I have a lovely old bridle that I would love to hang in my office—but I’m looking for inspiration! Has anyone done this? Did you put it in a shadow box or similar? TIA!
Would not do it if it is a non horse related business (unless you own the business - then you can do what you want)
If the bridle was worn by a racehorse you own/owned winning a stakes race or something of that magnitude of honor then hang it up.
But that is just me.
Yep… and not an answer to the OP’s question at all…
OP, I’ve done it in a shadow box and it looked neat. Had lot’s of positive comments on it, and a good conversation starter.
I’ve added a picture, a name plate and a ribbon to the box - on a beige background. The box is made of thin darker brown wood.
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Hanging a bridle in her office is bad how? :rolleyes:
I have an old double bridle hanging in my living room. Mine doesn’t have any sort of sentimental value (not sure if yours does) so I just got a heavy duty Command hook that looks like it’s a silver bridle hook. If you want to be fancy, I would do something more like a shadow box.
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I put my first horse’s bridle in a shadow box. There were a few other things as well.
”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹Another possibility is to find a nice bridle hook and mount it on a nicely finished piece of wood long enough for the entire bridle to be “framed” when it hangs on the hook.
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might be a little overbearing if they have this for display
https://www.amazon.com/Sized-Molded-…/dp/B06XTXW8WS
I never had anything personal in my office (the few times I had an office to go to as I spent most of my life in outside endeavors) . I went to the office to do the company’s business. Also when I left the business, as I did once, all I needed to do was to hand them my keys to the building.
I guess it could be said that having the bridle hanging in the office could promote daydreaming of what one could be doing if they were not trapped in that blasted office
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:rolleyes: It’s incredible the way you have an irrelevant anecdote for everything on here. I miss the block feature.
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Who said it was not an in home office ?
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Aw, you naysayers are no fun. :winkgrin: I have a bit of personal items in my office, quelle horreur – a whole row of plants, a couple of pictures of my gelding (you know, the only real reason I work every day :lol: ), and a painting of a foxhunt scene. So long as it is not in the way of OP’s customers (if they come into the office) or distracting, I don’t see the harm. It adds charm to my office, makes me seem a bit more human, in my perspective. YMMV.
OP, I think if you did a nice wall mount (if you are allowed to mount on company walls, one of those “ask first” things unless you’re WFH) you could get those classy brass/wood mounts and put the bridle up there, figure-eighted over itself. I have a similar thing in my kitchen - it’s my favorite horse’s bridle, which was a gift to me and him years ago by a barnmate. He has since passed, but I keep the bridle up by the mantle of his photos. I think it’s a nice touch and it makes me smile whenever I look at it.
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What a couple weird responses!!! OP: I think it would be perfect for you to utilize/display a special or simply antique treasured bridle in ANY location ANY way you would like! For those of you who have done so, I’d love to see photos of how/what you did. 
I have a really unique circle y from the late 70s-80s western one ear headstall. Belonged to a friend who gifted it to myself and my daughter back when we were doing schooling shows with our arab and dabbled in some of the WP dress up fun classes (have only seriously pursued Dressage…and some Hunter under saddle). Anyway. THIS headstall drips with the silver ear, silver bit hangers, and an attractive set of romals. But it was also the item my one time barn mate crowbarred my locked trailer at the boarding barn and stole and sold on ebay. And I caught her ebay ad…she got a Grand Jury indictment, and authorities and myself got the headstall back. So lots of reasons I WILL hang/display it in a unique way just for a fun decoration. Hope to use mine in our downstairs rec area, with painted brick wall portion, lots of my antique oak furniture. So more casual . ----
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I’d get a shadowbox frame, just so dusting would be a non-issue 
Otherwise, in any office it would most certainly be a conversation starter - for both horsy & non-horsy viewers.
I used an old D-ring snaffle bit as a paperweight & that’s how I learned it resembled the handcuffs from the Titanic movie :o
Co-workers asked what kind of kink it was for, or if I meant it for clients (I worked Collection for Corporate Groups at a hotel).
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me too, and the board sure does also since it has lost about 40% of its former members
The ability to look at items from various points of view is why I paid to review installation manuals
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Go ahead hang it up in your office but don’t question why your paycheck is stagnant while others are getting cost of living adjustments.
The average non horse person do not know the difference between straw and hay.
Horses by non equestrians are seen at the plaything of elitists. (do a thread search on Rafalca 2012 -they eviscerated Romney as an elitist for being a part owner in an Olympic class horse while the part owners of yachts (that cost hundreds of times more) got a pass)
If you advertise that you are a horse owner, a non-horse employer will view you as someone who can already afford luxuries and do not ‘need’ a raise as you are obviously a trust fund baby or supported by someone rich and just working to occupy your time.
They don’t know that you live in an apartment smaller than your horses stall and live on ramen to afford your horse, nor do they care if you do. In their minds if you ride you are rich.
Don’t advertise your passion is the same as the ‘elite’ most of them spend to watch and brag - we spend to ride and bond.
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Okay, well, I have to say this isn’t true for me. Maybe your mileage varies.
