Bridles or Reins

An English bridle is a stylish and functional part of a horse’s tack, providing control over the horse’s direction and speed through the use of the bit and reins. The type and style of bridle that a rider chooses is often based on the rider’s choice of discipline, the comfort of the horse and the rider’s design preference. Horze Equestrian offers a large selection of bridles of their own designs as well as those by B Vertigo and Zilco. English bridles generally consist of a crownpiece, browband, cheekpieces, throatlatch and cavesson or noseband. Although the bit and reins are technically part of the bridle, English bits are rarely sold with the bridle and reins may be included or they may not be included. English bridles are traditionally made of brown or black leather, although synthetic leather or coated webbing is popular with trail riders and for racing.

Types of English Bridles

The most common type of English Bridle is the snaffle bridle; snaffle bridles are designed to be used with both snaffle bits and most combination bits like pelhams. Snaffle bridles are often broken down into types based on the type of cavesson included. Common cavesson types are the standard, plain or French cavesson, flash cavesson, dropped noseband and figure 8 or Mexican noseband. These different styles of nosebands offer varying levels of control and structure for the horse. A new style of snaffle bridle that is becoming popular is the ergonomic or anatomical bridle that is designed to fit more closely to the skeletal structure of the horse’s head, while offering the same level of control as a standard bridle. A Weymouth or Double bridle looks visually similar to a snaffle bridle, but features a bradoon hanger allowing it to be used with two bits.

It is only available with a plain style cavesson. This type of bridle is typically used in upper level dressage competitions. The bitless bridle is a common alternative to the traditional English Bridle. This type of bridle uses a cross under or side pull control mechanism to use pressure on the horse’s head to provide directional and speed control rather than a traditional bit. This type of bridle is generally not legal for competition, but is popular for schooling or trail riding. Horze Equestrian provides high quality, European-inspired English bridles that are suitable for hunter/jumpers, dressage, eventing and trail riding.

For riders that wish to customize the design or sizing of their bridle, Horze Equestrian offers replacement parts in a wide range of sizes. Browbands are an easy way to change the look of a bridle and Horze offers an array of decorative browbands, including popular bling style browbands with crystal, pearl or metallic accents. Other common replacement parts are flash noseband straps and bridle covers.

English Reins

English reins are an extremely important part of the bridle. Reins provide direct contact with the bit and allow control of the horse. Horze Equestrian offers all common types of English reins including laced, web, rubber and plain leather. The traditional laced rein is a popular style for hunter riders, offering a classic look and a moderate amount of grip. Web reins are an economical choice that features a leather end with a cotton or nylon blend insert where the reins are held in the hand; they are commonly enhanced with leather hand stops for additional grip. These reins are popular in dressage. Rubber reins also feature leather at the ends, but offer a rubber coating at the hand grip section for superior grip, even in adverse conditions, which makes them popular with jumpers and eventers. Intertwined rubber and web reins are also an option for riders who want more grip, but prefer a lighter, thinner rein. Plain leather reins are often available in a narrower width and are used as a secondary rein for a curb bit. Standard width leather reins with hand stops are sometimes also used for dressage.

Horze Equestrian features a wide selection of European inspired bridlework that is designed for the American horse and rider, whether you’re looking for an economical schooling bridle or a premier design that is suitable for championship shows.