Bitfit.ie

Ponies have such big personalities packed into their small frames, and we love every bit of their unique characters. 🐴✨

At Bombers Bits, we understand that every pony is special. That's why we offer a wide range of bits designed to fit ponies perfectly, ensuring their comfort and performance.

Here at Bombers Bits, we believe in the power of a passionate and dedicated team.

It's not just about selling bits; it's about caring for our clients and their horses. With a team that truly loves what they do, you can trust that you're in good hands.

This is why we work exclusively with Bombers Equestrian Equipment, the expertise, advice, and support are second to none, and reflect their genuine passion for helping horses!

Here at Bombers Bits, we believe in the power of a passionate and dedicated team.

It's not just about selling bits; it's about caring for our clients and their horses. With a team that truly loves what they do, you can trust that you're in good hands.

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/scientists-find-horses-are-cleverer-than-some-previously-thought-868954

Is anyone really surprised? 🧐

Scientists find horses are cleverer than some previously thought Scientists who wanted to understand more about the way horses learn have found that they are cleverer than previously believed

🛒 Discover the Perfect Bit for Your Horse at Bombers Bits! 🐴✨

From snaffles to eggbutts, we've got a bit for every horse and rider. Our wide selection is designed to ensure comfort, performance, and the perfect fit for your equine partner.

Browse our extensive collection online and find the bit that's just right for you. 🖱️https://bombers.co.za/

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dSQ74qDy2wkwWQG2/?mibextid=WC7FNe

🌟 At Bombers Bits, it's not just a business—it's a passion. 🌟

From designing and manufacturing high-quality bits to providing personalised fittings and education, our love for horses drives everything we do.

For sale on behalf of a client, a rare bargain in a Bombers Moulded Mullen!
This innovative bit is made from flexible synthetic material, and is designed to offer soft, even pressure.
The moulded mouthpiece has been uniquely shaped and flattened. It is angled at 45 degrees to offer exceptionally soft and evenly distributed pressure over and around the horse's tongue, and minimal bar pressure.

It is especially useful for horses that dislike metal bits, and those with sensitive mouths or previous bar damage. It has a rubbery texture that can sustain a limited amount of chewing.
This bit is brand new, with tags, only tried on once. RRP is €130, this basically new bit is €90, plus postage. PM for detail
It is 135mm (5.3 inches), with Eggbutt cheekpieces

One of the best in the business, very grateful to count Tamar amongst our friends in the industry!

Moderne revalidatietechnieken kenmerken Equine Sport Support van Tamar van Wezel Equine Sport Support kan met recht het meest uitgebreide paardenrevalidatiecentrum van Nederland genoemd worden. Het vijf hectare groot centrum, gelegen

🏇 Exciting News! 🌟 Bombers Bits is thrilled to announce our participation and sponsorship at the prestigious Polocrosse World Cup! 🏆🐎

Mark your calendars for two action-packed weekends: July 20-22 for the first-round play and July 25-28 for the finals. 🗓️🎉 Gates open at 9am till late, offering a delightful mix of food, entertainment, and of course, heart-pounding Polocrosse matches for the whole family to enjoy!

Don't miss out on this unforgettable experience! Visit the Bombers Bits stand to discover premium bits for your horses and meet our team. Let's make this year's Polocrosse World Cup an event to remember!

🎉🐴

🐴🌟 Building a strong foundation for your young horse starts with the right bit choice! Consider starting with a gentle tongue relief bit like the Bomber Blue. Ease them into it gradually for comfort and understanding. Other options include Happy Tongue, Ultra Comfy Lock Up, and more.

Introduce the bit slowly in the stable before riding, then transition to a Fulmer cheekpiece for under saddle work. The Fulmer encourages flexion and responsive aids, helping your horse learn in a positive way. Patience and proper equipment are key to successful training!

https://www.bomberseducation.co.za/lessons/a-horses-first-bit/

🌿🐎

At Bombers Bits we have a selection of bits for your unique horse.
Browse a selection or get in touch with us to discover which bit would be best for your horse.

https://bitfit.ie/

Ensuring Equine Comfort and Performance: The Importance of Proper Bit Fitting
The bit is crucial for the comfort, well-being, and performance of your horses, and a properly fitting bit will ensure effective communication between the rider and the horse while minimizing discomfort or pain for your partner.

