The Athletic Horse Bit and Bridle Fit Consultancy & Equine Bodywork

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The Athletic Horse Bit and Bridle Fit Consultancy & Equine Bodywork

LANTRA qualified independent bridle & bit consultant & level 5 EQUINE sports therapist ICAT Dip. I have also trained and use level 3 laser therapy.

My name is Cheryl Reed and I have had a passion for horses since I can remember. I am a qualified and fully insured Equine Sports Massage and Rehabilitation Therapist. My qualification is with ICAT (Institute of Complementary Animal Therapies) and accredited by the national awarding body OCN London. is a level 5 equine massage qualification - the highest qualification available in this field and f

or which I attained a DISTINCTION. I have over 40 years of experience working, owning and riding horses. I am also LANTRA accredited for bit and bridle fitting via Horse Fit Bit Academy.

I am holder of BHS qualification grooms Certificate and am the proud owner of my own homebred mare whom I have trained and competed successfully up to British Dressage medium level. I have FMBS Therapy Systems rug and boots available to hire for pre those special events and competitions (regular clients only)

I am also qualified to use the FascialEdge Tool technique. I have lovely Epiony products which I can use where relevant to enhance treatments.

12/07/2026

🐾 PUTTING ANIMALS FIRST – BIG NEW RULES FOR VET & EQUINE CARE

Having studied hard and spent a considerable amount on courses and accredited qualifications, I wholeheartedly welcome the fact government making changes to replace 60‑year‑old laws that no longer work properly? This is to make sure every animal gets safe, skilled care from properly qualified people.

Only those with the right training will be allowed to work with animals – so no one can claim to be an expert without proving they know what they’re doing. This covers everyone from vets and nurses to farriers, equine trimmers, therapists, saddlers, dental technicians and bit and bridle fitters. Everyone will have to hold suitable and appropriate qualifications.

All businesses will have to meet strict welfare standards, with checks and inspections to keep things on track. Rules will focus on whether someone is currently safe and competent. And if things do go wrong, there will be clear pathways to resolve – all to make sure animals are protected, their health needs come first, and owners can trust the care they get. 👏

Full details:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-vision-for-a-thriving-veterinary-sector/our-vision-for-a-thriving-veterinary-sector

11/07/2026

“Hello Cheryl. I just wanted to show you a couple of pics of Teddy and what a difference the bit has made for him. You’re a magician. Thank you so much xx”

Thank you so much to a lovely client who took the time to send me these photos and an update as to who the new bit is working for them 🙏

I’m certainly no magician – I just simply try my best to help. There are so many aspects to choosing the correct bit and bridle for your horse: the decision-making process involves anatomy, training levels, strength, knowledge, disciplines and experience… it takes a whole concoction of all these things to make the "magic" happen! 🪄

07/07/2026

Love receiving messages such as this in my inbox. So rewarding for me as a consultant. Photos and message below shared with kind permission from Lilly, Maz’s owner.

Maz is a French Thoroughbred and is a real dude who is certainly going to be going places. A new bit and a small tweak to the bridle and this pair are on 🔥. Well done 🥇🎉

“Thank you so much for fitting Maz’s bit last week. It paid off as we only went and WON and qualified for equifest 🤍🤍🤍”

05/07/2026

I despair.

This week alone I have seen a few social media influencers ask for bitting advice online 🤦🏻‍♀️. It’s certainly a good one for getting the old algorithms up!!!

As expected, a myriad of differing opinions and advice follows in the many, many comment boxes with no regard or mention to the anatomy of the horse’s mouth (a pretty important aspect in the equation).

You wouldn’t come online and ask what type of shoes your horses should wear (I hope). You would enlist the help of a knowledgeable and qualified farrier

You wouldn’t ask what sort of saddle will fit your horses back online (again, I hope)? You would list the help of a knowledgeable and qualified saddler?

And yet when it comes to the horse’s head and mouth, it seems for some to be a bit of a ‘free for all’ and give anything you can ‘beg, steal or borrow’ a go! Sad really given your horses comfort, welfare, communication and performance are hugely affected by the fit of your bit and bridle.

Like feet and backs, mouth anatomy varies greatly. Perhaps because it is out of sight, it often doesn’t get given the same consideration. Maybe as riders we are just slow to change.

I sometimes do despair and realise we have a long way to go still, but then I have to remember I travel my local area meeting all sorts of riders, both leisure and professional and help them and their horses make a true connection with a correctly fitted bit and bridle.

Below is a throwback picture from a million years ago, my old girl Holly (Hermione’s mummy) at a local one-day event. She used to go beautifully in a Myler Pelham which I used for jumping. Yet she would always be ‘difficult’ in her loose ring snaffle on the flat. Looking back I now realise she must have hated the tongue pressure of the snaffle mouthpiece and was happiest in the tongue relief in the ported pelham. She was trying to tell me, but I wasn’t ready or knowledgeable enough to listen.

Makes me rather sad but I was only doing my best at the time. Now I know better and help others to do the same.

Happy Sundays to you all, whatever you may be getting up to x

02/07/2026

A very special bespoke browband for a very special horse and rider who will be representing their country and wanted a browband in their flag’s colours. Can you guess the country??

What a privilege to fit a bridle for him 🐴🎉; he is going to look so smart.

It’s got me thinking 🤔; I’d love to design my own colours for a bespoke browband but not sure what to go with. What colours would you choose???

💜

01/07/2026

So a 17.2hh newly broken pure bred Shire may not be everyone’s idea of a first horse, but her young petite lady rider and her are just the perfect match 👌 and it was certainly love at first sight. That was some 2 years ago and the pair make a perfect combination.

Isn’t she just stunning and a perfect family member who is ridden by non-rider husband and 5 year-old nephew too! And no, she is definitely not for sale.

A lovely new anatomical bridle and bit which suits her conformation, her hacking lifestyle and her level of training.

&BRIDLEFITCONSULTANT

29/06/2026

A big thank you to Bromsgrove Riding Club yesterday for their members day at Gracelands. A BRILLIANT opportunity to ride around a set of (in our case very mini) show-jumps with lots of encouragement and support on the ground. With the added bonus of a chocolate bar, a cuppa and a rosette all thrown in for FREE!! When do you get anything for nothing these days. um, NEVER!!

Not having ridden for the past 10 days due to the heat and other commitments I dragged Marley out of the field and onto the lorry (something I would never usually do) and we skipped our way to a clear round. I love this little horse so much 💜.

Thank you to Terrie for the encouragement, Robert for the photos, Nicky and Laura for the video and Bev to kicking my ass to get my act together to go and do something. We had a ball 😍🐴.

26/06/2026

Not everyone has the time or knows how to leave a review. But quite often I have a lovely message out of the blue from a client who has taken the time to message me.

“Hi Cheryl I just wanted to say how well the pony is going in her new Kimblehook. My daughter said she feels so much happier and we have perfect brakes now 🙏. We got the turtle top bit as well and again she is very happy in it and goes beautifully when schooling etc. The new bridle has also made a big difference 👍🏼. She has been XC schooling and been to fun rides and she was hoof perfect. Thank you again xx”

25/06/2026

Beautiful young Friesian Lady in her new bit and bridle, ready for her new owner to begin her ridden adventures together.

How lush does a dark havana bridle look on a black horse? Do you prefer black or brown tack? Or, do you mix your colours??

Address

Bromsgrove Road, Romsley
Worcester
B620LE

Telephone

+447800525558

Website

http://www.theathletichorse.co.uk/

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