Purpose of a Bridle

A bridle is a piece of equipment, known as tack, used when riding horses. The purpose of the bridle is to communicate with the horse, as well as to control and guide it. The bridle can be used to steer, control speed and ask the horse for different maneuvers. While this piece of tack helps the rider tell the horse whether to go left or right, slower or faster, it also has subtler purposes, like when it is used to get the horse to collect and flex.

  1. Communication

    • The main purpose of the bridle is to communicate with the horse, and various parts of this piece of tack aid in the understanding between horse and rider. The most essential elements of most bridles are the headstall, bit and reins. The headstall is the framework of the bridle; other pieces that may be present, like the throatlatch or browband, will be attached to them. The bit, which is also attached to the headstall, is the part that goes into the horse's mouth, and the reins, attached to the bit, provide a link between horse and rider.

    Guidance

    • Because the reins connect the rider's hands to the bit in the horse's mouth, these pieces of the bridle play a large part in guiding the horse. A good rider will have light hands and use subtle cues to gently guide the horse in the desired direction and at a certain pace. Reins and bits will also help direct the horse to flex or collect. Various maneuvers may be performed when a rider correctly puts the guiding purpose of the bridle to use.

    Control

    • Bridles serve the purpose of offering the rider a measure of control over the horse. A horse that is spooked or has run away can be brought back to a safe speed by using the bridle, bit and reins. Gentle but firm pressure on the reins can also steady a nervous horse. The purpose of having a bridle on high-strung horses or breeding stallions is to provide more control for human handlers as well.

    Different Types of Bridles

    • There are various types of bridles, and while each serves the main purposes of communicating with the horse, guiding and providing control, certain bridles have features that perform other additional functions. Some come with two sets of reins or two sets of bits, both of which enable the rider to send the horse more cues and signals. Other bridles are completely bitless and rely on other points of pressure to fulfill a bridle's purpose of directing the horse where the rider instructs.