Chambers Flat, Queensland, 4133, Australia

Bitting and Bridle Foundations

The essential bit fitting course for horse lovers

If you’re puzzled by pelhams and floored by French links, this course will set you straight (bar)

What bit should you be using?

If you’ve asked this question before, you’re not alone.

There’s so many different types and brands of bit, which one do you go for?

An eggbut, loose ring, or three ring?
French link, straight bar, or double-jointed?
It’s a bit-battlefield out there.

It’s not as simple as picking a bit that fits your horse’s mouth and also gives you some brakes!

The horse’s mouth, head and body anatomy, his temperament, level of training, and even genetics all play a part.
And of course, the rider. You matter an awful lot as to what’s going on at the end of your reins.

Feeling confused?

Don’t be. This course will put the ‘bits’ of the puzzle together for you.

What you get

Nearly 4 hours of engaging, educational video

Membership to a private Facebook group

Regular live advice, answers, and access to Anna Minogue, The Bit Fitter

Fillable PDFs to help you learn

BONUS

FREE updates to any future content

How it works

Step 1. Sign-up
Step 2. Watch the videos
Step 3. Join the Facebook group
Step 4. Happy bitting and riding!

Why this course?

You’ll learn how to identify your horse’s anatomy and understand how that affects your bitting decision
~ so you can find a bit he’ll love

You’ll gain valuable knowledge on how to make sure your horse is happy and comfortable with the bit
~ so you can enjoy frustration-free training sessions and improved results

You’ll benefit from learning how to measure for a bit the CORRECT way, and become familiar with the different types of bits and how they work
~ so you can make the right bitting choices

You’ll end the course confident in your ability to correctly fit a bit and bridle to your horse
~ so you can concentrate on enjoying your riding and building your horse/rider partnership

Who is The Bit Fitter?

Anna Minogue is a qualified and experienced equine dentist and independent bit fitter with a focus firmly on horse welfare and ethical practices. She doesn’t just sell her clients a bit – she helps to find a bit that the horse is happy and relaxed in and one that allows the horse/rider partnership to flourish.

Using a mix of experience, science and technology, she finds and fits the right bit to the horse, leading to frustration-free training sessions and winning results.

Through her work as an equine dentist for over a decade, and as a much-sought-after bit fitter, Anna has seen it all and solved more performance or training problems for clients than she can remember.

She often sees the same issues again and again, and coupled with her frustration at not being able to help people outside of her area with their bitting problems, she created this course specifically for those who may not be on the east Coast of Australia, or those who can’t benefit from a bit fitting session in person.

Do you end up frustrated in your schooling sessions?

Does your horse try to evade the bit or just run through it?
Does he get fussy and play with the bit constantly when you’re riding?
Do you find it hard to get the correct bend, however often you practice?

All these frustrations that can pop up when we’re riding may be directly linked to the fit and the feel of the bit in the horse’s mouth.

Tension, fussiness, or hanging can all be directly attributed to the bit and the bridle, but without help, it can be hard to work out the reasons why.

Knowing why your riding sessions end in arguments or disappointment can be hard to diagnose, but this course will give you a better understanding of what to look for to create a happier, more harmonious picture.

Does your horse suffer from mouth wounds?

Mouth wounds due to an incorrectly fitting bit are common in horses, but they don’t need to be.

Horses’ mouths are all different shapes and sizes, from little ponies bred for their small heads and jaws, up to those horses with the full pouting lips coveted by supermodels everywhere.

Most people think if the bit is too small it will rub and cause a sore on the horse’s lips, and while that’s true, putting a too-large bit in the mouth can also cause nasty friction wounds.

Depending on the size of the tongue and the bars of the mouth, and the fleshiness of the lips, fitting a bit to avoid rubbing and soreness is hard if you don’t know what to look for.

Luckily, this course will give you the tools and confidence you need to make sure your horse is happy and stays wound-free in his mouth.

Think you know everything there is to know about choosing and fitting the correct bit? Take this course and fill in those gaps!

What's in each lesson?

Lesson 1 - Mouth anatomy

Identifying normal and abnormal mouth anatomy
Safely checking your horse's anatomy

Lesson 2 - Mouth wounds

How to identify if your horse has mouth wounds
Why and how they can occur
How to prevent them
The importance of dentistry in preventing wounds

Lesson 3 - Myth Busting

Correct placement of the bit
Identifying different bits
How to make a mouth measurer
How to measure your bit
Mouthpiece types and function
Ring types and function

Lesson 4 - Anatomy of the head

Nerves, foramen, temporomandibular joint, nasal passages
Bridle fitting
Nosebands, type and function
Measuring your horse for a bridle

Lesson 5 - When to call a bit fitter

The importance of training in bit fitting
Conflict behaviours
Bitless bridles
Extra bits and pieces

Who it's for

Horse trainers
Professional riders
Non-competitive pleasure riders
Tack shop owners/staff
Pony club mums

And...

