A Upsall bit and bridle fitting

Had a great day out at the National Equine Show, true to form I took no pictures of anything. Mini Upsall loved all of it, although I’m pretty sure his highlight was the escalator on the way in 😂.
I did find the most gorgeous little bridle from Fiona Cork Saddles that has been added to my wish list for my little coblet 😅.

What lovely words 🥰.
Every horse and owner are different. As long as everyone is happy and healthy it doesn’t matter what the pair next to you are doing.

Enjoy your horse, whichever way that may be and be happy together.

To the owner whose horse is stabled - you work so hard to ensure your horses needs are met so they can live in comfort, thank you for your dedication!

To the owner whose horse lives out - your horse is fortunate to have an owner that can provide them the space to roam and graze as nature intended!

To the owner who rugs their horse - they will be so warm and cozy under their blanket, and less grooming means more time to ride!

To the owner of the unrugged horse - their coats are fascinating how they adapt to the weather, aren’t they?!

To the rider who wears cheap riding leggings and rubber boots – good for you…. you know that your horse couldn’t care less what you are wearing!

To the ‘all the gear and no idea’ rider - wow! You look incredible, your horse has everything it could ever wish for! You don’t have to be a grand prix rider to wear matchy-matchy. Go, you!

To the rider who rides once in a while – brilliant! It is so difficult to fit horses in around the rest of our lives. It’s great that you make the time to do the most that you can with your horse!

To the rider who never rides their horse – no problem. How lovely for your horse to spend its life being cuddled, groomed and grazing in the fields, you must have a wonderful relationship!

To the rider who rides everyday – go for it! Your dedication is admirable and your horse is benefiting from training and fitness. Well done!

To the happy hackers - you are living the dream of millions! What an honour to share such adventures with such extraordinary animals!

To the barefoot fanatic – I admire your passion. Barefoot is the best option for many horses. It is wonderful that you are trying to improve your horse’s comfort and foot health!

To the owner of the traditionally shod horse – fantastic! Shoes are the best option for many horses. It’s great to know that your horse’s feet are protected from the surfaces that we ask them to work on!

To the rider who trains with every professional and expert going – brilliant. What a wealth of knowledge and expertise you have access to!

To the self-taught rider – you must be so proud. What an achievement!

To the professional rider – you inspire me. Your results and rosettes are impressive. They are not won without hard work, commitment, sacrifice and talent. You deserve your success!

To the rider who has never won anything – who cares?! Your horse doesn’t! The passion you have for your sport is worth so much more than any material!

If you want to win and have not had any luck – keep going. You will get there eventually. The hardest won successes are the sweetest!

To the owner who keeps their horse spotlessly clean, neatly trimmed and pulled – marvellous! I applaud your attention to detail. Your horse looks beautiful!

To the owner whose horse is caked in mud and has dread locks – I laugh with you! You know that horses love to roll and if you were to bath your horse today, you would find them in exactly the same mucky state again tomorrow!

As long as your horse is happy and healthy, what you do with your horse is nobody else’s business. The only time anybody should interfere is if there is a genuine equine welfare issue, a safety issue, or if you have specifically asked for advice or help. Otherwise, please let’s not judge others.

‘Each to their own,’ and if it’s good for your horse then ‘good for you!’ 🐴❤️

Interesting read on the effect a nose band being done up too tight can have on your horse.
Always check you have a two finger gap under the nose and once fastened.

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀

Have you ever wondered how gear like nosebands impacts your horse’s comfort? A recent study* reveals some important facts about the effects of very tight nosebands on horses. The findings show that nosebands tightened to the extreme can cause stress and stop horses from showing natural behaviours. Here’s what the study discovered and why it matters.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁?

Twelve horses wearing double bridles and crank nosebands were part of the study. Researchers tested four levels of tightness:

1. Unfastened (UN): The noseband was loose.
2. Two-Finger Space (CAUN): Room for two fingers under the noseband.
3. One-Finger Space (HCAUN): Room for just one finger.
4. No Space (NAUN): Noseband tightened all the way, with no room underneath.

During each treatment, they measured heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), eye temperature, and how often horses licked, chewed, or yawned.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱?

Stress Levels Went Up
- Heart Rate: Increased significantly when the noseband was tightest.
- HRV: Decreased, showing the horses were under stress.
- Eye Temperature: Got hotter, a common sign of stress in horses.

