Informed Designs - Blog / Calendar

Calendar so far

4/10/2018

Calendar

21st March                                           Bitting Day
                                                                Winchester Hampshire
25th March                                          Bitting Day
                                                                Seer Green Buckinghamshire
26th March                                          Bitting Day
                                                                Herts / Bucks
28th March                                          Bitting Day
                                                                Dorchester Dorset
29th March                                          Bitting Afternoon
                                                                East Hanney Oxfordshire
31st March                                           Bitting Day
                                                                Radwinter Cambs
4th April                                                Bitting Day
                                                                Seer Green Buckinghamshire
10th April                                              Bitting Afternoon
                                                                Lower Basildon Berkshire
11th April                                              Bitting Day
                                                                Farnham Surrey
12th April                                              Bitting Afternoon
                                                                Beenham Berkshire
13th April                                              Bitting Afternoon
                                                                Ascot Berkshire
14th April                                              Bitting Day
                                                                Romsey Hampshire
16th April                                              Bitting Afternoon
                                                                Ashford Hill Berkshire
19th April                                              Bitting Day
                                                                Brewood Staffordshire
21st April                                              Bitting Day
                                                                Wellington Somerset
28th April                                              Bitting Day
                                                                Longford Somerset

Calendar so far

2/27/2018

Edgerware Fitted

Calendar

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting
2018

10th Jan             Bitting Day
                        Swallowfield Berkshire
                        Berekely Glouscestershire

13th Jan             Bitting Day
                        Winchester Hampshire

14th Jan             Bitting Day
                        Cirencester Gloucestershire

15th Jan             Bitting Day
                        Winchester Hampshire

17th Jan             Bitting Day
                        Horsham W Sussex

20th Jan             Bitting Day
                        Fenny Drayton
                        Blithebury

26th Jan             Bitting Day
                        Cirencester Gloucestershire

30th Jan             Bitting Day
                        Stratford Saye Berkshire

31st Jan              Bitting Day
                        Mathon Worcs

3rd Feb               Bitting Day
                        Fradley Staffordshire

10th Feb             Bitting Day
                        Gt Kingshill Herts

12th Feb             Bitting Day
                        Minety Wilts

14th Feb             Bitting Day
                        Chobham Surrey
                        Guildford Surrey

15th Feb             Bitting Day
                        Kingsworthy Winchester

17th Feb             Bitting Day
                        Draycott in the Clay Derbyshire

21st Feb             Bitting Day
                        Crowborough W Sussex
                        Crotchford Hill W Sussex

24th25th Feb       Horses Inside Out Conference
                        Loughborough Leic

28th Feb             Bitting Day
                        Sutton Scotney Winchester

3rd March            Bitting Day
Ipley New Forest

5th March            Saddle Check Day
                        Bristol

7th March            Bitting and Saddle Check Day
                        Bude Cornwall

10th March          Bitting Day
                        Winterbourne Bristol

17th March          West Wilts Spring Show
                        West Wilts Equestrian Centre

17th March          Bitting Day
                        Sear Green Bucks

Diary Dates April May

4/22/2017

20th April                    Bitting Talk
                                British Dressage Byrds Camp Wellington Riding

22nd April                   Ipley Manor
                                Southampton

26th April                    Bitting Day
                                Abergavenny S Wales

28th April                    Bitting Day
                                Warwickshire

29th April                    Bitting Talk
                                BD Senior Camp Wellington Riding

1st May                      Bitting Day
                                BCA Maidenhead Berkshire

2nd May                      Bitting
                                Pirbright Surrey

3rd May                      Bitting and Saddle Check Day
                                Great Missenden Bucks
                                Akerley Bucks

6th May                      Bitting Day
                                Dutch Dressage Ipswich

