issue. We have learnt how different bits work on respective horses, how to improve the comfort of the horse and its way of going, to a groundbreaking extent! If you want to see this reality in practice, simply look at Burghley winner and Olympic Medallist Caroline Powell. She is one of our many satisfied customers who have come to us with bitting queries over the years.
Plans for us to visit South Africa were, sadly interrupted due to the Covid19 pandemic, but, as and when we can, we look forward to joining them in their homeland to continue our education.
We love working with Bombers, since their ethos on bitting perfectly synthesizes with our own. Ultimately, the animal comes first! We all want a happy and comfortable horse. All Bombers Bits are handmade in their own factory in South Africa. They are a family business who pride themselves on employing craftsmen from their local community. They have developed an enviable range, and depth, of bits with over 20,000 + variations. If you are struggling to bit your horse with a conventional option, don’t panic! Bombers craftsmen can make you a bespoke bit. Their attention to detail, and the anatomical shapes of the bits, simply cannot be achieved by machine processors. The links and joints are so much finer when the bits are handmade. Do not let this fool you into thinking that it makes them weaker. Attention to detail, is a guarantee of real strength and the Bombers lifetime guarantee on all metal work.
We are often asked “Is my horse too old to have their bit changed?” The answer to this is no. It is a little like the adage about teaching an old dog new tricks. Of course you can!
When looking at changing your horse’s bit, it is important to consider a few things.
- Can I improve the comfort of my horse, or pony?
- What am I trying to achieve?
- What discipline will I require the bit for?
- Have a look in your horse/pony’s mouth and familiarise yourself with how it looks. Make a note of what you see and, if you have other horses on the yard then have a look in their mouths for the purposes of comparison. Just watch your fingers, and get their owners permission!
We always recommend, where possible, to seek some advice prior to hiring the bit you think you need. ‘Forelock and Load’ can take the pain out of the process for you, since we offer comprehensive, bespoke bitting advice. If you are thinking about changing your horse’s bit, you need to be mindful of the fit. Horses are constantly evolving and, as such we are noticing a shift in muzzle size. This, in turn, is leading to smaller mouths and a narrower jaw, which makes it harder to bit and, we need to be more conscious of the fit. The comfort of your horse, is crucial to the success of your riding experience.
We make it our job to ask you the questions you didn’t know existed. For example, is your horse doing any of the following?
- Poking/sticking their tongue out
- Snatching at the reins
- Grinding their teeth and chomping
- Head shaking
- Putting their head up or down and running through or behind the bit
- Inconsistent in the contact (leaning/very light/snatchy/not seeking the contact forward).
If you feel any of the above applies to you, it could be worthwhile looking at changing your horse’s bit.
We welcome your feedback, and we are here to answer any of your questions.
