Equine Partnership

23/10/2026

For many months I have been working with Bit and Bridle Fitting - Aimee Shiel to finalise the new Professional Bit and Bitless Bridle Fitting courses.

Both courses are accredited with UK Rural Skills.. But that's not all! We have just launched a brand new course that is both an access course for the pro courses and an ideal starter course for anyone interested in bit and bridle fitting.

This is very exciting and we look forward to learners taking the course and sharing their feedback 🌟🐴💖

We're very pleased to be launching our brand new course: Introduction to Bit & Bridle Fitting!

Designed as a stand alone course and also as an access course to the Professional Awards, this is a fully evidence based programme which will give you a solid grounding in equine welfare, cranial anatomy, equipment design and biomechanics.

Here is what you need to know:

* Format: Fully online and 100% self paced.
47 lessons, 10 hours study time, 3 video modules.
* Accreditation: Accredited by the Equine Academy.
* Assessment: Each of the 6 modules will be automatically assessed and there will be one final assignment which will be marked manually.

Whether you're looking to take your first step towards professional certification or indeed just want to get a basic understanding of how tack fit impacts on horse comfort and performance, this course gives you the essential knowledge to get started.

For more info and to enrol today, please visit our website https://bridlefit.com/intotobitandbridlefit

23/10/2026

🎃🐴 HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS FOR HORSES! 🐴🎃

Halloween can be a challenging time for our equine friends!

Help keep horses calm, comfortable and safe with these simple tips:

💡 Horses should be kept in stables with soft lighting to help them feel secure.

🔊 Train horses to become accustomed to sudden noises.

🪵 Wood should never be removed from private boundary fences for bonfires, as this could put horses at risk of escaping or injury.

🔥 Never light bonfires on or near farmland.

🔦 Never shine a torchlight directly into a horse’s eyes.

📢 Please share these tips to help keep horses safe this Halloween.

Fireworks Cause Real Harm
https://gov.pulse.ly/ov5kucebbd

22/10/2026

🐴 ARE BITS ALWAYS GENTLER?
When a bit manufacturer shares a prominent headline asking “Is bitless always gentler?”, the framing immediately shapes how we view the conversation. It prompts skepticism around bitless bridles, whilst neatly side-stepping the obvious reciprocal question: “Are bits always gentler?”

Neither bits or bitless is universally "gentle" or "harsh" in isolation. What is concerning, however, is using this particular study (which according to its own research team is incomplete) to cast doubt on bitless riding without looking at the mechanics of what was actually tested

The posts states that the study reported higher nasal pressures under bitless bridles than under a snaffle bridle.

Naturally it did! A sidepull or crossunder acts directly across the bridge of the nose, whereas a snaffle directs rein tension into the mouth, leaving the cavesson noseband largely passive unless it has been overtightened.

The sensors did not measure pressure exerted on the tongue, bars of the mouth, or the palate. Recording a lower reading on the nasal bone under a snaffle does not mean the horse was subject to less force; it simply means that force was borne entirely inside the mouth.

The small print on the post rightly stated, changing tack alters where force is applied, rather than removing it altogether.

Comparing noseband pressures between a bitless bridle and a bitted bridle is an apples-to-oranges comparison. It is rather like measuring pressure on the shoulder to judge whether walking on your feet or walking on your hands is more comfortable.

Instead of asking “Is bitless always gentler?”, the more constructive question for riders and fitters is: “Which bridle or bit is best suited to this individual horse?”

21/10/2026

GOOD SCIENCE WELCOMES QUESTIONS
I’ve had a wild mix of reactions to my post about the latest bit vs bitless study, incredible support from many of you, but also some pushback accusing me of being "unprofessional" for using sarcasm to point out what actually happened in a recent study (taster reveal?)

​To anyone who felt the tone missed the mark: fair enough. Tone doesn't always land well online, and sarcasm isn't everyone's cup of tea.

​However, questioning the quality of research isn't unprofessional, it is essential. Demanding better data isn't anti-science; it's how science improves.

When it comes to bitless and bitted bridle research, asking for better standards helps all of us..

🐴 FAIR COMPARISONS
If a study measures noseband pressure on a bitless bridle, it needs to fairly measure oral pressure from the bit, too. Measuring one without the other skews the picture.

🐴 MORE INCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIPS
Most recent studies only test horses and riders trained exclusively in traditional bitted disciplines. I want to see research that includes long-term bitless equestrians and R+ (positive reinforcement) trained horses. .

🐴 INDEPENDENT DATA
Our horses deserve research completely separate from tack brand sponsorships and customer-feedback surveys.

Questioning a study isn't about tearing researchers down, it’s about raising the bar.

When we advocate for thorough, balanced, real-world research, the real winners are our horses.

Photo of my mule apple picking,.

20/10/2026

Just finished this course, highly recommend if you want to have a deeper understanding of equine cranial nerve functions - absolutely fascinating and very clear and easy to understand!

💫 NEW ON-DEMAND CPD COURSE
Cranial Anatomy | Nerves: Location & Function

Looking to deepen your clinical understanding of equine neurological health? This online, on-demand CPD course, guided by professional bit and bridle fitter and bodyworker Aimee Jones, BSc (Hons) PBBF ESMT ECST, offers an in-depth exploration of equine cranial nerves.

