The Athletic Horse Bit and Bridle Fit Consultancy & Equine Bodywork

21/02/2026

Great article 👌💯 this. Lots of options out there however nothing, but nothing replaces hands-on 🥰

Why Hands On Massage Is The Best Way To Care For Sore Muscles

I often see people posting about their horse having muscle knots and being muscle sore, talking about having the chiropractor out, Pemf and red light, kt tape, vet’s been out and still the horse is not better, why?

My question is; why are you doing everything you can think of to help your horse feel better EXCEPT the one thing that actually addresses those sore, tight muscles directly?!
Other therapies are NOT stand-ins or substitutes for massage – they do different things for the horse.

Massage is the only one of these therapies that physically manipulates the muscles, fascia and skin to ease tight, sore muscles lengthen and supple myofascia, free painful nerves, improve circulation, increase range of motion and bring balance and biotensegrity back to the body to improve performance and soundness.

An equine massage therapist uses their hands to feel and carefully manipulate the soft tissues to work out tension, knots, kinks and adhesions. Massage manually opens myofascial tissue, softening, stretching, balancing tension, improving range of motion and freedom of movement of muscle, fascia, joints and skin.
Massage speeds muscle healing. The micro tears and trigger points caused by exercise and building muscles heal faster, stronger and with a healthier range of motion when your horse receives regular massage sessions.

Tight, tense and fatigued muscles increase the risk of tendon injuries. Tendons are an extension of the muscle and anchor the muscle to the bone. If the muscle is impaired, the tendon will also be, which greatly raises the risk of injury. Massage can improve the health and function of the muscles and tendons to help ward off injuries.

Massage techniques with different frequencies, amplitudes and intensities can improve athleticism by stimulating the mechanoreceptors and improving the horse’s proprioception (awareness of position) and kinesthesia (movement in the body), helpful when improving the horse’s overall athleticism. This will also help stimulate healing if the horse has suffered a neurological insult.

Massage physically stimulates weak and inactive muscles to help bring them back into action.
Pain and tension interfere with the body’s ability to recover from illness or injury and will extend recovery time. Many veterinarians have begun to incorporate massage therapy into their recovery protocols as an effective, natural way to aid in pain regulation and recovery for both acute and chronic issues. Equine Massage therapists are trained to work on soft tissues to alleviate pain and improve the body’s ability to heal itself.

Massage physically pumps and presses circulation into congested areas, opening them to better nourishment, oxygenation and hydration all of which optimize healing and healthy tissue development and performance.

Massage increases the production of mitochondria, responsible for powering the production of ATP in cellular metabolism. More mitochondria lead to more ATP, which means increased energy to heal. Massage also increases levels of white blood cells which attack viruses and bacteria.

Massage increases the production of cytokines, chemical messengers that work for the immune system to regulate things like fever, pain and inflammation.

Massage releases endorphins which act as a natural analgesic helping to relieve headaches, myofascial pain, muscle soreness, TMJ, and other discomforts and a lasting sense of well-being.

A full-body massage can improve digestion by increasing the release of enzymes essential for healthy digestion and stimulating the motion of the intestine, and its contents, to move along.
Regular massage can retrain the body to move more readily into the parasympathetic state, the state in which the body is able to relax, digest and repair. This can be especially helpful for high strung, spooky or recovering horses.

Massage is one of, if not the, most effective muscle and myofascial therapies available and it can be customized to meet each horse’s physical needs. Leaving it out of your regular care and exercise routine leaves a huge hole and a missed opportunity.

https://koperequine.com/25-of-the-most-interesting-important-properties-of-fascia/

18/02/2026

Due to horse lameness I have a rare afternoon appointment available this SATURDAY if you are either not far from the below route or local to the Clent area.

I am a LANTRA qualfied bridle fitter; a LANTRA qualified Independent bit and bridle fit consultant carry many different brands of bits and bridles; I hold a Neue Schule bitting science qualification and am a member of EAPER "Ethos Accredited Professionals Equine Register" & Society of Master Saddlers member. I am also a member of IRVAP (Institute of Registered Veterinary and Animal Physiotherapists).

Please PM for more information / pricing please check out my website / reviews 😍. Thank you.

www.theathletichorse.co.uk

15/02/2026

I have space on the below routes tomorrow (Monday 16th February) and Tuesday, 17th February during the afternoon for either a bit and bridle fitting or a bodywork session.

I am a LANTRA qualfied bridle fitter; a LANTRA qualified Independent bit and bridle fit consultant carry many different brands of bits and bridles; I hold a Neue Schule bitting science qualification and am a member of EAPER "Ethos Accredited Professionals Equine Register" & Society of Master Saddlers member. I am also a member of IRVAP (Institute of Registered Veterinary and Animal Physiotherapists).

Please PM for more information / pricing please check out my website / reviews 😍. Thank you.

www.theathletichorse.co.uk

14/02/2026

This ⬇️ an outdated technique and I often think done for ‘effect’; knowing how delicate the hyoid is it horrifies me to see this technique still in practice by some. It is totally unnecessary and frankly very risky!