Those looking to further their knowledge on bits and bit fitting
Those who want to make sure their horse is happy and comfortable in his bit
Anyone who loves horses and wants to learn some useful knowledge
Anyone who’s wondering if it’s time to call in the bit-fitting professional
Those having trouble when riding their horse and wanting to know what changes to try

Words from Anna’s clients

"I can’t believe I was actually hurting Esther with bits that I thought were kind to her, but were actually very large and pinching her causing sores that I didn’t even realise she had until you showed me!"

- Hollie Dutton

"This was so educational and I truly am so so happy with our progress. Thanks Anna for giving us another tool to implement and progress with in our journey together."

- Jayde Constable

"Thank you Anna. Your knowledge and ability to show and explain and then to see and feel the results was extraordinary. Our future looks bright."

- Kristen Fleet

"I have not met many people who understand bits and how they work as well as Anna- she has science to counteract urban myths on bit selection."

- Andrea Hayward

"Anna helped me understand why baroque horses need different bits and which ones would suit. Her knowledge and experience with different breeds, which have different anatomy and all the different brands and styles of bits is second to none. I always learn an immense so much about horses mouths and bits every time Anna visits."

- Belinda McDonnell

"Her dentistry and the new bit changed him over night! He’s now perfect! So grateful for her."

- Natalie Sainsbury

What's the cost?

Having a happy and contented horse
Enjoying your riding sessions
Getting fantastic results
Growing your knowledge around bits and bit fitting

PRICELESS

Having bit fitting sessions, lessons from trainers, and buying multiple new bits just ‘to try them’

$100s++

This 5-module, approx. 4-hour, learn-at-your-own-pace online course

AU $99.95

FAQs

Will I be a qualified bit fitter If I do this course?

No, this is an information-only course, designed for horse riders, owners, trainers, and anyone with a love of horses to further their knowledge around bits and bitting. It is not designed to take the place of professional training and qualifications to be a bit fitting professional.

Will this course be useful to me if I ride Western/play polo/compete in jumping?

Yes, no matter what discipline you take part in, the overall elements of the course are relevant to all.

What will I get out of this course?

We’ve already covered the many benefits you get from this course, but there’s no harm in mentioning them again. You’ll get the knowledge and confidence to choose a suitable bit, to size it correctly, and to fit it properly, as well as a huge depth of understanding around the different bits, how they work, and what can affect your choice of bit.

Will this course tell me what bit to use on my horse?

No, not specifically, as it’s impossible to tell everyone who does this course what bit their different horse needs! But it will tell you how to find the best possible bit for your horse, taking into consideration all the factors surrounding finding and fitting the correct bit.

When does the special Equitana price expire?

The Equitana discount will go away in June 2023, so you’ve got plenty of time to use it. However, with such an important subject, you should get started straight away!

Do I get all the videos straight away?

Yes, when you sign up the videos will be sent through to the email address you provide, and you can work through them at your own pace.

Do I get live advice from Anna during the course?

Yes, Anna will be live in the private Facebook group once a week, answering any questions you may have.

How long do I have access to the course for?

You can access the videos for as long as the course is live (hopefully: a long, long time) and you also get free access to any future updates. But get stuck in now, don’t wait to benefit from all the valuable info!

Can I get a refund if I change my mind?

No, as this is an online course with the resources emailed straight to you, there aren’t any refunds available. But you’ll be so impressed with the content you won’t want a refund!

Do I need to be experienced/have qualifications to take this course?

No, it’s for professionals and novice horse owners alike, whatever your level of experience or knowledge.

What does it cover?

The individual lesson plans are detailed above, but the course will broadly cover mouth and head anatomy, how to measure and fit bits and bridles, reasons for mouth wounds and how to avoid them, what problems can occur and when to call in the professional. It’ll also bust some common myths surrounding mouths and bits.

How long will it take to get through?

There are five lessons and each lesson consists of a video approximately 45-minutes in length. There is nearly four hours of watching to get through but it will take longer as you may want to make notes, pause and replay certain parts of the videos, and, of course, practice what you’re learning. It’s a self-paced course so it can take as long as you like, or it can be as quick as you like, too!

What can I hope to achieve at the end of it?

Oh, such a lot. Confidence in correctly fitting a bit, trust in choosing the correct type of bit, the knowledge to identify and prevent mouth wounds, the understanding of horse anatomy and how it affects the whole bitting process. All invaluable stuff that will last you a lifetime.

When does it open?

The course is open now, just click on a sign-up button.

How do I book?

Simply click on a sign-up button and fill in your information and payment details. All the videos will be sent to the email you provide.

JUMP RIGHT IN

Are you still a ‘bit’ unsure?

If you’re curious about how different bits affect different horses, or if you’re wondering whether your horse has an awkward mouth shape, this course is for you.

With such a range of topics and helpful videos, you’ll learn more than you thought there was to learn about bits, bridles, mouths and measuring, and you’ll be able to confidently check whether your horse’s bit and bridle are the best one for him.

Sign-up now and dive right in. Your horse will thank you for it.

TAKE THE BIT AND RUN WITH IT