Consultants

The Team at work

It has always been very important to me to give correct information
I have very carefully chosen the people I have trained. Who are mostly close friends with what I consider to be complementary skill sets and who want to give a good all round service to genuinely help a Horse and Rider in their Bitting choices and to make sure
Their Horse is well maintained
Their tack is correct
Their training and riding is encouraged to flourish
I have chosen not to go down the route of training anyone who wants to pay and then to find that the wrong people are out on the road selling bits for the sake of a sale and giving poor information.
Collectively we range from 32 years in the Saddlery Trade, 20 years and two at 15 years and the rest range from 4yrs up to 10yrs
Hilary Vernon

Brands Carried
In order to be sure that we have enough variety to bit a broad spectrum of Horses and Ponies we have always carried a variety of brands
Bomber Bits Happy Mouth Bits Rotary Bits Myler Bits Trust Bits and Informed Designs Bits

Bridle Work and Saddle Checks
We have always for years automatically in the course of a consultation checked Bridle work [bridle fit, head pressure points and noseband tension] and the Saddle [discussing saddle fit and balance and appropriate padding] Girth fit and suitability and give recommendations for all if needed Most of us carry Bridlework and some Saddlery for sale if needed
We do not however try to persuade you to change your tack if it is not warranted or where a couple of knowledgeable adjustments could make a difference

Consultants

Hilary Vernon
Based in Oxfordshire
email: [email protected] www.informedbitting.com
Facebook: Hilary Vernon and Informed Bitting 07775 851051
Hilary covers either all of or part of Gloucestershire Oxfordshire Wiltshire Warwickshire Shropshire Cheshire Derbyshire Lincolnshire Essex Cambridgeshire Surrey South Wales
Hilary is a BHSAI and as a qualified Riding Instructor is happy to help in the course of a Bitting Consultation if helpful on the day
Hilary has previously done a lot of Saddle Fitting having attended the SMS Introductory Saddle Fitting Course and then a structured course run by qualified SMS Trainers and passed a certificated exam run along side that course
Hilary ran a series of tack shops for many years training with and assisting an on site Master Saddle Maker on a daily basis and has always Bridle Fitted and Saddle fitted and Saddle checked as part of looking into the Horses whole picture
www.infomredbitting.co.uk Please have a look at the Clinic section at Bitting Days as that does give lots of information

Mary Wastie
Advanced Level Bitting Consultant Level 4
Based in Scotland and the Borders
07800 558636 Facebook: Horse Bitting Consultants www.horsebittingconsultants.co.uk
Mary covers Scotland and the Borders and some of Northern England and runs Bitting Days Bitting Clinics and Lectures on Bits and Bitting
Mary carries a large comprehensive stock of several ranges of Bits and Eco Rider Bridle work for trial at her consultations
Mary has previously saddle Fitted and attended a structured course run by a qualified SMS Trainer and passed a certificated exam run along side that course

Laura Wright
Advanced Level Bitting Consultant Level 3
Based in Berkshire covers surrounding counties
07747 830976 Facebook: LAW Bitting Solutions www.lawequinesolutions.co.uk email [email protected]
Laura and Hilary met years ago when we did the first session on one of her lovely Dressage Ponies
Laura has an established client base with all her other Equine work and being a Bitting Consultant was a natural progression for her to offer more to her clients

LAW Animal Physiotherapy and LAW Bitting Solutions working together to improve your horses comfort
Choose a RAMP Practitioner! Professional collaboration starts with communication www.rampregister.org

Lizzie Pollard
Level 3 Bitting Consultant
Based in West Sussex / Surrey Borders and surrounding counties
07909226362 [email protected]
www.thehorseaunty.co.uk
BHS Stage 4 Senior Coach. I made the decision to go Freelance Coaching after being Chief Instructor for
Wildwoods Riding Centre for some years where I helped Coaching everything from RDA, Pony Club
BHS Exam Students and using the Racewood Dressage Simulator. I have been on the BHS West Sussex
Committee for 7yrs organising Events which is where I met Hilary who kindly agreed to do a Bitting
Clinic for us. I was so interested that it fired me with the enthusiasm to train with her and find it really fits
in with the work I already do. I am really enjoying Bitting Young Horses, Riding School, Riding Club and
Pony Club Horses and Ponies. I have over 30 years experience and want animals to have the best holistic
approach working with whatever professionals required by the horse or rider.thehorseaunty.co.uk

Ian Smeeth
Level 4 Bitting Consultant
Based in Gloucestershire and surrounding counties including a customer base in S Wales
07779 024406
Ian has had an extensive equine career producing and competing top class show Horses at the highest level . He has also been a Show Judge on the senior panels for over 20 years and has been fortunate enough to judge at all the major county shows and internationally
"My relationship with Hilary started over 25 years ago I livered Hilary's Horses for her and found Gordon for her and we have had many life journeys together. Throughout my career I have worked with Hilary to Bit the competition Horses with major success at RIHS and HOYS. I think the Horses welfare and attention to detail are really important and as my clinic and coaching days are increasing I have now added good Bitting into the equation as I have always done with my own and clients Horses.