The role of the bit, and a riders responsibilities


Here's why it is Important:
1. Comfort: Just like an ill-fitting saddle can cause discomfort or pain and lead to a cascade of issues, so a poorly fitted bit can cause discomfort or even pain for the horse. This discomfort will lead to resistance, evasion, or even behavioural issues during riding.

2. Communication: The bit is a primary tool for communication between the rider's hands and the horse's mouth. A properly fitted bit allows for clear and precise cues, facilitating better communication and responsiveness from the horse.

3. Performance: Inappropriate bitting can significantly impact the horse's performance. When the bit fits correctly, the horse can move more freely, engage better with the rider's aids, and perform more effectively.

4. Health: An incorrectly fitted bit can cause physical damage to the horse's mouth, including sores, bruises, or even more severe issues like tissue damage or dental problems. Proper bit fitting helps prevent these health issues.

5. Safety: A poorly fitted bit can compromise safety for both the horse and the rider. It can lead to unpredictable behaviour from the horse, increasing the risk of accidents or injuries during riding.

So overall, appropriate bit fitting is significant for ensuring the horse's comfort, performance, health, and safety during riding activities.

We offer in-person fitting sessions, video analysis, advice over the phone, and a full range of bomber bits. Get in touch to find out more:

https://digitalequestrian.ie/2023/03/23/mucous-mebranes/

Love this…..

Former racehorse bought for £600 makes grand prix dressage debut

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/former-racehorse-bought-for-600-makes-grand-prix-dressage-debut-820803

Looking for a horse bit that is designed with your horse's comfort and performance in mind? Look no further than Bombers horse bits! Our bits are designed to provide maximum comfort for your horse while improving their performance. Try one today and feel the difference!

With a range of sizes and styles to choose from, Bombers horse bits are the perfect choice for any rider. Whether you're looking for a snaffle, a gag bit, or something in between, we've got you covered. Explore our website to find the perfect bit for your horse!

A very happy Christmas to you all, and especially all those working to look after horses today! 🎉🎄🐎

What a lovely story!

⭐ 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬!

This week's Meet the Members has been submitted by Amy Walsh, on behalf of her sister, Ruth...

"Ruth's story is both unique and inspirational and will give hope to others who might find themselves in a similar situation.

Ruth had a below knee amputation performed on her right leg back in Dec 2016 due to an aggressive highly malignant bone tumour, during 2017 she underwent 9 months of gruelling chemotherapy as the cancer had spead to her lungs and in July 2017 she had a lung resection to remove one of the lung mets. The chemo and the amputation have left her with many challenges she must overcome on a daily basis but she was determined to return to riding and so we purchased Trilby for her while she was sick and I evented him in 2017.

Ruth has been riding him since November 2017 and the pair have an amazing relationship, he totally understands her needs, always looks after her and is a true gentleman. We always knew it would have to be a very special horse to take her back eventing and Trilby absolutely is that horse. Eventing is a tough sport for those of us who do it with 2 legs but to do it with a prosthetic leg takes a special kind of courage and guts and Ruth has plenty of this!! The pair have 3 EI 90 amateur completions to their name so far, their best result coming this year when they took the win in Hillcrest back in April."

📸 Irish Eventing Times

Great news for owners, Bombers have just launched a new website, (bomberseducation.co.za) where you can access free short courses that will help you understand so much more about bitting your horse!
In our work as bit fitters we are only too aware of how little most owners realise about how the bit affects their horse.
Check it out, and as always please feel free to contact us on 087 9204270 for free advice, any time!

Our colleague, and international bit fitter Sue Gilliat is doing a doing a masterclass tomorrow night, for Horse Pro Hub! Timing might not be great for Europeans, but will be a very informative and worthwhile evening! Hopefully there will be a recording available afterwards too.

A happy tongue loose ring and Pelham recently dispatched to help another horse and rider be more comfortable!!
🐎😊

What is pinch pressure?

