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A bridle is not just a bridle. The many different types of bridles serve specific purposes and are intended for different horses, possibly within certain disciplines. For most riders, it's not uncommon to fall in love with a bridle because it's beautiful, without considering its function as much. However, shouldn't the horse's needs be the most important, regardless of the bridle's appearance and the discipline practiced?
Although it's common to use certain bridles when, for example, riding dressage, show jumping, or Icelandic horse competitions, it's not certain that the most popular models are suitable for all horses. Therefore, we delve into the bridle jungle and take the horse's perspective, explaining the significance of different types for your horse's well-being and performance.
Without a bridle, it would be difficult for most riders to ride their horses. Besides the saddle, the bridle is, for most, the most important tool for communicating with the horse. This is explained by veterinarian and five-star dressage judge Hans Christian Matthiesen:
"The bridle influences how the horse listens to the rider and has various parts that can provide multiple aids at once. For example, it should have a restraining function while allowing the rider to turn the horse."
Hans Christian also explains that the bridle is there to create safety in riding, as it ensures that one can stop and control their horse.
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It has been a long, historical process that has shaped the types of bridles we use today. Over many years, we have figured out how a bridle can best and most comfortably fit on a horse's head, and how it can be designed so that we as 'pilots' get the most benefit from it. Over time, this has led to the development of many different types of bridles.
The most commonly used parts of a bridle are a noseband, cheek pieces, a chin strap, a neck strap, and a browband - and of course the bit, which is a topic in itself. All these parts are crucial for how the bridle fits the horse. When discussing the diversity of bridles, it's often the noseband that's referred to. Its primary function is to prevent the horse from fully opening its mouth, such as preventing the tongue from getting over the bit. Common types of nosebands include the English, Hanoverian, combined, and cross nosebands. Recently, there has been further development in these types, like the Rambo Micklem and Dyon X-fit bridles, which are essentially hybrids of the combined and cross nosebands. Dyon has also developed a double noseband, a combination of the Hanoverian and English types. Additionally, some riders, particularly those in Icelandic and western disciplines, may not use a noseband or even a browband and chin strap, as some horses function best with minimal pressure on sensitive nerve pathways.
Characterized by crossing the horse's nose approximately in the middle. It should be placed 1.5-2 cm below the horse's cheekbone and not be too tight. Typically seen on double bridles, it allows room for two bits in the horse's mouth. Available in thin and thick versions, with and without various paddings. Some riders use an English noseband made of rope, believing its sharpness further prevents the horse from opening its mouth. However, a downside is that horses might open their mouths more easily as it sits relatively high. If too tight, it can create tension in the horse's skull as teeth are pressed together and jaws cannot move freely.
Positioned lower on the horse's nose and, unlike the English, spans over the bit. Some consider it gentle as it doesn't press the cheek teeth together. Ideal for young horses changing their milk teeth, as they can be sensitive in the upper part of the mouth. Also believed to support the bit better, providing more calmness. It should not be tightened too much to prevent restricting the horse's mouth opening. However, if too tight, it can seriously damage the horse's mouth corners and potentially the thin part of the nose.
As the name suggests, the combined noseband is a composition where the English noseband has been added an extra strap that goes down around the mouth. Therefore, the noseband should sit like the English one, about 2 cm under the cheekbone, and the extra strap is placed over the bit, like the Hanoverian. Since there are two straps, this type of noseband can create even more discomfort and havoc than each of the two types of nosebands on their own – which is certainly not the intention. Therefore, it cannot be stressed enough that both straps should not be tightened very much.
The combined noseband is probably the most popular – it has been for many years. Particularly, it has been – and still is – popular in dressage arenas because it combines the classic noseband with the supportive effect of the Hanoverian noseband on the bit. And this is despite the divided opinions about the combined noseband. Because it has two straps, one might think that it 'holds onto the horse better'. But actually, it's not necessarily good for each individual horse to have two nose straps.
Many combined and English nosebands are made with a pullback. The idea behind this is to create a softer and more even pressure under the horse's jaw. Whether this has any effect is probably up to each rider to assess.
