Handmade Horse Bridle

Bridles fit over the heads of horses and riders use them to control the horse’s direction. When the rider pulls the reins, the bridle exerts pressure on the sensitive areas such as the corners of the horse’s mouth. In order to relieve the pressure, the horse turns, thereby obeying the rider’s directions.

  1. Rope Halter

    • The simplest form of handmade bridle is a rope halter. By looping and knotting the rope in a prescribed manner, you can fashion a simple bridle that will allow you to control your horse’s movement. Knowing how to make a rope bridle is a useful skill for riders who find themselves out in the field with an irreparably damaged bridle. However, rope bridles do not offer the same degree of control as leather ones do.

    Construction

    • Construction of handmade horse bridles begins with the individual components. The bridlemaker cuts and stitches the leather together by hand. Then he attaches buckles to the ends of each strap that connect to other parts of the bridle.

    Components

    • Basic bridles have at least a crownpiece, browband, cheekpieces, noseband, throatlatch and the bit that goes into the horse’s mouth. The crownpiece, browband and throatlatch all keep the bridle from sliding off the horse’s head. The cheekpieces keep the bit attached to the bridle and allow the rider to control the bit through the reins. The nosepiece is also connected to the reins and applies pressure to the ridge of the horse’s nose.

    Types of Bridles

    • There are four types of bridles used in horseback riding: snaffle, double, western and endurance. Dressage riders use both the snaffle and double bridles. This is a specialized form of horseback riding that emphasizes the agility and gymnastic ability of the horse. Snaffle and double bridles generally apply pressure to more points on the horse’s face, which gives the rider more control.

      Western and endurance bridles use just a few straps to allow the horse’s skin to breathe more freely. Also, the simplicity of the western and endurance bridles makes them easier to repair in the field.

    Availability

    • Handmade bridles take more time and better materials in the production process, so they are not found along with mass-produced lines of saddles. You will usually find them at specialty equestrian stores near areas where horseback riding is a popular activity. Several businesses also sell handmade bridles online. In particular, Amish bridle makers have teamed up with some online stores in this manner.