The Fairfax bridle - what's all the hype about?

I am fascinated by the lack of knowledge we have on the effect that the bridle and bit have on our horse's way of going, and am always on the look out to find out more.  I get extremely frustrated by companies who make unsubstantiated (or equally bad, poorly substantiated) claims about how their particular design of bridle or bit will improve your horse's performance.  Owners are continually explaining to me that they have the right thing for their horse by quoting the 'spiel' that's on the packaging, without realising that there's little or nothing to back this up, other than clever marketing.  The most important thing of course is the effect the tack has on the horse, but the lack of knowledge (as opposed to long held beliefs) means it can be the horse that suffers - and the owner's pocket!

So I'm really excited that Fairfax have done extensive research, the results of which have been published in a good quality peer reviewed journal (and believe me, that's not easy to achieve!), in developing their new bridle.  I'm waiting of course to hear from owners what the horses think of it, and I realise that at around £400 (more for the double), most happy hackers and riding club competitors will need to be thoroughly convinced before they buy.  I thought I'd start though, by asking Fairfax themselves to tell me about the new bridle, so that at the very least, I have a greater understanding of what and why it's different.

Kitty King using the Fairfax bridle

Here is their response, from Angie Garton of Fairfax Saddles Ltd:

10 REASONS TO BUY A FAIRFAX BRIDLE

1 Based on scientific research

 The Performance Bridle is unique in that it has been developed using independent pressure mapping and gait analysis. Vanessa Fairfax, the product designer spent two years looking at traditional bridles, identifying common pressures and assessing whether pressure affects the horse.

The Fairfax bridle has been designed based on scientific research

 2 Pressure affects the horse’s way of going and the Performance Bridle helps eliminate pressure

Gait analysis consistently recorded significantly better hock flexion, knee flexion and forelimb protraction when bridle pressure was relieved.

Comfort factors built into the Performance Bridle help eliminate the six key areas of pressure identified by Fairfax. They include Prolite pads which lift the bridle clear of pressure points below the browband and pads on the noseband to lift it clear of the nasal bone, relieving pressure on the sensitive areas either side. A shaped headpiece relieves pressure at the back edge of the skull.

3 Stability is essential for comfort

Fairfax’s research shows that the more movement there is around the crown of the horse’s head, the less comfortable he is. The Performance Bridle remains stable against the horse’s head. This stability is consistent even as the horse is in motion. This bridle moves with the horse, not against him.

4 Articulation improves stability

Articulation rings mean that the components of the bridle move independently as the horse moves. Instead of being a fixed and rigid item against his face, the bridle pressure remains stable and therefore is effectively reduced.

5 Symmetry is significant

Fairfax proved a significant decrease in knee flexion when there was asymmetry around the horse’s head. So in the Performance Bridle there are equal buckles each side and the bridle is fitted so that the cheekpieces, noseband and throatlash all buckle at the same level.

6 Fairfax claims are proven!

The Journal of EquineVeterinary Science published a scientific paper about the results of Fairfax’s research. This is recognition that the testing was carried out under controlled scientific conditions with little or no room for misinterpretation. It is confirmation that the research is proven and can be trusted.

7 Top riders agree

The science is being proven ‘in the field’. Top riders such as Kitty King, Gareth Hughes and Spencer Wilton are achieving their best ever results with the Fairfax Performance Bridle.

8 Fairfax has pedigree

The Performance Bridle comes from the same designer and production team that brought us the Performance Girth – still referred to as the 2012 Team GB’ssecret weapon!

9 Try before you buy

The Performance Bridle is not available on line or mail order. It has to be fitted by a trained bridle retailer. This way, you can feel the difference it makes to your horse for yourself before parting with your cash.

10 Made in England

Fairfax is one of the few companies to make bridles in England. Each Performance Bridle is entirely made in Walsall by craftsmen using the finest bridle leather. The bridle is cut, stitched, assembled and finished in England from start to finish.

To find your nearest retailer and book a Performance Bridle fitting click here.

