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Following her successful talk at the Cromwell EGB Group Seminar, Olivia Turner has kindly agreed to run a bit and bridle fitting clinic for the group. Olivia is an Animal Behaviour Consultant along with being an independent Bit and Bridle fitter, stocking Neue Schule bits but will work with any bit. This allows her to help improve the welfare and performance of your horse, ensuring they are comfortable and boosting your partnership with them.

 

In Olivia’s words: “Any tack or equipment we use on a horse should be well made and fit comfortably. This allows the rider’s aids to be more precise and means the horse can respond without discomfort or pain. There are clear behavioural and physical indictors a horse will show if it is in pain or discomfort. The following are common indicators of a bitting issue:

 

• Mouth Opening

• Tail Swishing

• Reefing (grabbing bit and pulling through rider’s hands)

• Chewing or mouthing the bit

• Straightness Issues

• Head Tilting

• Head Shaking

• Excessive Salivation

• Lifting the bit in the mouth or playing with it

• Flapping Lips

• Retracting the Tongue

• Bulging the Tongue

• Protruding the tongue between the lips

• Contact evasion or resistance to rider’s aids

• Tongue over the bit”

 

What to expect?

The clinic will include a full bridle and bit check to make sure there are no abnormal pressure point and that the bridle fits as well as possible, along with mouth checks. Following this, a full mouth conformation analysis helps ensure there are no sore points or injuries present, and that there are no tender points through the horse’s head (including poll, jaw and cheeks and palate). The clinic will include an assessment of ridden behaviour and allow you to discuss any bitting issues, determining what’s uncomfortable for your horse and what they like. You will be able to trial a selection of other bits to find what style and design suits your horse and your riding level.

 

The first clinic on 29th February is fully booked for ridden spaces but here are still 6 ridden places available for Saturday 28th March at Vine Farm, Caxton, CB23 3PL and spectator places available for both clinics via the shop page link above.

 

You can find out more about Olivia’s approach at www.oliviaturnerabc.co.uk