Horse bridles are the straps worn over horses' heads and mouths in order to control movement.  There are several types of horse bridles traditionally worn.  These include the snaffle bridle, the pelham bridle, the western bridle, and the double bridle.   

There are several separate parts of horse bridles that add to their effectiveness. The crown piece goes over a horse's head and lies on the ears.  The cheekpiece is set along the cheeks on either side of the animal's head.  A throatlatch is the piece of material that is hooked to the crown and runs down under the throat of the horse.  This piece is meant to keep the bridle in place.  The browband is the piece that goes over the horses' forehead.  A noseband is a piece that circles the nose of the horse, and the horse bit is the piece that rests in the horses' mouth.  The bit goes into the natural indentations within horse mouths for horses that have no teeth.  Reins are the straps attached to the bit. Reins are used for riders to communicate to their horses.  Horse bridles can be complicated pieces of equipment, but they have proven to be the most effective way of handling horses.

Horse bridles come in many different shapes, sizes and materials. Choosing a horse bridle is dependent on the horse and the use. For instance bridles vary on the basis of whether a rider engages in Western riding or English riding.  When horse riders ride Western style, they hold the reigns with only one hand as opposed to two as is done in English riding. When participating in shows Western riders may also be called to hold the reigns of horse bridles such that not more than one finger is between the reigns.  Western horses are also commonly ridden with slack in the reigns to exhibit a high level of control and understanding between the riders and horses.   

Western bridles usually do not have nosebands and are made with thin bridle leather. It is common for Western bridles to be decorative and to contain silver.  English bridles have a cavesson style noseband.  The reigns are attached together with a buckle and they usually do not have decorative qualities.

Horse Bridles at Equestrian Corner

The Equestrian Corner has a wide range of horse bridles in different styles and sizes to suit specific horses and riding needs. They have bridles including figure 8 bridles fancy raised bridles, event bridles and snaffle bridles.  High selection is matched with high quality and high value at The Equestrian Corner. This online horse riding apparel and equipment resource offers discounted prices and the best values possible for top quality merchandise. Additionally, the website offers the ease of online shopping for merchandise that can be difficult to find.