The Fairfax bridle is made in England

A significant finding was that most bridles exert hardly any poll pressure at all.  "Pressure is actually higher each side of the poll, behind the ears and under the browband".  This is particularly significant to me from a physio point of view, because a large percentage of horses that I treat have some level of muscle tension and sensitivity behind the ears and under the browband - is this caused by / contributed to / nothing to do with wearing a conventional bridle?  My guess would be that it is not caused by the bridle (I say this largely because I can often cause long term relief of tension and sensitivity using appropriate treatment techniques), but that it would certainly be irritated by the bridle, and that this would have a significant effect on the horse's way of going.

The Fairfax bridle relieves pressure, leading to greater limb range of movement 

One of the things I find most fascinating is the evidence in relation to the noseband pressure.  Who would have thought that a cavesson noseband would exert more pressure than a grackle noseband?!  The damning evidence on flash nosebands doesn't surprise me though, I've been trying to persuade riders not to use those for a long time now!  There's more fascinating info on the Fairfax website here.

A couple of things from the website that I found particularly interesting:

"Pressure exerted on either side of the nasal bone by a’normal’ cavesson noseband is four times higher than that we measured under a saddle. The cavesson pressure we recorded was so high, we thought the pressure mat must be faulty and we sent it back to the manufacturer. It wasn’t."

"Drop and grackle nosebands perform better in terms of pressure reduction and freedom of movement compared to any other conventional noseband we tested."

"Flash nosebands cause the most pressure and have the most detrimental effect on a horse’s movement. A flash stap dragging down the lower edge of the cavesson part is the most antagonistic high-pressure noseband design we tested."

I have a few clients who have tried the Fairfax bridle - some have loved it, others haven't.  To me, it makes sense - and if I had my own horse, I'd definitely be trying it.  I'd love to hear what you think, so if you've got any experience of the new bridle, please leave me a comment below!

Know your own horse

This message is from a reader of my regular free e-newsletter, Debra Jones, and I wanted to share it because the learning point is so, so important!

Hi Sue,

I loved the Gemma Pearson article, and would like to add to it that you should trust your own instincts, know your own horse.

Mason had a bit of an incident a couple of months back where he got caught up in the electric fencing, panicked and tried to jump/ran through a 5 bar metal gate, ending up on the floor with his legs in the air. Vet advised giving him a danilon morning and night and keeping him out rather than in for the next few days to avoid stiffness.

He appeared to suffer no ill effects after the event, and was completely sound, so after a week I started riding him properly again. Roll on about 6 weeks and I took him to a showing show. He was “very naughty” with me in the go round, and was bucking when I asked for the right canter lead. I asked a couple of friends at the side if they thought I should bring him out as the bucking was totally out of character, but they suggested I persevered, said he looked “very naughty” and recommended pushing him on and riding him more forward. I wasn’t sure, but I did stay in the ring, and he was perfectly fine on the left rein.

After the show I thought about what had happened, that my friends had said “he’s just being naughty” and the behaviour that was so out of character, and for my peace of mind I called Juliet Lock and asked to bring his scheduled 4 monthly chiro check forward a few weeks.

I should never have doubted myself, or my horse – Juliet examined him, and found that he had displaced his hock, needed adjustment on both sides of his neck, and was very tight through his right hand side in the quarters area, probably stemming from the failed gate jumping incident those months ago. My horse wasn’t “naughty” he was sore, and being the stalwart that he is had soldiered on until he couldn’t handle it anymore, and told me in the only way he knew how. 

I felt terrible, and racked my brains to see if he’d been trying to tell me earlier, but until that point there really were no signs at all.

Now I know to trust my own instincts, and not rely on people who don’t know me or my horse, and get the professionals in if I’m in any doubt.

Mason responded well to Juliet’s treatment and I’m pleased to say is back on track now.

Debra Jones, Oxfordshire, UK

For more information on Juliet Lock, Chiropractor, click here.

To find your local Chartered Physiotherapist, visit www.acpat.co.uk.

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Trigger point treatment

This is a technique that you can use on your own horse to help release muscle spasm. Muscle spasm causes soreness and tightness, leading to reduced performance, bad behaviour, and an increased risk of injury. This technique is technically known as 'ischemic compression' and is used to treat 'trigger points'. 