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting

3/27/2017

20th March                  Bitting Day
                                Ascot Paddocks Ascot
22nd March                  Bitting Day
                                Maidenhead Berkshire
25th March                  West Wiltshire Spring Show
                                Melksham Wiltshire
28th March                  Bitting Day
                                Wellington Livery
1st April                      Bitting Day
                                Radwinter Essex
3rd April                      Saddle Fitting
                                Compton Greenfields Bristol
4th April                      Bitting Day
                                Camelford Cornwall
4th April                      Saddle Fitting
                                Newquay Cornwall
8th April                      Bitting Day BD
                                Swallowfield Equestrian
                                Lapworth Warwickshire
11th April                    Bitting Talk
                                Windsor
12th April                    Bitting Day
                                Lynhurst Lodge New Forest
15th April                    Bitting Day BD
                                Sparsholt College
19th April                    Bitting Day
                                     Leics
22nd April                   Ipley Manor
                                Southampton
26th April                    Bitting Day
                                Abergavenny S Wales

Calendar so far

2/8/2017

28th January                                             Bitting Day
                                                                  Bamford Sheffield

31st January                                             Dressage Bitting
                                                                  Moor Farm Minety Wilts

2nd Feb                                                     Bittng Day
                                                                  Hemps Green Barn Colchester

3rd Feb                                                      Bitting Day
                                                                   Binfield Berkshire

6th Feb                                                       Lecture
                                                                   Berkshire College Agriculture Maidenhead

10th Feb                                                     Bitting Day
                                                                   Sherbourne Equestrian Dorset

15th Feb                                                     Bitting
                                                                   Wokingham and Binfield Berkshire

16th Feb                                                     Bitting and Saddle Fitting Day
                                                                   Akely Buckinhamshire

18th Feb                                                     Bitting Day
                                                                   Speen Hertfordshire

21st Feb                                                     Bitting
                                                                   Lower Basildon / Dorking Surrey

25th 26th Feb                                             Weekend Showing Clinic
                                                                   Moor Farm Minety Wilts

1st March                                                   Bitting Day
                                                                   Marchwood Southampton

3rd - 6th March                                          Bitting and Saddle Fitting
                                                                  Cornwall

January 17th, 2017

1/17/2017

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting
2017

3rd January         Bitting Day
                        Hickstead Sussex

12th January       Saddle Check and Bitting Day
                        Twyford and Stoke Chantry Hampshire

16th January       Saddle Checking Day
                        Winterbourne Bristol

18th January       Bitting Training Day
                        Stebbing Essex

21st January       Bitting Day
                        Ashbourne Derbyshire

28th January       Bitting Day
                        Bamford Sheffield

2nd February       Bitting Day
                        Hemps Green Colchester
Places available
                        Contact Jenni 01206 247165

4th February       Bitting Day
                        Kineton Warwickshire

December 01st, 2016

12/1/2016

Calendar so far December

Clarity Edgeware

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting

26th November            Bitting Day
                                Ashbourne Derbyshire

28th November            Saddle Fitting
                                Twyford Hampshire

30th November            Bitting Day
                                Sibford Ferris Oxfordshire

6th December              Bitting Day
                                Copythorne Southampton

10th December            Bitting Day
                                Bingham Nottingham

12th December            Bitting Day
                                Granborough Bucks

14th December            Bitting Day
                                Addington Bucks

17th December            Bitting Day
                                Winterbourne Stoke Bristol

20th December            Bitting Day
                                Copythorne Southampton

Calendar October November

11/14/2016

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting

15th October               Bitting Day
                                Fordingbridge Hants

18th October               Bitting Day
                                Breachwood Green Herts

19th October               Bitting Day
                                Buckinghamshire

22nd October               Bitting Day
                                Murcott Oxfordshire

24th October               Bitting Day
                                Witheridge Devon

26th October               Bitting and Saddle Fitting
                                Lakefield Equestrian
Camelford Cornwall

29th October               Bitting Day
                                Berkshire College
                                Berkshire

31st October               Bitting Dressage Horses
                                Wargrave Berkshire