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A Mexican noseband or a cross noseband are the names of the noseband type that crosses two straps over the horse's nasal bridge and gathers in the middle. Like the Hanoverian, it is fastened around the horse's mouth outside the bit. Additionally, a strap is also tightened just under the horse's jaws. The purpose of the bridle is to create better conditions for the horse's breathing, as the straps do not cross the airways. The noseband also does not press on the teeth in the same way as the English and combined nosebands can, and therefore, like the Hanoverian, it can be good for young horses changing teeth. Otherwise, the cross noseband is especially used in show jumping and eventing, as it allows the horse to better inhale oxygen to the muscles during hard work.
Where the Hanoverian noseband is good for horses with a restless mouth, the English is better for the horse that just needs light support and may need space for multiple bits in the mouth. The Hanoverian noseband and cross noseband can easily chafe the horse because they sit in a more sensitive area of the horse's head. Conversely, horses with a short head may be bothered by an English or combined noseband, as they take up relatively more space – especially if they are of the wider type.
Yet, it is not uncommon to hear that a bridle is chosen based on what suits the horse best. According to Hans Christian Matthiesen, it is not only important but also performance-enhancing to think of the horse before anything else:
“What a rider must keep in mind is that it's incredibly individual what each horse needs and what works for that particular one. Some horses are more sensitive than others, and like us humans, they are not the same. It also depends a lot on what the horse is used for. Those who gallop across fields on their horses do not need the same as the dressage rider who is going to ride in the World Cup final.”
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Hans Christian Matthiesen Therefore, you don't need to jump with a cross noseband or ride dressage with a combined bridle just because many others do it – or because it looks prettiest. If your horse jumps best with an English noseband – or maybe without one at all – then do that. If it performs best in dressage with a cross bridle, then don't be afraid to use one. All the types of bridles mentioned in this article are allowed in dressage, show jumping, and eventing competitions.
The only thing you get from listening to your horse is a happier horse – who might even perform better. Choose the bridle that makes both your horse and your riding feel best – whether it is anatomical, old-fashioned, ultra-modern, or maybe even without a noseband.
It's important to remember that a noseband is never better for the horse than its tightness. Tightening it too much is the biggest mistake, but unfortunately, also the most common. Often this is done in an attempt to gain more control over the horse. Unfortunately, the result is the opposite. A too-tight noseband only causes the horse to tense up more, as the teeth press together, nerve pathways are affected, and blood vessels are closed – and this is obviously very uncomfortable. In fact, a too-tight noseband can cause great pain in the horse and lead to serious mouth lesions – even if one thinks it won't happen to their own horse.
For many years, there has been an unwritten rule – and an important point in various riding and rider badge books – to keep the noseband loose enough to fit two fingers vertically between the horse's nasal bridge and the noseband. To ensure that this guideline is actually followed on Danish riding tracks, the Danish Riding Federation took action in 2018 and made the official “noseband rule”. This prescribes that “there must be room for a certified measuring unit of at least 1.5 cm in diameter between the horse's noseband and nasal bridge”. To ensure good horse welfare, checks are carried out at selected competitions. In fact, a study by the riding federation shows that horses with appropriately tightened nosebands have between one and two-thirds fewer registrations of mouth sores at competitions.
However, the noseband can also be too loose. For example, it can chafe the horse because it moves around, or it can lose its effect, so the horse still gets the tongue over the bit. Therefore, the rule about 1.5 cm or two fingers vertically isn’t bad at all, and one should neither tighten the noseband much more nor much less than that.
If you are unsure whether your horse is bothered by its bridle, you can quickly find out. Besides the fact that the bridle should not chafe and thus wear the fur or create sores, there are other signs you can look out for. You know that your horse might be bothered by its bridle if it:
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If your horse shows any of these signs, then it’s just about doing something about it. Before you decisively go out to acquire a completely new bridle, remember to check whether it might be due to the bit, or that you have tightened some of the straps too hard. If that’s not the case, then a new noseband is probably the way forward. And we should end by emphasizing that many horses actually work fine on almost all bridles, as long as they are tightened as they should be.
Sources:
DRF / Veterinarian Hans Christian Matthiesen.