Catherine Baker
Level 3 Bitting Consultant
C B Saddlery
Based in Wiltshire
07738 179008
Catherine Baker is a Society of Master Saddlers Master Saddler, Master Bridle Maker, Registered Qualified Saddle Fitter and a Registered Qualified Bridle Fitter specialising in making and fitting bespoke bridles and bitting. She has been in the trade for over 20 years and is currently the Vice President of the Society.
Her love of horses began in early childhood and she has dedicated her life to working with them in one capacity or another. She spent much of her teenage years riding across Salisbury Plain and studied equine management at agricultural college in Lincolnshire before taking a ‘proper’ job with a national delivery firm. Her saddlery career began in 2002 and after a break to start a family, she qualified as a saddler in 2013. She qualified as a saddle fitter shortly after and joined the executive committee of the Society in 2017.
Catherine qualified as a bridle fitter in 2019, and holds a Level 3 Award in Education and Training. This has led to her becoming the bitting lecturer and an assessor for the Society of Master Saddlers and she has recently stepped into the role of Bridle Fitting Course Leader alongside Frances Roche, MVO. Together they are developing the Society’s courses with their team so that future qualified bridle fitters have a broad range and depth of knowledge and understanding. She hasn’t let this get in the way of her love of making bespoke bridles though; Catherine is a regular entrant into the Society of Master Saddlers annual saddlery competition where she is often placed.

Richard Norfolk
Based in Staffordshire happy to travel to surrounding counties
[email protected]
www.Kelseyssportshorses.co.uk
Level 2 Bitting Consultant
Richard is a young International Event Rider, he has ridden up to Intermediate Eventing. He gained his BHS AI at the renowned Talland school of Equitation under the direction of Pammy Hutton and Charlie Hutton. He has also worked with some top event riders in the country, including Andrew Nicholson. Richard continues his equine education training with Jane Bartle and Di Lampard and brings this expertise to his teaching. He is based in Staffordshire competing and producing young horses as well as breeding sports horses. He enjoys teaching all levels and all ages.
Richard and his family have worked with Hilary running Clinics for about 10 years and has been training with Hilary for the last 2 years and now runs Bitting consultations as part of his training programmes

Nickatie Morgan
Level 2 Bitting Consultant
Based in Herefordshire
www.nickatie.com 07866474041
Nickatie become an Equine Muscle Release Therapist graduating in 2004. Since then she has done other courses to complement the soft tissue and facia release work that she does. Her clients range from local owners with one horse to high level competition riders as well as breeding studs producing some fantastic dressage and event prospects. In 2019 Nickatie met Hilary and was so impressed by the changes with her own horse in her bits she decided to pursue things further and asked Hilary to train her and Hilary agreed !
Nickatie has a wonderful client base in a wide range of areas Wales, Shropshire, Cheshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and is prepared to travel

Mark Robinson
Level 2 Bitting Consultant
Based in Ireland
07824 534443
Facebook: Mark Robinson Equestrian [email protected]
Based in Hillsborough, Co. Down, Mark is a BHS Performance Coach (BHSI), Pony Club and UKCC accredited coach. He is a Dressage Ireland judge as well as being an assessor for BHS and Pony Club. He produces horses for dressage and eventing. Mark has always had a keen interest in improving horse welfare, comfort and performance through the correct use of tack and equipment, especially correct Bitting. Mark selected Informed Designs bits to use on his own horses because of the research and knowledge that Hilary has carefully used in bit her designs. Being so impressed with the improvements seen in his own horses Mark decided to seek training with Hilary and Informed Designs so that he could provide a Bitting consultation service in Ireland. Mark uses the knowledge gained from many years of riding, competing and coaching when advising on bit fitting to help develop clear communication between horse and rider.

Lucy Evans
Level 2 Bitting Consultant
Based In Lincolnshire