The Springfield Saddler

22/05/2026

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 for saddle fitters in your area. I concentrate on Bit and Bridle fitting only.

13/05/2026

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.

06/05/2026

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

01/05/2026

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.

27/04/2026

A few spaces still available for our roadshow.

🐴✨ Saddle and Bridle Fitting Roadshow is coming to Bogenraith Equestrian ✨🐴
📅 11th May
📍 Bogenraith Equestrian

Joining us will be:

🔹 KB Saddlery & Chris Evans Saddle Fitting
✔ Society of Master Saddlers Qualified Saddle Fitters
✔ Available for 1.5 hour appointments
✔ A large range of dressage, jump and GP saddles to try
✔ Suitable for everything from sports horses to native types

If you’re looking for a new saddle or wanting to try some different brands, this is the perfect opportunity to get expert advice and try different options while using the fantastic facilities at Bogenraith.

🔹 Jen Roy – The Springfield Saddler
Based in Fife and bringing extensive expertise as:
✔ Society of Master Saddlers Master Saddler & Master Bridle Maker
✔ SMS Registered Qualified Bridle Fitter
✔ Lantra Qualified Bit Fitter

Jen will be available to assess and advise on your bridle and bit fit with the emphasis on comfort and balance. There will be the chance to try out different bridles and bits to enable you to make an informed choice on what suits your horse best.

📞 Appointments are limited, and you can book either a 1.5 hours saddle or bridle fitting slot - or combine the two if you would like both your saddle and bridle checked.

Saddle fitting: £100
Bridle/bit fitting: £75
Combined package: £175
Price includes the use of the facilities at Bogenraith.

A great chance to get everything checked in one visit 🐎✨

To book email kevin@kbsaddlery.co.uk

26/03/2026

I still get a thrill looking at a new piece of leather ready and waiting to be turned into something beautiful. I've a few new bridles to make but before cutting any straps I need to prepare the hide. First, work out which are shoulder and bum ends then the spine and belly. Once that's done, a straight edge is cut along the spine side as this is the strongest part of the hide. Then a narrow strap for looping is cut to make sure the edge is nice and smooth. Now we can begin 😃.

12/03/2026

And the winner is .......... Winnie! Thank you for all your suggestions. It seems you all like a good pun and Winnie just seemed to suit.

Now, why do I think this is a young horse and why am I unsure if it's a boy or a girl?

So let's talk teeth. Horses teeth erupt at a rate of 2 - 3 mm a year and are worn down in nature by the rough stalky grasses and bushes they feed on. Domesticated horses often don't eat enough of the really tough stuff to adequately wear down the teeth which is why regular check ups are important from a suitably qualified dental technician or vet.

The adult teeth that form in a horse's mouth are big enough to last the horse its whole life. In a young horse these teeth are huge. So huge that you often find lumps on the surface of the head where the roots are.

In the photos below, have a look at the lumps on the nose above the premolars (circled in yellow). And look at the bumps on the mandible (circled in red). These are indicative of a young horse with it's adult teeth ready to start its lifetime of chomping.

In geldings, there is also the presence of the t**h or canine teeth (not to be confused with wolf teeth). These are remnants of fighting tusks and erupt around 4 or 5 years of age. Generally, all male horse have them and occasionally females, but a lack of t**hes tends to indicate a female. I am not sure if this horse was old enough to have developed t**hes and there are bumps in the skull which may indicate ones ready to erupt. Hence the desire for a gender neutral name.

This skull also has a wolf tooth (circled in blue).

I'd love to talk it over with a vet to check if what I'm seeing is correct. It does look in places that the baby teeth are still present but ready to fall out any time.

Have a look at the lumps and bumps and at the wolf tooth then have a think about noseband placements and bits perhaps being fitted too high.

Bridle and bit fit is especially important for young horses. You want their first experience to be the best and set them up for a future where the bit is a help not something to avoid. Imagine a tight noseband on top of those nose bumps!!

05/03/2026

Welcome to the newest member of the team. 3D printed life size skull. Harriet, my real skull, is becoming too fragile to go on road trips. I'm hoping to hang this in a way that we can play about with different bits and bridle parts during talks and demos, to see how they work on the horse. But I need a name! The more I look, the more I'm convinced the original was a young horse so we need gender neutral names as I don't know if it's a girl or a boy. Comment below 😃.

02/03/2026

I have a cancellation for a bridle/bit fit in the Edinburgh/Perth area on Wednesday 11th March at 11.30/12 o'clock. PM me if you'd like the slot.

02/02/2026

Bit & bridle fit go hand in hand with training of both horse and rider. A horse that is comfortable in its head and mouth will be able to move better, balance better, and have less tension in mind and body. Signs of an uncomfortable horse include overbending, head tilt and nose poking.

A really thought provoking reminder from Tim Downes FBHS on how closely a horse’s vision, balance and confidence are linked to the way we train.

A horse needs freedom of the head and neck to assess risk, understand the environment and maintain balance, particularly early in training. Restriction too soon can create tension, insecurity or defensive behaviours, not because the horse is unwilling, but because it cannot see, assess or organise its body effectively.

Correct training builds trust first. Trust that the rider is doing the risk assessment. Trust that the horse can stretch, look and rebalance when needed. From that trust comes confidence, relaxation and the ability to carry a consistent frame without fear or tension.

A valuable reminder that posture is not just about shape, but about perception, balance and understanding the world around them.

Shared with thanks to Tim Downes FBHS.

British Horse Society Ingestre Stables

27/01/2026

I'm in the Edinburgh area on Tuesday 3rd February and have a space available at around 12 noon if anyone is interested. Pm or email (springfieldsaddler@gmail.com) if you'd like to book a slot.