Spanish Bridles

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Spanish Horse Bridles

What are Horse Bridles?

The bridle is the most elementary part of the horse's harness. It is used to guide the horse. The bridle is the main communication and control source with the horse. It is available in different sizes for different types of horses and ponies, cobs.

At the time of choosing a bridle for your horse, it must fit the horse's head correctly, or else it will be uncomfortable, and your aids will not efficiently communicate.

What are the main types of horse bridles? 

Most people think bridles can be mainly classified into two types: English bridles and western bridles, but the truth is that there are many other types of horse bridles. The most obvious difference between English bridles and western bridles and their use is the discipline in which both are used. English bridles are used in the English riding discipline and Western bridles are used in the Western riding discipline.

Western bridle: Western bridles typically have no noseband and often no browband. They are usually Larger western riding horses are ridden with little or no communication and the rider uses his saddle, weight and neck to make it easier to the horse.

English Bridles: The two main types of English bridles are the single bridle or Snaffle and the double bridle. On the one hand, a single bridle has one bit and one set of reins and is used with inexperienced riders. A double bridle has a pair of bit and two sets of reins. A bridle without a bit is called a Hackamore. The English snaffle bridle is the simplest bridle.

What is a Spanish bridle? 

As we have mentioned before we can find different bridles and they also have some characteristics and differences such as Spanish bridles, also called western bridles. Find out more about these types of bridles by visiting our Spanish bridles options or contacting us for further information.

Spanish bridles are generally known as the western bridles, which have been described before,  and in marjoman we have them available in different models, depending on if it has or doesn't have a stifle. 

Which parts can we find on a Spanish Bridle?

The bridle consists of the following elements: The different straps (usually leather) of the horse's bridle have their own name, so let's look at them one by one:

Nosebrand: It is the band that surrounds the head a little above the horse's nose.

Browband: This is the band that goes around the horse's forehead.

Halter: The strap that goes around the horse's head behind the ears is known as the halter.

Stifle: The strap that holds the bridle in place so that it does not come off, and surrounds the neck below the jaw.

Cheeks: The straps that go down the sides of the horse's face, from the headstall to the mouth. They hold the noseband, when present, and the bridle.

Mouthpiece: As its name indicates, it is the band that surrounds the horse's mouth so that it cannot open it. It is only necessary for some horses.

Reins: They are not strictly speaking part of the bridle, but they are attached to them. They are the long straps that connect the bridle or noseband (in bridleless bridles) to the rider's hands. They allow the rider to give direction to the horse.

What is a Spanish bit?

For many people, especially outside of Western dressage, the use of the bit is perceived as something rough. Before continuing, it must be noted that the bit is an inanimate object, without human intervention the bit remains static.

The bit is not hard, it is the rider hands which are hard, coupled with the lack of balance. The western bit is a high precision instrument, designed to cause the least possible disruption. 

The dimensions of the top lever, the width of the mouth, the length of the front lever and the shape of the mouthpiece must be taken into account when finding a correct bit for your horse. As with any tool, its use depends on the rider. 

What different types of bits we can choose for Spanish bridles? How can we choose?

Finding the right bit for your horse can be a challenge, particularly if it is new to you and the rider and horse are still learning about each other.

A comprehensive and experienced trainer's eye is often a great help, as he or she is able to assess the horse and rider as a pair and spot the signs the horse is showing and suggest a good bit to try.  However, there are some indicators of conformation that can help in suggesting what type of bit may be right for your horse and narrow down the search. 

Certain types of horses may be susceptible to certain mouth shapes, for example, cob type horses often have large tongues that leave little room for a coarse bit to sit comfortably. 

Using a thick bit on a large-tongued horse will often cause the horse to open its mouth, push its tongue out, or try to run its tongue over the bit, any to relieve pressure. Flashing is often used to stop this behavior, but a biological mix such as a cough relieves the symptoms but does not fix the problem.

Thin bits are often considered severe, but if a horse has a thick tongue, a thinner bit will enable him to relax and swallow when a thicker bit would not, assuming the rider is sufficiently proficient not to need the reins for back support, the thin bit is actually much gentler on the horse.

Finally, when you examine your horse's mouth, look carefully at the form and anything that is either different or abnormal, as even small things can make a huge difference in the way the animal responds to the bit.

When should we use a Spanish bitless bridle?

There are several types of reasons to try a Spanish bitless bridle. For example, some horses need a bitless bridle because of physical issues in the mouth, from jaw breaks and melanomas to tongue damage. On the other hand, rider behaviors, such as head jerking, spooking, head bobbing and excessive salivation, also lead them to explore bitless choices.

Furthermore, there has been a trend away from the traditional methods of the past 60-70 years in horse breeding, and toward a more natural, enriching environment and positive, science-based training methods. Part of it is that more and more riders are questioning what was previously accepted, and the use of the bit is part of that.

However, the main reason is that bitless bridles have been observed to solve a range of problems, from head movement and bridle lameness to napping, nervousness and anxiety.

You will be able to find different types of Spanish bridles for sale, you can have a look at our options, and If you have any question, contact us, we will be happy to help you finding out which kind of Spanish style horse bridles exist in our catalog.

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