Pinch pressure is one of the four main types of pressure applied by bits, and may be the best known as it is employed by all jointed snaffle bits. The other types of pressure are poll pressure, tongue pressure and bar pressure. Pinch pressure refers to the pinching or nutcracker action of a jointed bit (a design that is by now at least 2000 years old).

A single jointed snaffle squeezes the sides of the mouth, and can also cause palette interference. Double jointed bits with also have a nutcracker action, but the amount of pressure is affected by the 2 (or more) joints. These types of bits vary considerably in their effects, and have varying levels of pinch pressure.
As horse owners, we have a responsibility to keep our horses as comfortable as possible. If a horse does not require pinch pressure, we should avoid it.
Using Bombers philosophy (pressure = resistance, and resistance = lack of control) it follows that pinch pressure should not be brought to bear on a horse unless it is desirable for that individual horse.
Because the jointed snaffle is one of the most common mouthpieces it is very often used on horses where it may not be appropriate. As with everything else we must work with our horse to find what is best for him as an individual.

Signs that a horse is evading pinch pressure can include:
Bracing Against the Bit
Head Tossing
Opening the mouth
Trying to get the tongues over the bit
Snatching above or dropping behind the contact.
Often riders will use flash or grackle nosebands to avoid these things, but this often leads to a cascade of more severe options. Paying attention to an your horses needs can often lead to simpler, and kinder solutions
It is always a good idea to take a step back and evaluate where you and your horse are, and if there are changes you can consider that will make life more comfortable for you both.

NB* It is important to rule out other issues with your dentist and physio when considering your horse.

What is tongue pressure?

Tongue pressure is one of the four main types of pressure applied by bits. The others are poll pressure, pinch pressure and bar pressure. As the name suggests, tongue pressure refers to how hard a bit presses onto a horses tongue.

To be perfectly honest I believe a horse should not be exposed to tongue pressure unless it is necessary. (Remember Bombers philosphy is “pressure = resistance, and resistance = lack of control”.) As horse owners, we have a responsibility to keep our horses as comfortable as possible, so if a horse does not require tongue pressure, we should avoid it. When doing bitting consultations I am regularly amazed by the number of horses who improve dramatically by simply removing tongue pressure, for example with a happy tongue or Bomber blue mouthpiece. Very often this is all a horse needs to settle down and accept the bit and the aids.

However this is not true of all horses and as with everything else we must work with our horse to find what is best for him as an individual. There are many horses that find a certain level of tongue pressure comfortable, and some that will respond well if tongue pressure is involved.

Signs that a horse is experiencing uncomfortable tongue pressure include poking the tongue out of the side or front of the mouth, putting the tongue over the bit, excessive playing and flapping of the tongue and opening the mouth to try and poke the tongue out.
Often riders will use nosebands to close the mouth, or even sometimes tongue ties, to prevent evasion, but this can often lead to a cascade of more and more severe options, when closer attention to an individual horses needs can lead to simpler, and kinder solutions
Bear in mind is that a horse should be exposed to the minimum level of pressure necessary at all times, and this includes tongue pressure!
[email protected]
087 9204270

Thinking of contact this way should make your horse more comfortable!

5 good tips for enjoying Spring time with your horse

Here it is Irish Summer Time – the long awaited time of lengthy evenings, no mud, and shows! But before you pile into to enjoying your time with your horse, make sure you are ready. Here's our top 5 tips for enjoying the Spring time with your horses.
1) Spring grass! Believe it or not, its on the way! Spring grass is loaded with sugars, and can also have health implications including laminitis, Cushings, or other metabolic disorders. Certainly turn your horses out, but keep an eye on them, and maybe consider restricting grazing or using a muzzle. This will give them all the benefit of turnout, without the risk!

2) Check your saddle. A horses’ shapes change over the winter, muscle mass decreases due to less work and weight can often drop. It is advisable to get a professional to check your saddle before you increase their work load. (Also check out our previous post about bitting considerations at this time of year.)

3) Build up your horse’s work gradually. Don’t suddenly start riding your horse for hours at a time, go gradually to ensure he stays healthy and sound. Make sure he is up to date with his teeth, feet and consider getting a physio out for a once over before you start to increase his workload.

