Designing my own Bridle wasn't as difficult as I imagined and with a blank piece of paper I set about drawing a head piece that would allow my horse to move, respond to my aids and give me full confidence that it would not cause pressure or pain to the sensitve parts of her neck, head and face. 

 

My passion behind the PIM (Posture In Motion) Bridle is that I could only ask my horse to wear something on her head if I was happy to wear the same on mine. While this may sound strange, I would not want a bit in my mouth or pressure around my face, and so I could not ask that of her.

 

The Bridle is made of soft leather and fits gently around her poll and wide enough to straddle the Joint between the Occiput and Atlas. This is one of the most important joints in the body and sits around the brain stem. It has the most influence on the body in health and function and therefore a extemely important area to avoid pressure.

 

The PIM Bridle curves around the TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) and therefore allows this joint to move freely. Which it must for her to move her body freely. Try moving to the left with your jaw stuck to the right....not that easy!

 

Having had the privilege of dissecting a horse's head has, shocked me into realising that a horse's facial nerve sits right under the skin's surface in line with a conventional bridle. The PIM Bridle is specifically designed to avoid the area where this cranial nerve VII exits the cranium at the styloid foramen and part of its distribution along the face.

 

Pressure at the Atlanto-Occipital Joint (OCC/C1) and the TMJ can adversly affect Cranial Nerve V and Cranial Nerve VII. CN VII is mainly a motor nerve innervating the muscles to the face, ear and sensitive skin to  the internal surface of the ear. CN V innervates all the muscles of mastication and skin over the Temporo - Mandibular Join (TMJ).

 

These nerves are incredibly sensitive for the horse and adverse pressure in these areas can cause many pain and behaviour problems, from head shaking to jaw, ear hypersensitivity, headaches and facial pain.