Does Your Western Horse Have A Bridle Path?

[cutter99]

Do you trim your horse’s bridle path? Do you think it is personal preference or is there any logical reason to keep it one way or another?

I started as an English rider forty some odd years ago, and every English horse had a well trimmed bridle path. I made the transition to Western horses in the early 90s, showing halter, showmanship, and rail classes, and again, every horse had a well trimmed bridle path. I started showing cutters 15 years ago, and was told you NEVER cut a bridle path as you want as as much mane flying around as possible.

My horses are natural at the moment and when I was grooming one today I noticed that the halter was kind of pulling in the area across the poll because of the untrimmed bridle path.

[Beverley]

I’ve always preferred a bridle path, I don’t make it very long these days, just enough for the bridle, really, as opposed to when I showed western back in the day. Actually the other day I rode a friend’s horse English, a draft cross with long mane and no bridle path, and getting that bridle on was the devil, what with sorting out all that hair.

[Donkaloosa]

I used to keep my bridle path very short — like was said above, just big enough for the headstall to fit, so maybe an inch or so wide. Still have plenty of mane to fly around, but it’s easier to get the bridle on and off and it doesn’t get tangled.

[Tee]

Oh my gosh, yes. I can’t imagine dealing with all that hair for haltering and bridling.

[aktill]

Yep, always. Just wide enough for the headstall.

[reinerspook]

No bridle path here.

[Aces_N_Eights]

Depends.

On my personal horses and ranch horses, some I show (cow horse, ranch horse) and rodeo, if they have a big thick mane that makes haltering and bridling a pain I cut a short one. On horses that have a thinner mane and it doesn’t create an issue or look unkempt, I don’t worry about it.

If I showed breed shows at the regional and national level in classes like halter, etc. then of course then I would Cut a bridle path appropriate for the breed and class.

[bugsynskeeter]

None here, but that is just because I haven’t gotten to it yet. Clipper training isn’t high on the list of things right now, but it will be soon with the insane mane my 2 y/o has.

[kewpalace]

When I show I cut a short one. Right now I am showing only my QH mare, so she has one. Sicne she is in the two rein, it is especially necessary.

My 1/2 Arab mare is semi-retired (just cuz I have no time to ride both); I have not shown her for over a year, so she has no bridle path.

[sk_pacer]

The old method was a bridle path as long as the victim…er horse’s ear. Longer was either a mistake, a rubbed mane or someone trying to be ‘fancy’. There were also a lot of roached manes around here

[craz4crtrs]

My mare’s mane is so thick and long I can’t stand trying to get a bridle on with all that hair. I let it go for several months this winter, but I got my little clippers out and trimmed a bridle path. I also trail ride and sometimes have a halter on underneath the bridle. I do about a 2 inch bridle path. She is happier not having her hair pulled or tangled in her tack.

[aktill]

My reasoning came from dealing with a lot of “poofy haired” horses. Depending on the mane’s attitude on any given day, some could actually alter where the bit would sit (how high).

A bridle path that’s very short will actually help to “seat” the bridle too, because if they go to rub a full mane will protect the bridle a bit.

[gaitedincali]

The mane is too big of a PITA if I don’t. I do a long one, because I think it looks better, but even if a horse needs time to be okay with clippers they at least get a small one hand-scissored in.

[Luseride]

I trim one but it is pretty short. I think it looks nicer that way. Without the trim hair tends to bet tangled and the bridle does not sit as well.

Our MFT has a great mane and forelock and should show in full hair for lack of a better term. He also has a neat bridlepath.

[BeaSting]

I scissor in a very short (about 1") bridle path on my Appaloosa mare. She’s got a short, natural mohawk mane, and her little forelock is soft and poufy.

[BayRoan]

Yes, any horse I’m riding has a regularly clipped bridle path. I still like it about the length of the ear, regardless of length of mane. I think it helps the horse look well kept and it lets the headstall lay nice and flat/close. Some horses that are thin skinned do not like having mane hair trapped under the headstall when they get hot and itchy. Regular clipping also makes it a normal part of their routine, and not a big dramatic deal.

[beau159]

I have always trimmed a bridle path. Makes it so much easier for haltering and bridling to have a little area to “part” the hair.

I keep mine really small though. Pretty much just wide enough for the halter or bridle.

[dappledreamer]

i like my horse to have a short one, but I like them either way

[Showbizz]

Mine all do.

[Fillabeana]

All of my horses are ranch horses, they generally don’t go to town.

One mare, with a ‘pet name’ of Kerfuffle MuppetHair…gets a bridle path. If you don’t, the mane interferes with the bridle. She’s pretty sensitive, and hates having her hair tangled with the bridle. She’ll shake her head, in a browband bridle with a snug throatlatch, and take a bridle off any time she likes. So it’s in both of our best interests to keep her comfortable!

My young/started horse, is pretty hairy also. While I haven’t done a bridlepath before, I likely will as I start riding her more.

I’d trim maybe two or three inches, just what is needed to keep the hair from interfering.

The other three horses don’t have thick manes.
I used to keep a bridle path on them, but some spring after they were grown out, I didn’t cut the bridle path. And it worked just fine.