4) Make sure all your rugs are washed and reproofed ready for next winter. Have a good sort out in the sunshine, and then you are all prepared for next winter. Also you can often pick up some good bargains for next winter in the spring sales.

5) Don’t just think about your horse, make sure you are fit to ride after the winter. Have you been active all winter? Or have you been sat on the sofa? (Guilty as charged!) Make sure you are fit to increase your riding. 30 minutes walking a day does wonders for your base fitness.

Enjoy it! And if you are not enjoying your time with your horse, please ask a respected professional for help, after all horses are meant to be a source of joy, not stress!

Please take a moment to read about the Ukrainian Equestrian Federation Charity Foundation (donate link in bio)
The Ukrainian Equestrian charity foundation continues to grow and develop its operations to provide help and support to the equines within Ukraine. Since its launch on the 1st March, the foundation has quickly mobilised to support a logistics hub in Poland for the collection of physical aid and is now focused on distributing this into Ukraine, whilst trying to bring eligible horses out of the country to safe accommodation within neighbouring European countries.

The foundation has now set up a donation portal, that has been verified by the FEI, to accept monetary contributions. Physical aid donations are still required and it is possible to order feed directly from Poland, with delivery to the hub. Full information is available here; https://helpukrainehorses.eu/en/donate/?amp=1

The foundation is providing regular updates via its website and social media on the distribution of the aid.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helpukrainehorses

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helpuahorses

Work is still being done to secure a route for horses within Ukraine to arrive in Europe. In the interim, the Ukrainian Equestrian Federation is seeking to create a hub in Lviv to accommodate horses and prepare the necessary documents for entry into the EU. Further information will be provided once entry methods are confirmed by the FEI and EU regulators.

Offers for accommodation for horses in Europe can still be registered online here: https://helpukrainehorses.eu/en/offer-help-en/

Bit of the week:
2½ Ring Bomber Blue
A multiple ring cheek piece (like a Dutch gag) introduces poll pressure as well as creating leverage on the mouthpiece, the 2½ Ring version is the softest out of the 3 or 4 ring alternatives as the ½ ring softens the leverage on the mouthpiece and poll.
The nylon composite material is light in the mouth and encourages salivation. It is particularly well suited to horses that object to metal mouthpieces.
Ported mouthpiece - our first choice for starting any young horse, it is easily accepted, it gives tongue relief, it’s light, non-metal, and encourages salivation.
Notably popular with jumpers, those that enjoy hunting and cross county, and even polo players.
2½ Ring Bomber Blue





[email protected]
Whatsapp 087 9204270

🐴While the season is still young, now is a great time to assess your horses bitting needs! Here are some important things to consider:

Is it the right size? Seems obvious, but if the bit is not the right size for your horse, it could move in several undesirable ways! My preferred measuring method is a piece of smooth round timber, or metal in the bit position. Mark the timber at the edge of both lips and measure. This is something we can do on a video call, and we're happy to help you get the sizing right wherever you are!

Is it comfortable? Our principle is that the mouthpiece of the bit belongs to the horse, and it is our responsibility to make it as comfortable as possible. Bombers really stand out as they're designed with mouth confirmation first. (Some horses like tongue relief, some like a lock up, others love a barrel and the Bomber range offers hundreds of options.) For the sake of your horse we would recommend you get some expert advice!
Could rideabilty be improved? The principle that guides Bomber bits is “pressure equals resistance, resistance equals a lack of control.” At our clinics it’s amazing how horses react to simply removing pressure (tongues pressure for example) Reduce discomfort and your horse should be happier and more rideable! Again we recommend expert advice, for best results, and safety

This years goals? When working towards a specific goal (your first one day event, or particular height class for example) bear in mind what it will take to get there. Will the ideal bit for dressage be the ideal bit for cross country? A different bitting approach may help with some of the lines and turns in a technical course or a jump off.

It may be that you can make your horse more comfortable, and rideable this season if you look carefully at your bitting options. Please get in touch for free advice or to arrange a consultation. Limited range of bits also available for trial with a deposit.
www.bitfit.ie
[email protected]
087 9204270