Gray Horse Leatherworks

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Mint Hill, NC
Gray Horse Leatherworks

Custom leather goods for you and your furry friends 🐶 🐴
LANTRA Certified expert bit & bridle fitter (independent)

01/05/2026

Custom made halter with dark chocolate leather and hot pink padding 💕

12/29/2025

Ever heard of the “two wrinkle rule” for snaffle bit placement❓

I was always taught this growing up. And while it isn’t wrong for many horses, there is never a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to bit fitting!

HERE’S WHY THE TWO WRINKLE RULE NEEDS TO BE THROWN OUT - every horse has different:
🔹 Elasticity of their lips
🔹 Length of “smile”
🔹 Thickness of lips
🔹 Placement & size of canines*
🔹 Sensitivity to bit movement

For certain disciplines and training reasons you may want the bit to sit a bit higher or lower than what I have demonstrated in this video. And that’s ok!

The biggest things to note are that:
1️⃣ You will always want the bit contacting the corners of the mouth (lip commissures),
2️⃣ you never want the bit contacting the canines when the horse has a relaxed tongue (this often pushes the mouthpiece downwards a bit), and
3️⃣ you do not want the bit contacting the premolars at rest or when you apply rein pressure (like I am doing in this example).

Too much movement in the bit when you take up you reins (can happen when the bit is too low) is going to be very disruptive, but no movement (can happen when the bit is too high) will cause poll pressure, over-stretching of the lips, and a dull feeling in the reins.

You don’t need to use my method - but use a method specific to your horse, not the “one size fits all” approach of the two wrinkle rule 🙌🏻

*Note stallions and geldings will grow canines but in rare cases mares do as well! Always make sure you check when bitting a horse.

Unsure what works best for your horse? Reach out for a consultation! 💻

12/26/2025

A custom matchy matchy equestrian belt and spur strap set 💛

12/21/2025

Some memories are worth preserving 💕

I couldn’t do much for the hardware but the leather still has plenty of life left!

Leather deep clean / restoration:
1️⃣ Thorough scrub with diluted leather cleaner
2️⃣ Detail scrub with toothbrush - particularly along the stitch lines
3️⃣ Let dry in cool environment
4️⃣ Apply leather conditioner (I do this in two stages - the second stage I typically use Golden Mink oil)
5️⃣ Let dry
6️⃣ Optional - Apply leather protectant/sealant (like Resolene)

equestrian

12/18/2025

TONGUE GRID

A few weeks ago I covered the WTP bits with their long plate that is designed to physically prevent the horse’s tongue from coming over the bit. You will notice the visual similarities to the WTP bit in the tongue grid, and it is designed to do the same.

This “bit” is not to be used by reins at all and rather is a secondary mouthpiece to be put in the horse’s mouth. From the outside, it may look like a tiny overcheck bit.

It is installed on the bridle with a sliphead/bradoon hanger (or simply on a double bridle) and is positioned higher in the mouth than the bit.

Its sole purpose is to prevent the horse from getting their tongue over the bit, however, there are a few problems with this…
🔸 It can interfere with the primary mouthpiece - become stacked in the mouth or push the primary mouthpiece forward. This can change / disrupt the mechanics of the bit and restrict or pinch the tongue 😣
🔸 It can press into the genioglossus muscle (large bulge of muscle at the back of the tongue), causing the horse to want to draw their tongue back (this is what it is designed to prevent) and can prevent them from relaxing through their jaw/tongue 👅
🔸 It does not address the underlying problem as to WHY the horse would rather the bit contact their sensitive bars than the tongue - the bit (or use thereof) is causing pain/discomfort.

It is important to remember that restriction in the tongue/jaw is known to cause restriction in the body. As equestrians we want to encourage relaxation of the tongue/jaw and we do this by creating a comfortable environment for the horse to work into. If the horse is uncomfortable or in pain, we can assume tension will follow.

Questions? Have a horse that often puts their tongue over the bit? I can help! Reach out for a consultation 🙋🏼‍♀️ 💻

12/12/2025

Look, ma, no machines! 🤚🏻

Everything I make and sell is hand made from scratch using traditional methods, made to last. (I do own a sewing machine but only use it for small repair jobs)

By using the saddle stitching technique, I can do a number of customizations and the thread will hold, even if one component severed (the same cannot be said for the stitching method of sewing machines - if you cut one thread, the whole thing can unravel!) 😱

This method, of course, requires no small amount of skill and time. If you are wondering why my prices seem high - this is why! (I am still under-pricing myself based on hours worked, if we are being honest 😅)

I want to extend a big THANK YOU to all my customers who appreciate this craft and support my small business! I love what I do!