2nd November             Bitting Day
                                Oakfield Hampshire
3rd November              Bitting Day
                                Oakley Green Berkshire

9th November              Bitting Day
                                Breachwood Green Herts

12th November            Bitting Day
                                #Longnor Derbyshire

13th November            Saddle Fitting
                                Hurstbourne Priors Hants

14th November            Bitting Day
                                Marlow Bucks

15th November            Bitting Day
                                Chobham Surrey

21st November            Bitting Day
                                Reigate Surrey

23rd November            Bitting Day
                                Gt Dunmow Essex

25th November            Bitting Day
                                Weatherhead Surrey

26th November            Bitting Day
                                Ashbourne Derbyshire

Calendar so far

8/17/2016

Informed Designs Roller Ball Spurs

A humane way of applying spur pressure

26th July             Bitting Day
                        Reigate Surrey

30th July             Bitting Day
                        Ascot Berkshire

2Nd August          Bitting Day
                        Bolney Sussex

6th August           Bitting Day
                        Lower Gravenhurst Bedfordshire

8th August           Bitting and Saddle Check Day
                        ~Twyford Hants

11th August         Dressage Bitting
                        Hurstbourne Priors Hants

13th August         Bitting Day
                        Bradfield Berkshire

15th August         Bitting Day
                        Wokingham Berkshire

16th August         Bitting Day
                        Flaunden Herts

20th August         Bitting Day
                        Ascot Berkshire

22nd August         Bitting Morning
                        Salisbury Wilts

25th August         Bitting Afternoon
                        Chobham surrey

27th August         Bitting Day
                        Finchampstead Berkshire

3rd September     Bitting Day
                        Winterbourne Bristol

Calendar June 2016 so far

6/10/2016

Symmetry Eggbutt Snaffle

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting

21st May             Bitting Day
                        Radwinter Essex

27th May            Bitting and Saddle Fit Day
                        Twyford Hants

31st May             Bitting Day
                        Totnes Devon

2nd June             Bitting Day
                        Camelford Cornwall

4th June              Bitting Day
                        Bere Regis Dorset

6th June              Bitting Day
                        Avington Hants

11th June            Bitting Day
                        Stock Essex

17th June            Bitting Day
                        Leyton London

18th June            Bitting Day
                        Richmond Surrey

21st June            Bitting Day
                        Cowfold Sussex

23rd June            Bitting Day
                        Banbury Oxfordshire

25th June            Bitting Day
                        Ringwood Hants

Calendar May 2016

5/9/2016

Harmony D Cheek

30th April            Bitting Day
                        South Carr Farm
                        Mansfield Nottinghamshire

4th May              Bitting Day
                        East Meon Hampshire

5th May              Bitting Day
                        Steventon Hampshire

7th May              Bitting Day
                        Winterbourne S Gloucestershire

9th May              Bitting Afternoon
                        Wokingham Berkshire

11th May            Training Day
                        Solihull W Midlands

12th May            Bitting Afternoon
                        Steventon Hampshire

14th May            Bitting Day
                        Roswell Essex

17th May            Bitting Day
                        Bolney W Sussex

18th May            Bitting Afternoon
                        Ascot Paddocks Ascot Berkshire

19th May            Bitting Day
                        Roswell Essex

20th May            Bitting Day
                        Sway Hampshire

21st May             Bitting Day
                        Radwinter Essex

Calendar March April so far

3/23/2016

Japan Finesse Weymouth

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting

19th March                  Bitting Day
                                Deeham Norfolk

22nd March                 Bitting Day
                                Stratford upon Avon

24th March                  Bitting Day
                                Hedgerley Berkshire

26th March                  Bitting Day
                                Munsley Herefordshire

29th March                  Bitting Day
                                Hungerford Berkshire

31st March                  Bitting Day
                                Chepstow

2nd April                     Bitting Day
                                Canewdon Essex

4th April                      Bitting Day
                                New Forest Hampshire