And if you are in a dilemma about the practice, let me ask you, how would you like someone yanking on YOUR tongue 🤔

10/02/2026

Thank you to my lovely top bit fitting colleague who shared this with me. It’s a fabulous podcast covering many aspects of the mouth and how the bit interacts.

If you are reading this what are your teeth doing? I am betting (if you are relaxed) they are gently apart in your mouth and not clamped shut? Have you noticed when you are tense, then you will hold your teeth together? And yes, it’s the same with horses. Now ask yourself. How are you going to expect your horse to relax in the contact (and elsewhere) when you have strapped your horses jaw together??? 🤔

Food for thought eh? So much more to this podcast though and well worth a listen.

In this episode, I speak with Wouter Demey, a veterinarian and specialist in equine dentistry. We talk about a lot of interesting topics, like why some horse...

08/02/2026

Very excited to add a new brand to my range of bridles. It’s always an ongoing process to find the balance between quality, value, and a perfect fit. That’s why I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with Shires Equestrian and their bridle work range.

As a qualified bridle fitter I appreciate every horse is built differently. I have handpicked headpieces and nosebands that follow my welfare-led ethos, whilst continuing to offer an individual tailored fit. Quality does not have to break the bank!

I will of course still fit my other brands, but just wanted to give clients more choice 😍

07/02/2026

I have really enjoyed writing these articles for Animal Therapy Magazine. The next edition is out in March and will cover a ‘Day in the Life of a Bit and Bridle Fitter’ (just got to write it yet 🤦🏻‍♀️)

Bit fitting isn’t about rules of thumb - it’s about anatomy. This article dives into how mouth shape, tongue thickness, palate depth, and teeth all influence comfort. A well-fitted bit should never cause pain or confusion.

Cheryl Reed takes a closer look at bit fitting. Both are intrinsically linked and assessing together is essential for ensuring your horse’s comfort and wellbeing, as well as improving communication.

06/02/2026

And so the ☔️ continues 😭, surely there’s no rain left in the sky by now.

So here’s a picture of superstar superspeedy Douglas 😍 to brighten the grey 🤩 in his new grackle noseband and Sprenger Bit; he is rather a speed demon and so his small rider needs to be sure she has some control! With a small pony fit is even more important as there is less margin for error.

I NEVER fit flash nosebands as a grackle distributes any pressure more evenly by sitting higher on the face. The grackle also sits higher on the nose, avoiding the delicate, soft cartilage of the nostrils.

If fitting a grackle I particularly favour this design as the rings on the cheeks allow for articulation which leads to a better fit for the horse.

It does need to be fitted correctly however! I see far too many with the cheeks sitting too close to the eyes and the central pad too low on the nose.

I always advise clients to initially position the upper part of the noseband correctly, particularly the cheeks and then sort out the lower section. You should then be good to go!

03/02/2026

Oh my goodness, today was a damp one 😩, but I couldn’t help smile at handsome Hector fitted out in a toolkit bridle from EvoEquine. Hector was a mixture of sizes and we tried a few different headpieces to get a nice comfortable fit for him and teamed this with a simple cavesson noseband. Hector’s owner’s priority was his welfare and comfort 👌; we then went on to try a few different bitting options to resolve a few minor issues, whilst being mindful of the work he is doing and the different riders who are lucky enough to ride him.

I should have dried out by around 10pm this evening ☔️🤦🏻‍♀️

01/02/2026

I have space on the below route on Saturday 21st February for either a bit and bridle fitting or a bodywork session.

I am a LANTRA qualfied bridle fitter; a LANTRA qualified Independent bit and bridle fit consultant carry many different brands of bits and bridles; I hold a Neue Schule bitting science qualification and am a member of EAPER "Ethos Accredited Professionals Equine Register" & Society of Master Saddlers member. I am also a member of IRVAP (Institute of Registered Veterinary and Animal Physiotherapists).

Please PM for more information / pricing please check out my website / reviews 😍. Thank you.

www.theathletichorse.co.uk

01/02/2026

I have space on the below route on Tuesday 10th February AM for either a bit and bridle fitting or a bodywork session.

I am a LANTRA qualfied bridle fitter; a LANTRA qualified INDEPENDENT bit and bridle fit consultant I carry many different brands of bits and bridles; I hold a Neue Schule bitting science qualification and am a member of EAPER "Ethos Accredited Professionals Equine Register" & Society of Master Saddlers member. I am also a member of IRVAP.

Please PM for more information / pricing please check out my website / reviews 😍. Thank you.

www.theathletichorse.co.uk

31/01/2026

A lovely client from today .. .. ..

“My horse opens his mouth when ridden, he throws his head, he chomps a lot, especially when we are hacking”

Change of bit and bridle and a lovely relaxed picture emerges. We started off in the school and then I walked alongside the client along a track so we could see what her boy was like out on a hack.

If you decide to ask me to see you and your horse, it is YOUR bit consultation, we do what YOU need to do. Our consultation begins in the stable with an in depth check of head and mouth anatomy, a discussion around both of your histories, and a check of your current set up. We discuss what you want to achieve from our time together. Only then do we move onto the ridden part of the consultation. And this is why I am with you for 2 hours.