Want to know a secret? 

I started studying bit fitting about 4/5 years ago… and GAVE UP!

I had enrolled with a LANTRA accredited tutor.  LANTRA meant that surely they must be the best?   I couldn't wait to get started!

The course opening day came and I excitedly logged on.  I was met with barely any notes and 98 questions.  I read the words “self-directed study”. 

WHAAAT??? 

I reverted to my personal trusted sources.  The Myler brothers, Neue Schule product fact sheets, my books.  I ignored the “advice” from the armchair experts in online forums, I ignored any website with a dodgy name or dodgy suffix. 

I wrote words, so many words, to answer these blasted questions. 

I remember NOTHING!  It was torture. 

I thought I did ok.  Haha, joke was on me!  I barely scraped a pass!  The tutor basically said I’d only passed due to my extensive anatomy knowledge.  I felt so rubbish.

But, I still wanted to learn more about the subject.

I took a look at their full bit fitter qualification but I was utterly bewildered how you can learn this skill with NO practical tutoring!  I felt so beaten up after the intro course, I GAVE UP. 

Then a lady entered my life called Gill Batt from Horse Bit Advice.  We discussed her bitting course, at great length, and I decided to enrol. 

The course opening day came and I nervously logged on, to be met with a book, guidance notes, a list of zoom meeting and practical dates, a list of bits to research and buy, and NO blasted questions!  Hurrah!

I also had Gill.  She was there at the end of the phone when I was having a wobble that things didn’t make sense or when I had a complete meltdown and let my riding nerves catastrophise a bit change. 

Practical days were amazing!  Gill pulled everything together.  She brought in other experts, the horse and rider combinations we saw were just the right mix, the discussions around which bit and why included so much in-depth information.

To this day, Gill’s words still ring in my ears, “mouthpiece is for the horse, cheekpiece is for the rider.” 

I left that course still scared, BUT I was now armed with an extensive working knowledge! 

I had to submit several case studies.  I wrote words, many words, added videos, photos, discussed conformation, debated bit choices, summarised why I made the decisions I did, noted evasions and the differences with each bit change.  I LOVED IT! 

Gill’s feedback was thoughtful and encouraging.  I flew the case studies and finished feeling good about me and what I’d learnt! 

As they say, the rest is history.  I’m here doing my thing, some like my way of doing things, some don’t. 

Since qualifying with Gill, I’ve seen a few horses who have been fitted by online only teachings and their bits are too short, too thick, the wrong style conformationally, or are incorrect for the rider's needs.

I really wish they’d bring tack fitting under Allied Veterinary Professionals with minimum standards. 

So, what do I know?  I still don’t know the full history of bitting, despite having to write a whole heap about it, I still don’t know who invented the eggbutt snaffle, I’m pretty sure I wrote about that one too, or the reason why I’d choose to fit a bit at odds with the horse in front of me, but, what I do know, is that bit fitting cannot be taught solely online by answering a billion questions!