Like the saddle, bridles can be of a synthetic material or leather. They can vary in colour and are used to guide and control the horse as well as show off the shape of a horse’s head.
The Basic Snaffle Bridle
There are many different types of bridles and with these will come different parts to memorise. The basic snaffle bridle that is commonly used is considered here.
When first learning to put together a bridle, the horse rider will often start out with the headpiece or crown piece and throat lash. These points of the bridle are conjoined, with the head piece fitting behind the ears of the horse and the throat lash doing up under the jowl. This helps to secure the bridle to the horse’s head.
Attached to the head piece will often be the browband. This is shaped like a half circle and when attached to the head piece, helps to encompass the ears. If the browband is too small, this can cause the headpiece to ride forward, pinching the horse’s ears and causing pain or discomfort.
Attached to either side of the straps of the browband are the cheek pieces. The cheek pieces are attached by a buckle and run down either side of the horse’s face. At the opposite end of each cheek piece, the bit is buckled to them via the rings of the bit.
The reins also attach to the bit that resides in the horse’s mouth. These can be attached via buckles or billets. The general rule when doing up attachments on the bridle is that buckles face outward, while billets face inward. The reins should always be checked to make sure they aren’t twisted when they’re attached to the bridle. When the rider is in the saddle, twisted reins will make it difficult to communicate effectively to the horse through the bit.
Not all bridles will have a noseband, but the majority have this as part of the bridle. The noseband can be a separate piece that has attached to it two straps, one on the right hand side that threads through the browband, behind the horse’s ears and does up on the left hand side where a shorter strap is attached with a buckle. Nosebands are often used when it is considered necessary to attach a leather piece that does up in front of the bit, to encourage the horse to keep their mouth closed and not evade the pressure of the bit.
Adjusting the Bridle
Once one is familiar with the parts of the bridle, it’s easier to make adjustments and recognise if the bridle fits the horse correctly. The browband is able to be removed and replaced if too small or big. The cheek pieces can be lengthened or shortened to fit the length of the horse’s head and ensure that the bit is sitting correctly.
Generally, when the bit is sitting in the horse’s mouth, there should be a couple of wrinkles visible in the corner of the horse’s mouth. Less than this may indicate that the cheek straps need to be done up shorter; many more will indicate that the bit is sitting too high and that the cheek straps need to be dropped a few holes.
Each of these adjustments is possible when one is familiar with the different points of the bridle. Of value to the horse rider would also be a working knowledge of the points of the saddle.
Source
- The Manual of Stable Management, Book 4, Saddlery: British Horse Society, Greenhouse Publications ISBN 0 86436 192 0
Chris Thomas - C. Thomas has studied and worked with horses since 2001. She teaches horse studies part time and is undertaking an Equine Science ...
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