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Sizes: Full and Pony.
Colours:Black, Brown and London
Colours:Black, Brown and London
How to Put on the Bridle
HOW TO PUT ON THE BRIDLE
When putting on the halter, the first thing to consider is the animal’s mood; the horse may be calm, which makes the task much easier; but it’s also very likely that it will be nervous and raise its head, as if trying to avoid being “hooked”; it’s important to know how to handle either of these situations.
- PUTTING A BRIDLE ON A CALM HORSE
- Check that the noseband and throatlatch are unfastened.
- Place the rein buckle on the browband and drape the bridle over your left shoulder (making sure the browband is facing outward).
- Stand to the left of the horse. Pick up the stable halter and remove the lead rope.
- Pass the reins over the horse’s head, holding them against its neck while you remove the stable halter. Hang up the stable halter after removing it, since otherwise the horse may get tangled up in it.
- Pick up the bridle, holding the headpiece with your right hand and resting the bit in your left hand—or vice versa, whichever is easier for you.
- Bring the bit close to the horse’s lips and insert your thumb into the corner of its mouth, which will cause it to open its mouth.
- As soon as the horse opens its mouth, gently insert the bit while lifting the bridle toward its ears.
- Once the bridle is inside the horse’s mouth, you can use your left hand to gently guide the bridle past the horse’s ears.
- Adjust the noseband and the throatlatch.
- PUTTING A BRIDLE ON A RESTLESS HORSE
Without a doubt, it will be much more difficult to put a bridle on a horse that is restless and raises its head. If this is the case for you, we recommend following these steps:- Make sure the noseband and throatlatch are unfastened.
- Place the rein buckle on the browband and drape the bridle over the horse’s left shoulder (making sure the browband is facing outward).
- Stand to the left of the horse. Pick up the stable halter and remove the lead rope.
- Pass the reins over the horse’s head, holding them against its neck while you remove the stable halter. Hang up the stable bridle after removing it, since otherwise the horse may get tangled up in it.
- Hold the bridle with your left hand. Slide your right arm under the horse’s jaw and around its head, holding it in place with your hand.
- Grasp the cheek pieces with your right hand while continuing to hold the horse’s head so it cannot lift it.
- Use your thumb to get the horse to open its mouth and insert the bit, while lifting the bridle toward its ears. You must keep your hand resting on the horse’s head at all times so it cannot lift its head.
- Once the bridle is in the horse’s mouth, you can use your left hand to gently guide the bridle past the horse’s ears.
- Adjust the noseband and the throatlatch.
Check each part of the bridle one by one:- Cheekpieces: Keep in mind that shortening or lengthening them will change the position of the bit.
- Headpiece: It should rest on the horse’s nape. The straps should be fastened on both sides of the headpiece, at the same height and just above the eyes.
- Browband: It should be low enough so as not to rub against the horse’s ears. Once fastened, there should be enough slack to comfortably fit your fingers underneath. Keep in mind that if it is too long, it will slide backward, and if it is too short, it will press against the base of the ears, causing pinching and chafing.
- Throatlatch: Once adjusted, there should be enough space to fit your hand between it and the horse’s jaw. If it’s too tight, it will make it difficult for the horse to breathe when it lowers its head and neck.
- Noseband: After adjustment, there should be enough space to fit two fingers between the noseband and the jaw. It should sit approximately 2.5 cm below the cheekbone.
- If the horse is to be bridled or led on a lead rope, the reins should be crossed and buckled around the neck.
How to Choose the Right Bridle for Your Horse
The bridle is the framework of straps placed on the horse’s head; through it, we guide the horse using the commands we give with the reins.
Generally speaking, bridles are made of leather, but there are also more economical models made of nylon or synthetic materials with special features, such as the “Raid” halters.
TYPES OF HALTERS
- Stable halters: Quite simple and easy to use, as they are typically used to lead the horse by hand and tie it up. The most common materials are nylon or leather. Leather halters are more durable, but they are more expensive than lower-quality nylon ones.
- Lunge halters: Used by riders during exercises in which they stand on the ground and guide the horse. They are equipped with a noseband, which is a leather strap positioned over the nose; they are usually made of a stronger type of leather and featureone or more rings on the top to attach the lead rope.
- Riding bridles: Commonly used in dressage and show jumping. They consist of exactly the same parts as the lead-reining bridle.
- Cowboy halters: Very similar to riding halters, but with the addition of a fly veil—leather strips placed over the forehead to keep flies away from the horse’s eyes. They are used primarily in the discipline of cowboy dressage. Embroidered bridles: These are bridles featuring embroidery and ornamentation to adorn the horse, whether in conformation shows, carriage driving events, or at horse fairs.
PARTS OF A HARNESS
- Browband
- Chin Strap: It is tied at the level of the horse’s jaw, and it must be possible to fit a hand between the chin strap and the horse’s jaw.
- Noseband: Although it is not necessary for the bridle to have one, it is recommended.
- Bit: The bit is the part of the bridle located inside the horse’s mouth; it is the part that can be bitten. There are several types;
- Snaffles are divided into two parts, whereas bits are made of a single piece.
- Bits are harder on the horse’s mouth, so care must be taken not to pull too hard on the reins.
- Pelhams are a type of bit designed for horses that do not respond to a snaffle bit; however, they lack precision and should only be used by experienced riders.
Choosing the right size for your horse is essential, even though this factor is often overlooked.
It’s important to know that there are several sizes for each bridle, although the most common sizes are FULL or STANDARD.
Sizes are generally divided into the following categories, which are sometimes assigned to specific horse breeds. However, this is not a fixed rule, as it can vary depending on the horse’s lineage:
- FOAL (foal) = very small head
- COB (Arabian horse) = small and very fine head
- FULL (standard) = Arabian, PSI, Anglo-Arabian, or Central European-type head, but with a fine head
- XL (extra large)= French saddle, Hanoverians, and all Central European lines with broad heads.
Therefore, we should pay attention to the following: If you cannot fit two fingers under the browband, the bridle is too small and it will be pushing the ears forward, making the horse feel uncomfortable; the horse may even show signs of protest that we haven’t noticed.
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