The Springfield Saddler

Came back from holiday to a pile of messages. To all who have contacted me, be reassured, I'm working my way through all your emails and messages and will be in touch very soon.

Managed to finally take a photo! This lovely lady took possession of her new bridle yesterday and, coupled with her new bit, gave it the thumbs up. Springfield Saddler headpiece and browband plus off the peg cheekpieces and noseband (tweaked to fit) kept it all within budget.

Delighted to once again be able to deliver the first prize for the Pony Club Horse and Pony Care team winners. Myself and Kay Hastilow hosted the Junior team from Fife Pony Club, who spent a morning making browbands and the Senior team from the Hayfield Centre near Aberdeen. They spent two days with us making a leather horse head on the first day followed by a day of bit, bridle and saddle fitting. Thanks go to The Worshipful Company of Saddlers for donating this prize. Well done all 😃

🐴 Understanding Your Horse's Relationship with the Bit 🐴

A bit and bridle fitting consultation isn't just about finding a different bit. It's about taking a holistic approach to understanding the horse, how they feel about the bit they wear, and what they may be trying to tell us through their behaviour.

Every horse experiences pressure differently. When a bit doesn't suit a horse's anatomical features, or when unnecessary pressure is created around the head and mouth, the horse may respond in ways that are often mistaken for training or behavioural issues. Resistance in the contact, mouth opening, tongue evasions, head tossing, leaning, over-flexion, tension, or inconsistency can all be signs that the horse is struggling to find comfort.

By assessing the horse as an individual and selecting a bit and bridle that work with their anatomy rather than against it, we can help reduce unnecessary pressure and improve comfort.

When a horse becomes more comfortable, we often see positive changes throughout the body: ✅ A softer, more relaxed jaw and poll
✅ Improved freedom of movement through the shoulders and back
✅ Better balance and posture
✅ Increased confidence in the contact
✅ Greater willingness to work and engage with the rider

It's also important to remember that not every issue disappears overnight. Horses can develop patterns of compensation and learned behaviours from previous experiences of discomfort. Bit evasions are often the horse's way of protecting themselves or coping with pressure they have felt in the past.

This is why patience is so important.

As comfort improves, the horse may need time to trust the new feeling and learn that they no longer need those protective behaviours. Long-standing dysfunctions within the body can take time to resolve, and the horse may need support from a wider team of professionals to help them move more freely and confidently.

A bit and bridle fitting consultation is therefore not simply about changing equipment—it's about understanding the horse in front of us, recognising what their behaviour may be telling us, and helping them become more comfortable in their work.

When we reduce pressure, we improve comfort. When we improve comfort, we often improve movement. And when movement improves, communication between horse and rider can flourish.

Because the best bit is not necessarily the one that gives the rider more control—it's the one that allows the horse to be comfortable, confident, and understood. ❤️🐎

A big hello and welcome to all my new followers. Hope you enjoy my occasional posts.

I was tidying my bit boxes the other day and decided to photograph all the double jointed bits I have to try. Whilst all broadly work in a similar way, they individually sit differently in the horse's mouth and act in different subtle ways. And that's just the mouthpieces. The cheeks (rings) also alter how a bit functions. And these are just the double jointed ones! I also have a range of single joints, barrel, straight bar and synthetic bits too.

I have a couple of guidelines that I work by on a bit fitting. One of them is that we are limited to about 4 or 5 mounts during the session (less in a young horse), before the horse stops being an active participant. It asks a lot of a horse to constantly stop and start whilst also having their head and mouth poked about.

During a bit fitting, I have to decide, based on the horse, their level of training, conformation, discipline, history, mood on the day, then the rider, their skill, ambitions, mental state, what 4 bits out of all that I have, might be the best to try.

Often, it is a case of ruling out mouthpieces so we have a clearer idea which direction to go. Sometimes a follow up visit is needed to refine our choices or try alternatives.

Keeping Therapy ponies comfy so they can concentrate on their job. A lovely herd of horses and gentle, conscientious handlers. I had a great day.

A short addition to my FAQ's

Do you do saddle fitting? No, I don't. If you're wanting a saddle fitter, have a look in the Equine Fitters Directory or at The Society of Master Saddlers for saddle fitters in your area. I concentrate on Bit and Bridle fitting only.

A common reason when requesting a bit and bridle fit is a horse displaying conflict behaviours. It works two ways, the bit and/or bridle are causing discomfort and need changing or we rule out bit and bridle as a cause. I love it when horse owners listen to their horses and try to figure out what is not right. It can be a long and frustrating road but they are advocating for their horses and putting them first.

Bucking. Rearing. Bolting. Repeated spooking.

These are often labelled as “naughty” or “hyper” behaviours.
But in many cases, they’re something else entirely.

They’re conflict behaviour.

Conflict behaviour occurs when a horse is struggling to cope with what’s being asked. It can be linked to confusion, discomfort, pain, fear, or a combination of pressures the horse doesn’t understand how to respond to.

It’s not disobedience. It’s a response. And importantly, it’s both a welfare issue and a safety issue.

There can be a tendency to encourage riders to “push through” or “ride it out”. But when a horse reaches the point of bucking, rearing or bolting, they are already over threshold.

At that point, continuing to ride often escalates the situation rather than resolving it. Instead, the focus should shift to de-escalation:
• Pause the session
• Remove pressure
• If needed, dismount
• Take time to understand what triggered the response

From there, the question becomes not “how do we stop the behaviour?” but: “what is the horse trying to tell us?”

Addressing the underlying cause, whether that’s training clarity, physical discomfort, or environmental stress, is what leads to safer outcomes for both horse and rider.

🟢 This is reflected in the Pony Club Australia Horse Welfare Policy (Domain 5: Mental Experiences), which states that hyperreactive or conflict behaviours - including bucking, rearing, bolting or repeated spooking - should never be ridden through, and that riders should be supported to de-escalate the situation before continuing.

We are thrilled to introduce our newest APBBF-approved member, Jennifer Roy, the expert behind The Springfield Saddler.

Jen brings an incredible level of craftsmanship and technical expertise to the association. As an award-winning saddler and bridle maker with 25 years of experience in the trade, she is a true veteran of the industry who understands that a correctly fitted bit and bridle is a non-negotiable pillar of equine welfare.

Jen’s qualifications speak for themselves. She is a Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) Master Saddler and Master Bridle Maker, an SMS Registered Qualified Bridle Fitter, and a LANTRA Accredited Consultant. This combination of making and fitting allows her to provide a truly bespoke service, ensuring every piece of tack is anatomically correct for the horse.

Beyond the workshop, Jen is a lifelong rider with a deep interest in equine behaviour and training. She is particularly passionate about our SLO (Social License to Operate) within the horse industry—advocating for the highest standards of comfort to ensure the longevity and ethics of our sport.

📍 COVERAGE AREA
Based in Fife, Jen provides comprehensive coverage across a wide area of Scotland, including👉 Angus, Clackmannanshire, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, & West Lothian.

Jen’s "horse-first" philosophy makes her a fantastic asset to owners in her area. We are so proud to have her expertise as part of our vetted professional community!

Find Jennifer and all our vetted members in our directory:
👉 https://apbbf.com/member/jennifer-roy

A beautiful 4 year old being measured up for her first big girl bridle this week using demo parts hence the different colours. Throatlash still to attach. Hope her shiny new bridle sets her up for the next stage of her training.