The bridle is the headpiece horses wear while ridden to give the rider more control, which commonly consists of a bit (the piece of metal – or synthetic – that goes in their mouth), a headpiece or headstall, and reins. Most bridles also include a browband and a noseband. Bridles have an extremely long history; first dating back to the Bronze Age...
The bridle is the headpiece horses wear while ridden to give the rider more control, which commonly consists of a bit (the piece of metal – or synthetic – that goes in their mouth), a headpiece or headstall, and reins. Most bridles also include a browband and a noseband. Bridles have an extremely long history; first dating back to the Bronze Age over 5000 years ago.
Today, modern English bridles vary wildly, as new pieces of tack are developed to help enhance a horse's performance and provide the rider with more control and/or the horse with a higher level of comfort. There are three main types of English bridle:
Western bridles don’t differ much from a snaffle bridle in function; you’ll still find a headstall, a browband or loops around the ears, and a bit. Nosebands aren’t typically used.