12/08/2025

Love the gold foil embossing on these custom neck straps!

I made this one to match the client’s tack which was a red-ish brown. Really stunning with the hunter green lambskin, don’t you think?

12/03/2025

There’s nothing wrong with a single jointed bit - as long as it’s got enough curve to it! 🌟

Thanks for the video (and for holding the top part of this skull up until your arm almost gave out 😆)

11/29/2025

I have updated my Etsy shop with more options for chain type and length for the custom leads ✨

While brass plated and nickel or chrome plated chains are cheaper, they will rust if left out in the elements. Solid brass and stainless steel are pricy but they hold up for a lifetime!

11/24/2025

“Winning Tongue Plate” (WTP) bits are marketed towards racehorses but are seen in many other disciplines. These come in a variety of cheek pieces and either with the long plate or short plate. I’ll primarily be covering the unique long plate variety…

What is the purpose of the plate❓
⏩️ to prevent the horse from getting their tongue over the bit.

It is effective in doing this! But WHY is the horse doing this❓
⏩️ To avoid an uncomfortable/painful bit or heavy contact with the bit.

What can make this bit uncomfortable❓
⏩️ A number of things, but often a horse will do this when the bit applies too much tongue pressure.
How does this bit work❓
⏩️ it works as a hinge at the central plate, the canons of the mouthpiece can collapse inward but cannot move up or down ↕️🚫
⏩️ this makes it act on the tongue and lips, and will not apply much pressure at all to the bars.
⏩️ while this can be preferable to some horses, others detest this amount of tongue pressure.
‼️ this plate can also press into the genioglossus muscle (large muscle at the back of the tongue - see second photo) which will make the horse want to withdraw their tongue 👅

Noting the irony here? Instead of changing to a bit with construction that allows for more tongue movement, they are marketing a bit that has a built-in tongue “block” to prevent the symptom it is, itself, creating 🤦🏼‍♀️

Why do we want to avoid this behavior ❓
▪️Bit will contact the bars (sensitive jaw bones beneath the tongue) and can cause pain/damage
▪️This can become a habitual form of evasion
▪️For racehorses, it is thought to disrupt the soft palate (breaks air seal formed at the back of the throat which opens up the airway)

This third point is why some racehorses are seen with tongue ties 😣

The WTP manufacturer makes some bold claims like “the only bit in the world to prevent displacement of the soft palate”, but there is zero evidence of this claim, and I highly recommend you do some quick research on this, you will find there is no proven correlation with the bit💡

Questions? Have a horse that often puts their tongue over the bit? I can help! Reach out for a consultation 🙋🏼‍♀️ 💻

11/14/2025

How does a running martingale affect the bit and bridle❓

A running martingale (also called a “training fork”) is an attachment anchored by the girth, with rings which the reins are run through.

When the upper limit is reached, and the horse’s mouth is higher than the rings, it will apply downward force on the bit, ‘encouraging’ the horse to lower its head. The main purpose of this training tool is to discourage head tossing/flipping or carrying the head too high that the horse could put themselves or the rider’s safety at risk - but there are other purposes, too!

When engaged, the working angle of the bit changes and more downward force is applied on the tongue/bars ⬇️. There is also a pulley-effect that occurs which enables the rider to apply more-than-perceived downward force on the horse’s mouth 😮.

Therefore, these should be used with great caution and adjusted so that at rest, the rings can be pulled upwards at least to the point of the withers ⏫️.
These should also ONLY be used with a snaffle as the use on a curb or gag will have harsh and undesirable effects 👎🏻 (I covered this more in my story series on Wednesday).

But a running martingale is not a terrible tool when used properly. Here’s a breakdown on the good and the bad…

PROS:
🔹Can help discourage head tossing/flipping
🔹Can promote straighter outline/head carriage for green horses
🔹 Can help reins stay in place in the event of a fall
🔹 Subtle “noise” created by the rings (when not engaged) can promote softness in the rider’s hands and heighten sense of awareness of rein tension.
🔹 Can help beginner riders - limiting over-opening of the reins, helps straighten horse

CONS:
🔸 “Noise” created by the rings can be bothersome for the horse and muddle pre-signal.
🔸 Pulley effect when engaged will amplify the downward forces on the mouth. Rider can easily lose sense of force applied vs. force perceived.
🔸 Tool becomes unfair to the horse if adjusted too low (that is, below the level of the withers)

Is your horse often evading the bit by head tossing / inverting? It may be a bit problem - reach out for a consultation 🙋🏼‍♀️ I am happy to help!

Address

Mint Hill, NC
28227

Telephone

+17043033848

Website

http://Etsy.com/shop/GrayHorseLeatherwrks, http://GrayHorseLeatherworks.com/

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