When Should You See a Professional Bit Fitter?
You should see a professional bit fitter when your horse is showing signs of discomfort, evasion or resistance that you cannot resolve by yourself, when you have already tried several bits without success, or when you are starting a young horse and want to get the foundations right from the beginning. A qualified, independent bit fitter will assess both you and your horse together, taking into account mouth conformation, the way your horse moves, your riding, and your discipline. This is something no manufacturer’s guide can do, because they cannot see you and your horse in person.
Why Riders Turn to Manufacturers’ Bit Guides
When riders begin their search for a new bit, the only guidance often available is from the actual bit manufacturers. Obviously this is a good place to start your search, however, their guides can be rather generic and may not take into consideration any other factors as to why you’re experiencing issues as they cannot see you and your horse.
My Own Experience
Speaking from my own experience: Many, many years ago (I’m old!) I struggled with unusual bitting issues with my horse so I undertook my own research and relied upon the descriptions of bits from the manufacturers to help me select a bit to help with the problems I was experiencing. This subsequently led me on a path of buying many expensive bits, most of which didn’t fix my issue, and left me with no where to turn for further evaluation or professional advice.
What a Professional Bit Fitter Does Differently
Now thankfully how times have changed, there are bit fitting experts to help both you and your horse in person. However I still see a large number of clients who have followed the path of buying expensive bits based on manufacturers descriptions. This is where us Bit Fitters come into the equation.
As a qualified and experienced bit fitter, I know there are many factors to consider when choosing a bit for your horse. It is not just focussed around bit function, I consider many more factors, including horse breed, mouth anatomy, bridle fit, training level, rider style, rider goals and more. The biggest difference between me and the bit manufacturers (apart from making bits) is that I can actually visit you to see you and your horse in person. This gives you a more in depth evaluation of you and your horse so I can help you on many levels, not just relying on bit descriptions.
When It’s Time to Book a Bit Fitting Consultation
If you have relied upon bit manufacturers descriptions and are still struggling, please book a professional bitting consultation. At Equine Bitting Solutions we offer different services to accommodate every situation. We see horses from every discipline, from youngsters to international competition horses. Every consultation is bespoke and tailored to you and your horse. If you are based out of our area we can still help you via our remote bit fitting consultation.
If you would like to learn more about bit evasions, bits for a young horse or bits for a strong horse, please see the downloadable guides below:
Common Bit Evasions Guide – CLICK HERE to download
Bits For a Young Horse Guide – CLICK HERE to download
Bits For a Strong Horse Guide – CLICK HERE to download