9th April                      Bitting Day
                                New Forest Hampshire

11th/15th April Bitting and Saddle Fitting
                                Cornwall

16th April                    Bitting Day
                                Hedgerley Berkshire

18th April                    Bitting Day
                                Brockenhurst New Forest

Calendar So far

3/17/2016

Informed Designs Confidence Ashleigh Military Reversible

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting

27th February              Bitting Day
                                Sway Hants

1st March                    Bitting Day
                                Ascot Berkshire

3rd March                   Saddle Fit and Check Day
                                Frensham Surrey

5th March                   Bitting Day
                                Sway Hampshire

7th March                   Saddle Fitting and Bitting
                                New Quay Cornwall

8th March                   Saddle Fitting and Bitting
                                Camelford Cornwall

11th March                  Saddle Checking and Bitting
                                Hazeley Twford Hants

12th March                  Bitting Day
                                Longnor Derbyshire

13th March                  Bitting and Saddle Check Day
                                Winterbourne Bristol

15th March                  Bitting Day
                                Hurstbourne Priors Hants

17th March                  Lecture
                                Lea Valley Riding Club London

18th March                  Bitting Day
                                Hurstbourne Priors Hants

19th March                  Bitting Day
                                Deeham Norfolk

Calendar January February 2016

2/23/2016

Edgeware Connect

23rd January               Bitting Day
                                Nazeling Herts

30th January 2016        Bitting Day
                                Sway Hampshire

1st February                Bitting and Saddle Check Day
                                Hurstbourne Priors Hampshire

6th February                Bitting Day
                                Ascot Berkshire

12th February              Bitting and Saddle Fitting
                                Markyate Herts

15th February              Bitting Day
                                Camelford Cornwall

16th February              Bitting and Saddle Fitting
                                Newquay Cornwall

20th 22nd February        Horses Inside Out Conference
                                Cirencester Collage

26th February              Bitting Day
                                Flaunden Herts

27th February              Bitting Day
                                Sway Hants

Getting the right Bitting advice

1/13/2016

We all more or less know what Saddle Fitting entails and what to expect when we ask a Saddle Fitter to come and give professional help to get the correct Saddle.

But what about the Bit?

This crucial form of communication that we have with our Horses. What about getting some help with your choice of bit based on your Horses conformation, his temperament, his level of training and your riding ability?

Good Bitting is about comfort, communication and contact. Getting the right bit or bits for your Horse is an important part of the whole process of patient training and good Horsemanship.

Firstly it is most important that your Horse is fit to bit. That he has had his teeth checked, that his Saddle fits well and that he is physically and mentally sound.

Then good Bitting should:
Create comfort
Be tailored to the individual Equine
Improve communication
Encourage acceptance of contact
Develop sympathetic Riding techniques

When thinking of changing your bit and introducing a new bit to your Horse.
You need help to:

Understand resistance
Know what Bit designs are suitable for each Horse and discipline
How they work in the Horse's mouth
How to fit Bits and Combination Bits
How to assess the structure of your Horse's mouth
How to select the right bit for your Horse

And lastly how to transition your Horse into a new bit successfully
And then to ride away in your new bit allowing your horse to benefit from the change

Given this sort of help and information you can be more successful with your Bitting choices.

Set yourself up for success with understandable, well-balanced, informative help

Calendar January so far

1/12/2016

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting

9th January                         Bitting Day
                                Longnor Buxton Derbyshire

11th January               Bitting and Saddle Fitting Day
                                Markyate Herts

14th January               Bitting Day
                                Munsley Herfordshire

16th January               Bitting Day
                                Hurst Berkshire

20th January               Bitting Day
                                Hurstbourne Priors Hants

23rd January               Bitting Day
                                Enfield Hertfordshire

24th 26th January         BETA Trade Fair
                                NEC Birmingham

30th January               Bitting Day
                                East Sussex

New Book

12/14/2015

Finally I am going to finish my new Bitting Book I have allocated the Christmas Holidays to finish it I have written 55,000 words just got to write some more and then decide how I am going to publish it !!