Natural Behaviours Disappeared
- Licking and Chewing: These behaviours stopped completely when the noseband was tightest.
- Swallowing: Horses swallowed half as often with the tightest noseband.
- Yawning: Rare during all treatments but increased after the nosebands were removed.

𝗥𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀
When the nosebands were taken off, the horses made up for lost behaviours. They yawned, licked, and chewed more than they did before the nosebands were put on. This rebound suggests the tight nosebands left them feeling deprived.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻?
The study shows that very tight nosebands cause stress and stop horses from acting naturally. Researchers recommend:

- Keeping It Comfortable: Ensure at least two fingers of space under the noseband.
- Checking Tightness at Competitions: Gear stewards should enforce rules against overly tight nosebands.
- More Research: Experts need to explore how nosebands combined with rein tension and a rider affect horses.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
Your horse’s well-being is key to a good partnership. This research reminds us that gear like nosebands should always prioritise their comfort and health.

📸 Pic: An example of an infrared image of the eye region. The cross indicates the position of the maximum temperature within the area of the eye used for analysis.

* "The Effect of Noseband Tightening on Horses’ Behaviour, Eye Temperature, and Cardiac Responses," by Kate Fenner, Samuel Yoon, Peter White, Melissa Starling & Paul McGreevy (2016)

I hope you have all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and new year.

Just a quick. Or what it’s turning into is a not so quick update 😅.

A lot of you would know that I was taking a short break while I gave birth to my little boy. It really was planned to be a short break and I would plan work around Finan and his needs.

Unfortunately when Finan was born nothing was straightforward and he was a little poorly so took us longer than expected to be out of hospital and also just up and about in general. That being said, me being me, pushed it and was out with the dogs and horses too early and did not make life easy for myself 🫣. I am too stubborn to accept I need to just chill out and I wanted to know I could do everything I normally would before my husband went back to work.

Finan himself has decided he hates the car, doesn’t enjoy the pram and just wants to be in his sling or carrier at all times. This works well for dog walking and for those of you that also follow Dog walking with Alice Alice you’ll have seen I am back out, all be it on reduced working hours.

I absolutely love being able to carry Fin with me and that he enjoys being outside at all times, rain or shine which is brilliant. It however is problematic when it comes to working with horses as the risk of having him so close around horses I do not know is too great. I am happy pootling around my horses but even if I need to do any handling over and above popping a head collar on to move paddocks or run a quick brush over I have to either endure the crying or have assistance from my husband.

Now for when I am back to work!!
I am just waiting for my husband’s work rota to come through really. My new plan is for Fin to be with his father while he isn’t away for work and I can go to work alone until he is a little older and happier to be sat separate from myself, then yard dependent I can start to work all the time. This does mean I will have blocks of 2 weeks of appointments come available at a time rather than being full time.
I have become accustomed to being a stay at home mum to Finan and all the animals so at least I’ll be easing myself back in gently.

I will put a post up as soon as I have dates available to be booked.

In the meantime I have lots of learning material lined up to keep me entertained and ready to bore you all with 📖.

Thank you to all of my customers that have been so patient and I hope I see you again soon ❤️.

Happy New Year’s Eve!

Slightly different views for us this week

Happy winter solstice everyone!

I hope to be looking at dates of being back to work in the new year but I will update on this in another post.

Have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year 🎄

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Apologies I have been quiet for a little while, all for good reason though.

Last week we introduced our new team member to the world 🌍 👶

Hopefully we will both be up and about in the near future and seeing all you lovely people and your beautiful equines soon.

Was so nice working with this pair today. We went from head high and apprehensive to relaxed and happy.
Can’t wait to see this team in the future as they work together on their goals.

What happens in a bit and bridle consultation?

Head and mouth assessment - I will look at the horses individual mouth, tongue, palate confirmation and palpate around the horses head and jaw. It is important to ensure there are no sore points or injuries around the head and in the mouth that could be affecting your horse.

Bit and Bridle check - I will ask you to tack up your horse with your current bit and bridle as you normally would. I can then check the fit of your bridle and assess any unnecessary pressure points it may be creating. I will also check the size and fit of your current bit at this stage.

Ridden assessment - I’ll watch you ride in your current bit and bridle to observer your horses behaviour and determine any evasions/signs of discomfort. We will then trial a selection of bits to find what style and design suits your horse and you as a rider.