All About the Western Bridles

They are available in various sizes that include cob, pony, horse and oversized types. While choosing a bridle for the horse that you possess, this is necessary to check if the western bridle chosen by you fits the horse's head properly or not. The horse would feel uncomfortable if the chosen western bridle does not fit perfectly.

Parts of a Western Bridle

A western bridle consists of several elements that are enlisted below:

• Crownpiece – The crownpiece is the part that is present centrally in the western bridle and holds the bottom side of the bridle in the perfect place. This is usually placed towards the behind of the horse's ears. This is undeniably the major strap that firmly holds all the other parts of the western bridle in a perfect position.

• Browband – The browband is another major component of the western bridle and the crownpiece passes within the browband. This part of the western bridle passes from under the horse's one ear over the forehead and it is placed beneath the horse's other ear. This browband is responsible for preventing the bridle from sliding back and go towards the neck of the horse. There are several sports like Dressage where the horse's bling browbands appear to be extremely beautiful and fashionable.

• Noseband – The western bridle's noseband characteristically surrounds the horse's nose and prevent the mouth of the animal to close or add any other piece of material like martingales. This part of the western bridle called the noseband contains a long strap that is thin and is placed beneath the headpiece and loop of the western bridle. This particular nose buckle is directed below the horse's nose and a large leash clasp is there on the bridle's left side.

• Cavesson – This is one specific type of noseband that is being widely used on western bridles wherein the noseband is joined to the headstall and held onto the remaining parts of the bridle with the help of a browband.

• Throatlatch – This goes from the right ear of the horse, under the throatlatch of the horse and attaches beneath the left ear of the horse. This throatlatch very firmly buckles below the area of the horse's throat and continues to keep the bridle in the yard by not leaving this to go very far ahead.
  
  A throatlatch shouldn't be fastened very tightly because the horse requires some additional room for flexing to breathe. The major objective of the throat latch is preventing the western bridle from going toward the upper side of the horse's head.

• Cheek pieces – These are responsible for changing the buckles on the horse's side as evenly as feasible.

• Reins – A western bridle's reins are attached to the bit that is placed below the cheekpieces. These reins are the link of the rider to the horse. The reins are often braided, laced, have stopped or are made of rubber or some other tacky material for providing that required extra grip.

• Flash – The flash of the western bridle is a characteristic thin strap that is attached at the centre of a regular noseband and is very well secured under the chin of the horse.

Conclusion

The western bridle is one of the most used bridles for horse riders and the parts of the western bridle so, don't think twice and buy these bridles for your horses if you love them.