CalendarAugust September so far

8/27/2015

Diary Dates: Talks, Clinics Saddle Fitting

20th August                 Bitting Day
                                Goldalming Surry

22nd August                 Bitting Day
                                Stapleton Leic

26th August                 Bitting Day
                                Hurstbourne Priors Hants

4th September             Bitting Day
                                Castle Dyke Equestrian Centre
                                Boston Lincs

5th September             Bitting Day
                                Wooton Grange Farm
                                Warwickshire

12th September           Bitting Day
                                Arley Moss Equestrian Centre
                                Northwich Cheshire

19th September           Bitting Day
                                Atlow Ashbourne Derbyshire

26th September Bitting Day
Walgrave Northants

Double Bridle Bits: Part Three: Ports Cheeks Shanks

4/15/2015

DOUBLE BRIDLE BITS

Part Three: Ports Cheeks Shanks

Let’s just clarify a few terms and uses when discussing Weymouths

Cheeks Purchases and Shanks: The over-all length of the cheek of a Weymouth is called the Cheek and to be clear when discussing how to bring different and more refined pressures into action the part of the cheek from the mouthpiece to the top of the cheek where you attach your bridle is called the Top Purchase and the part of the Cheek below the mouthpiece is called the Shank.

The Top Purchase creates upper head pressure and lets you carry the chain in the right place for the Horse you are Bitting.
The Shank creates lower mouth and jaw pressure
It is very important that these two lengths work well together this is what creates a good balance to the Weymouth If you build the overall Cheek ridiculously short or one part clearly out of proportion to the other you are unbalancing the pressures and not allowing for a good release and reward for the Horse.

Chains/Curb straps: Should be as substantial as possible and Double Link [if chain], and ideally used with a lip strap to encourage the chain to stay in place and not twist on the horses jaw. The chain or curb strap should be fitted so it comes into play when the cheek is at about a 45% angle. If your chain is too loose then there is too much downward pressure inside the horse’s mouth and too much poll pressure on the top of the head. If the chain is too tight then the Horse gets no reward or relief from the relentless pressure. You want to set your chain so that you get a balance of inner mouth, poll and jaw pressure The chain should be set so that as its pressure comes to bear on the under-side of the jaw it stops the first two pressures of inner mouth and Poll overriding each other.

PORTS:
Perceptions: People get very worried about the size of a Port thinking that they are severe. Remember the bottom of the port does not sit up on the top of the tongue making the Port stick into the roof of the mouth. As the cheek of the Weymouth turns the Port rolls over in the mouth placing the port in front of the tongue creating a space for the middle of the tongue to move forward into. The space you are working with is not from the top of the tongue to the roof but the bottom bar of the mouth on the lower jaw to the roof and most Horses have at least an 1 ¼” to an 1 ½” of space here.

The other thing to remember is that what-ever bit you have in the horse’s mouth is sandwiched between the top of the tongue and the roof of the mouth so all horses are accustomed to feeling some bit pressure on the roof of the mouth we just have to make sure that pressure is comfortable fair and smooth.

Shapes: Each different shape of port gives the Horse a different release or “feel”

The larger and wider the port the less tongue pressure the Horse feels and the more bar pressure.

The shallower the port the more tongue pressure and the less bar pressure.

You have to work out what each individual Horse is asking for and what gives him the most comfort and confidence and for you as the rider the best signalling ability and degree of control.

Remembering that the feel we want to achieve is clear signals and reward not unrelenting constant pressure with no escape for the Horse.

Build: It is important that the Port is built well and not built by someone who has not thought about the anatomy of the horse’s mouth the Horse is very sensitive about where the bit sits and were pressures are placed, If a Port is so wide that the action falls outside the jaw line then this just causes an uneven feel for the Horse inside its mouth so it cannot possibly move evenly forward in to the contact and will probably cause the Horse to block badly on the side that the bottom of the port grabs the outside of the jaw and will most certainly cause bruising on the bar of the mouth.