Press your fingers into your horses back muscle, above the rib cage, and slowly move your fingers towards the spine, maintaining the pressure at all times. Ideally, you'll be applying about as much pressure as you would to dent a football, but that will depend on your horse (and how well blown up your footballs are!). The muscle should feel soft under your fingers and your horse should not react in any adverse way - if you have any concerns then please contact your vet or local Chartered Veterinary Physiotherapist (www.acpat.co.uk) for assessment from a qualified professional. 

If and when you get to a point where the muscle suddenly feels hard under your fingers, you'll see the area of the horses back that is in front of your fingers contract / go tight.  At this point stay still, maintain the same level of pressure, and after a short period of time (between a few seconds and a minute) you'll see the muscles in front of your hand start to ripple (fasciculation). 

Wait until the rippling stops, and you'll feel the muscle under your fingers suddenly go soft, so that your fingers sink gently and comfortably into your horses back (you can see this happening on the video here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=496117673925834&id=297037173833886&ref=bookmarks). At this point, remove your hand, and either repeat in another place, move on to another treatment technique, or finish your treatment there.

Please note that some (by no means all) horses will feel sore after this treatment, so please use your judgement as to when you should next ride.

A description of ischemic compression is given here (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ischemic_compression), and of trigger points here (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myofascial_trigger_point).

To find out more about The Horse Physio, sign up to receive our free e-newsletter at www.thehorsephysio.co.uk, or follow us on Facebook (The Horse Physio) or Twitter (@thehorsephysio).

The Horse Physio in Shropshire

Yesterday's clinic was not as peaceful as I would have liked. Unfortunately, someone was involved in an accident with a vehicle during the day, through no fault of her own. It really made me think about the safety, or not, of riding on today's roads. 

Thankfully, the horses I was treating were wonderful, and thoroughly appreciated the work that I did. Diablo, pictured here, enjoyed soaking up the sun with me. In the video I have posted on my Facebook page here (https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=496055420598726&id=297037173833886&ref=bookmarks), you can clearly see how physiotherapy has promoted relaxation and healing.

I love my job, and always enjoy my working day, but it's even better when the sun is shining, and the place I am working in feels like a little piece of heaven!

To find out more about bringing your horse to a clinic for treatment, visit www.thehorsephysio.co.uk.

Hyoid release: a gentle, effective treatment technique

The body is incredible, and never ceases to amaze me. Everything is connected, as so affecting one part of the body, however small, has a ripple effect elsewhere. 

I choose to use treatment techniques that allow the horse to stay calm, because increased adrenalin means decreased healing, and my job as a Chartered Physiotherapist is to promote the healing process, not reduce it. There are plenty of techniques for the 'back last for horses' to choose from, and one of my favourite is the hyoid release.

Recently I found a video on YouTube that explains well what I'm doing, put together by someone who learned the technique from the same person I did, the incredible, wonderful Dr Kerry Ridgway. And so for all those who've clients who've asked what I'm doing when I work with the horses tongue, here is a good explanation: https://youtu.be/0PDjICClW3w

This is not an exercise that I recommend owners trying for themselves, as there is a risk of fracturing the hyoid bone, which is very delicate. But in the hands of a professional, it is a relaxing and effective technique, which allows the practitioner to use other gentle techniques as a follow on.

First, I assess the horse, including for muscle spasm around the hyoid bone.

Next, I take a gentle but firm hold of the tongue, and allow the horse to mobilise it for himself, in the head and neck position that he chooses, until I feel a release of muscle tension.

Once the tension has released, I move to the base of the neck, to cause a further release, which generally leads to improve range if movement and greater relaxation.

Almost every horse I've tried this technique with has found it relaxing, and the benefits of treatment are clear to see immediately afterwards. It's as though you can see the body unwinding before your eyes. 

To find out more about The Horse Physio, and to keep in touch, follow us on FB at The Horse Physio, or Twitter @thehorsephysio, or sign up to receive a free ended letter with top tips and helpful hints at www.thehorsephysio.co.uk.