Bridle Fit is as Important as Saddle Fit.

We do so much for our horses to make sure they are happy and comfortable. Regular vet care, farrier care every 4 to 6 weeks, bodywork, and a saddle fitting done at least once a year. As riders, we forget that the bridle properly fitted is crucial to their horse's comfort and movement, just like the saddle.

The Importance of Proper Bridle Fit

The bridle is your way of steering, communication, and connection with your horse. If it doesn't fit properly, it can put pressure on the sensitive cranial nerves and cause potential pain in the mouth, poll, TMJ, ears, and more areas. We've always gone by the "two wrinkle rule" for where the bit should be in the horses mouth. That is something that was created centuries ago for military safety. Every horse is anatomically unique and needs to have the bridle and bit adjusted to their specific head structure and personal preferences. You may like a certain bit, but maybe your horse doesn't. They may dislike tongue pressure or bars pressure. Finding what works is key. Adjusting the bridle so it doesn't sit on nerves or pressure points or press against the ears. Just like adjusting your saddle not to pinch the withers or rub any areas, the same applies to your bridle. Can you imagine having something press up against a nerve on your face? Your horse probably would not appreciate it happening to them. Even the anatomical or padded bridles seem like they would be much kinder to our equine bestie, but the extra padding may end up creating a bigger pressure point or the anatomical may work for one horse but not the next. You don't wear the same size helmet as everyone else, why should horses all wear either pony, cob, full, or extra full?

Browbands can be too small or too big, decorative look nice, but may rub. There are so many factors that go into adjusting the bridle to your horse. Shouldn't the main piece of equipment used in steering and communication be fitting to your horse's unique structure?

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