Four years ago I got a job working for a municipality. Office job, lots of structure and control, tons of oversight and lots of moving parts…
Since day one I have made it known I am a horse person, I have no kids, but my horse is my “kid”. I have several photos of him in my office. My boss’s small talk every morning is “hows the horsey?”, and I ask him how his sons are.
To date, I have taken probably 20 personal days in the 4 years I’ve been here, because of my horse - all of them related to medical emergencies. I mention this because, there have been times I have not been the model worker and I have totally prioritized my commitment to my horse over my job. Work/life balance is important and my job recognizes that every employee they have has a passion outside of work that is more important.
My first year anniversary they gave me a COL increase in my salary and a 2% merit increase.
My second year they gave me a COL increase and a 2.5% merit increase.
My third year, a COL living increase and a 2.5% increase.
Mid year I went to them and said, I am not making enough for what I do - I am an asset here, I would like more to bump me up to a more competitive wage (private sector pays a bit more than what I am making). They gave me an 11% salary increase.
I just had my fourth anniversary and annual performance review, and have another 4% increase going to my salary.
I’m not buying it. If you’re a hard worker, and you’re working for a good place (as I am), that won’t be an issue. Sometimes you will have to advocate for yourself, as I did, but a good company does not assume if you have horses you are independently wealthy. I have never had my horse come up in any of my performance reviews, or in any negotiation I’ve made for vacation, pay, or sick time.
My boss knows exactly how much I make – he knows I am not a millionaire… lol…
EDIT:
I should edit – “my boss knows exactly how little I make” – I am just now making a ‘competitive’ wage after all of these salary adjustments, but I still make well below $100,000 a year and live outside of Boston… so… Do the math. :encouragement:
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Well . . .
In my department, there are two of us that have horses. This is a known fact. We make the same as everyone else; we get the same raises and the same COLAs. Anything else would be regarded by us, and our union, as discrimination. No one thinks we have money because we have horses. In fact, everyone knows the opposite is really true.
Unless you know what the OP does for a living, you don’t know anything about their wages or raises. Perhaps this is a home office. Perhaps the OP is a one-person show. We don’t know.
My office houses part of my art collection, a couple of vintage suitcases with travel stickers from the 1930s, my refugee plants from home, and my framed Hamilton poster and ticket, along with my own framed photos and a few knicknacks. I don’t think anyone will care what the OP hangs in their office.
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I think I’m falling on the side of “not something I would do” on this --although I did enjoy @2DogsFarm take on the subject – I think whoever said it was an individual choice is correct --while I don’t think there is anything wrong with hanging a beautiful antique bridle in one’s office, it isn’t something I would do --unless it was a home office.
[skip next part, @clanter , for I too am given to posting rather pointless, meandering stories to illustrate my opinion] –
I taught high school for 40+ years --were anyone to come into my classroom (which was my office, too), he/she would find much “English Teacher” present in the form of posters of famous authors, and of course, what Psychology Teacher does not have a bust of Freud on her desk and a few ink blots decorating the walls – but no place would one find indications of my “real” life — pictures of my horses, any publications with my writing, photos of my kids or husband.
Occasionally a student would ask about the book I wrote years ago (there was a copy in the school library that was occasionally checked out --like once every 5-6 years); occasionally another teacher would ask after the dogs we showed, and occasionally someone would ask after the kids or their accomplishments -my answers were pleasant and to the point --fact is, I went to school to work --I did my job well --and left it there. Now retired for 5 years --I have remained in contact with only one colleague --and I’m good with that.
My personal life and my professional life were separate --I liked it that way --but I will say, having been asked back to the school more than a few times to help with IT issues --I am a dying breed -the “young teachers” (and they are all young these days, it seems) --share much with the students --ultrasound pictures of pregnancies --personal awards and accomplishments decorate classrooms now --I think that’s great --but it isn’t what I would do. To me, the classroom (office) was to focus on the job --teaching --not me --the teacher.
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Totally disagreeing with @Foxglove .It is absolutely possible to remain professional while allowing some of your personal life to exist in the classroom. I taught for 26 years, HS, some in a drop out prevention/alternative program. Everyone knew I was a horse person, the kids loved it, asked how I did at shows… and one of the school admins hung her ribbons in her office. It gave the kids a “hook” to see us as “real” people, not just a talking head they had to listen to.
The other 4 years to retirement were as a park ranger and at that time I was def. too poor for a horse.
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This makes me think of the time I worked in a long term care facility and the director of nurses had pictures of her horses ALL over her office. When I asked her about them she got mad. Complete headscratcher on that as my interest was stated something along the lines of “nice horse, I have one too” which I thought was pretty benign. My point is if it makes you happy, hang it up :yes:. But if it’s not a home office be prepared for random questions from nosey peeps like me.
I like beowulf’s idea alot, a fancy bridle hanger and figure-eight the bridle.
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BS…
You think you’re gonna get a bigger raise if you show up at work in rags?
I’m a hs teacher and kids know that I ride. I even make them read litterature about horses!!!
And they know I’m far from being rich. And even so… what would it matter if I was?!
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not worth commenting on that somehow a display of your horse hobby is somehow going to harm you as elitist, sheesh
more interested at the notion of keeping a bridle in a sealed case. How do those who do manage the leather health?
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