Port Shapes:
Mors Lotte: gives overall even tongue pressure all across the tongue.

Shallow Ports just allow a little tongue room which should be in the centre. Most of the action is initially on the tongue, pressing it down into the bottom jaw and then when the tongue is completely depressed the action then finally touches the bars.

Medium Ports allow more tongue room in the centre of the mouth, the centre of the tongue is allowed room to fill the space created by the port but as the medium port is normally only 1/2” to ¾” high and the tongue is 1” to 1 1/2” thick this still only gives a little more room

Medium Wide Ports also allow tongue room for the horse but as they have a wider base more of the width of the tongue is allowed into the space just make sure the base of the Port does not fall outside the jawline.

Higher Ports can allow the tongue plenty of room providing they are the right width and height not as you sometimes see very high and narrow which would force the tongue un naturally up into a very pinched narrow space and push the top of the port too strongly into the roof of the mouth. If the base is inside the jaw width and fits neatly into the space between the bottom bar and the roof of the mouth then this will give a horse that is very worried about its tongue lots of relief from tongue pressure

Part Four: How to fit and when to fit

© Hilary Vernon 2015

Double Bridle Bits Part Two How they work

4/8/2015

DOUBLE BRIDLE BITS

Part Two: How they work

The whole point of having your horse in a Double Bridle is to have two completely different bits that give you the rider really good signals for your horse to understand giving definition, refinement to your rein handling techniques and more release and reward for your horse. As a rider you must develop the ability to use both reins together and independently and be able to pick up a little more and/or relax each rein to help your horse with its frame and balance.

The Bradoon is just a Snaffle and it is the most restrictive of the two bits as it wraps around the tongue and lower jaw in its action.

Single Joint: If it has a Single Joint it has a very strong close to it and the horse is unable to escape the triangulated pressure unless the rider lightens the rein pressure on the reins considerably.

French Link If it has a French Link the plate and joints keep hold of the horses tongue [especially if the plate is long and the joints fall outside or on the edge of the span of the horses tongue and jaw] unless the rider lightens the rein pressure again considerably.

Lozenge: If the Bradoon has a Lozenge assuming the Lozenge is small and neat and the joints do not fall outside the span of the jaw and tongue edges and the joints do not stick into the roof of the horse’s mouth this is probably, for most horses the most comfortable mouthpiece for a Bradoon and if it has the right forward curve to it then has the most release and reward not relying as much on the riders hands to lighten as some of the other choices do.

Because the Bradoon is the jointed bit of the two it has the most efficient turning signal and because it sits into the corners of the lips and has a closing action it encourages the Horse to lift the base of the neck.

The Weymouth should always be worn with a curb chain or strap and ideally with a Lipstrap as the Lipstrap keeps the chain stabilised and neatly on the jaw and keeps the chain on the bridle at all times.

The action of the Weymouth is as follows, as you use the rein the top of the cheek rotates forward and the bottom of the cheek rotates backwards this action presses the mouthpiece down onto the tongue and the lower jaw if the bit has a port the port is rolled forward in front of the tongue which gives the Horse room for the middle of the tongue to move into the space of the port. As the cheek carries on rotating the Horse feels some downward pressure on the poll and before the jaw and poll pressures become too strong the chain moves onto the under-side of the lower jaw stopping the inner mouth and the poll pressure from creating any more pressure. You are trying to set your chain so these three pressures are balanced and do not over ride each other. If you choose the right Weymouth mouthpiece and the cheek is of a balanced length both above and below the mouthpiece this gives the horse a clear signal to

Go to the end of the rein
Tip the face into a frame
Balance in the pace
Is the Brakes of the combination of Bits

Part Three: Ports Cheeks Shanks and Chains