✅ Flexible on-demand study
✅ 14 modules
✅ 32 lessons
✅ Online assessment
✅ Accredited with Equine Academy

KEY TOPICS
Detailed neuroanatomy, physiological roles (vision, mastication, posture, balance), nerve trauma recognition, and practical application for everyday evaluations and bodywork.

WHO IS THIS FOR?
Equine bodyworkers, massage & physical therapists, craniosacral practitioners, dentists, bit & bridle fitters, veterinary nurses, rehab specialists, and coaches looking to elevate their anatomical literacy.

👉Enrol today: https://bridlefit.com/CPD/cranialnerves

20/10/2026

Take a look at this lovely video from Maggie's Voice Equestrian Center,, showing Daisy's steady progression through bitless and bridleless with reward-based training.

Her owner, Elinor, got in touch because Daisy was really struggling with bridles after an old jaw fracture left her acutely sensitive. Working together remotely, I fitted a bosal. As Elinor explains, equipment is only part of the puzzle, but finding the right fit finally let Daisy work in comfort, later moving into a supple leather version.

During a recent webinar, someone mentioned that the World Bitless Association flags all bosals as "red" (harsh) or "orange" even with padding. Now I have to say I don't disagree that the material can come across as harsh on cheap versions. However beautifully handmade rawhide bosals that are correctly maintained with rawhide cream are very soft and smooth by comparison and if you haven't held both in your hands you wouldn't necessarily know the difference from a photograph. Think of it as the difference between buying stiff cheap leather and beautifully oiled English leather.

When an established organisation or charity slaps a label like that on a piece of tack, it carries serious weight, people trust it. The problem is, this rating simply isn't backed by research.

Bosals range from flexible soft rope and padded leather right through to rawhide or leather covered metal-cores (I advocate for soft rawhide and padding, metal has no place on the face!). A soft rawhide or leather bosal distributes pressure over the nose more than a standard sidepull and it delivers negative poll pressure (removes poll pressure) when the rider takes up the reins.

A well-fitted bosal completely frees up the lower jaw, offering relief this mare couldn't get from anything else (other than bridleless).

Traffic-light charts usually come from good intentions, but unevidenced generalisations risk scaring owners away from genuinely humane options. When it comes to tack, the individual horse and the actual mechanics matter far more than an oversimplified label.

Thank you Elinor for trusting me with the fitting process and a massive well done on your training. Using R+ was definitely the most important part of your journey and has shaped everything you have done since.

Maggie's Voice is a bitless and bridleless R+ riding school and equine therapy centre based in South Wales. Please do give them a follow and if you are within travelling distance a visit too!

Association of Professional Bit and Bridle Fitters Equine Fitters Directory

18/10/2026

Irish Draught + Newforest
A Big Mistake

I have a horse called Cassie
By she is a bonnie lassie
Thought I'd take her for a ride one day...
But with a belly like a barrel
And a backside like 'Big Carroll'
All she did was wobble all the way.

I saw the pub was open
I thought, “Umm I'd like a drink”
Well, I hadn't been in long
When there was this awful ruddy stink
As I looked around the bar,
Guess what I did saw...
Yep! Cassie at the back of me
And she'd s**t upon the floor.

I crept into the ladies
To find a pan & brush
I shovelled up the ruddy mess
And hid it in the shrubs
We tiptoed out the back door
And ventured on our ride

“Where shall we go tomorrow?”
I asked her with a smile!

-------------------

This poem was written by my Mum Sheila Harris (7.8.1948 - 4.3.2026), Born and raised in Horsforth, Leeds West Yorkshire.

Today is officially 6 months since Sheila's memorial. I will be posting her collection of poems here and on my website in memory of her life with horses.

Thanks for reading 🙏🐴💓

16/10/2026

I haven't really spoken about this publicly. It's been just over 6 months since I lost my Mum to a short and unexpected illness. Sheila was the horsiest person you could ever meet. Her whole life since she was a little girl revolved around horses. She even named me Phillippa because it means "Lover of horses". She had grand ideas for me 🐴💕💪

I've been so busy trying to be everything for everyone I've barely had time to stop and really process the huge loss and hole in my life. Its really hit me this week, so please do not worry if I haven't gotten back to your messages, I am not ignoring anyone, just need to take a few days to catch my breath.

If your Mum is still with you, here is a reminder to give her a big hug or a call. You really don't know how long you have.

Miss you Mum 💔

-- Sheila was also a bit of a poet and a proper Yorkshire lass. I will be publishing her poems on my page and website as a tribute to her and her horsey love Cassie --

14/10/2026

I am looking forward to this evening's webinar for the Association of Professional Bit and Bridle Fitters hosted with Equine Academy and International College of Bit & Bridle Fitters

I'll discuss up-to-date FEI rules on bitless bridles, compare them with other federations, and explore the future of bitless in competition.

Register to join the live talk at 7.30pm BST. A recording will be available for a limited time following the event.

Link in the comments or visit bridlefit.com

12/10/2026

Very excited that the Professional Bitless Bridle Fit course is one step closer to accreditation.