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Every rider knows how critical bit selection is, but few stop to consider how much the fit and feel of that bit might change from horse to horse… or even from week to week! For Katie Burr, lifelong horsewoman and founder of Bitex, equine mouth comfort isn’t just a detail. It’s the starting point for humane, effective training. “I think it’s so important that with each horse, you really pay attention to how they feel in the mouth, because it translates through everything we do with training with horses,” she said.
Bitex, a bit wrap company launched in 2024, gives riders a simple but powerful tool to adjust the bit feel for sensitive horses, young starters, or those with unique preferences. And the product is helping riders around the world rethink how they approach bit fit entirely.
A Tool for Customizing Comfort
Bitex wraps are made of latex, allowing riders to build up or soften a bit exactly where a horse needs it most. “You can essentially customize your bit to whatever you want for that particular horse,” Katie explained. “Yeah, we can find a bit for every horse, but not every bit is just gonna be just right.”
Some horses need only minor adjustments. Others—particularly those with past trauma or uneven development—benefit from more tailored configurations. “I have a couple horses that are one-sided versus the other. They might be like a little hollow on one side or don’t wanna address a side,” Katie said. “You can take that bit wrap and wrap up that one side until they’re comfortable.”
Riders can experiment with wrapping one side more thickly than the other, changing thickness as the horse progresses, or wrapping only one side of the mouthpiece. “It might take a few times till you really adjust to say, okay, this horse likes this thickness. He likes it a little thicker. He likes it a little thinner,” she added.
A Solution Riders Didn’t Know They Needed
Many riders discover bit wraps the same way Katie did—through use, not theory. Before founding Bitex, she relied heavily on a now-defunct product called Sealtex. “It was just one of those things we did not think about,” she said. “And then when it started to go away, I was like, okay, this is… a really big problem.”
She soon realized she wasn’t alone. The wraps were widely used in the Arabian and Saddlebred industries, but demand wasn’t limited to just those disciplines. Once Bitex launched, interest surged across the world. “We just thought it was a small little bubble that was using it,” Katie said. “But, you know, we’re in Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, South Africa, I mean all over Europe, Canada, Mexico. It’s amazing to see how widely used it was.”
What started as a practical solution became something more: a vehicle for educating riders about just how much bit comfort can affect performance, behavior, and connection.
A Welfare-Driven Mindset
For Katie, the growth of Bitex isn’t just about filling a gap in the market. It’s about changing the conversation around equipment and welfare. “I’m very passionate about horse welfare and comfort. I always have been,” she said. “I get excited because many didn’t realize that they could have this small item and make such a big change for their horse and the comfort of their horse.”
That excitement shows in the way she talks about the brand’s future. “Our main focus is to educate on the importance of horse mouth comfort,” she explained. The more riders learn, the more empowered they are to choose humane, individualized solutions.
And the company backs that commitment with accessibility. “We like to post little how-tos on Instagram and Facebook,” Katie said. “If anybody has any questions on how to use it on their particular horse or how to use the product, we’re always here to answer those questions.”
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
While there are countless bits on the market, there’s no universal solution for every horse. Even the same horse might need a different feel over time. That’s where bit wraps come in: a simple, affordable way to meet horses where they are.
“It’s such a small product and a small change that has such a big impact for the horse with comfort,” Katie said. And sometimes, that small change is what makes all the difference in trust, connection, and long-term soundness.
To hear the full conversation with Katie Burr, listen to the latest Plaidcast Plaid Chat. Subscribe and follow The Plaidcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear more inspiring stories from across the equestrian world.
