Am I remembering correctly that back a (significant) number of years ago, eventers would tie string around the crownpiece of the bridle and braid it into the first few inches of mane at the poll so that the bridle couldn’t slip off? Maybe that needs to be SOP again and for the jumpers, too.
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Agreed. The throatlarch is to orevent this but people don’t make them tight enough!
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Absolutely correct. Back in the days you could continue after a fall, it was crucial the bridle stay on a horse. Most people taped around the rein and bit hook studs as well. And overgirths. People were safety conscious back then, just didn’t have all the information and equipment we do now.
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Whoa. That video was pretty darn crazy. Thanks for posting it.
It was very lucky that everybody came through relatively unscathed.
I was in the second row right at that jump. Unfortunately when the rider fell, the bridle came off and was flapping around under the belly/back legs. Horse was in shear panic mode and bulldozed the ground crew. The person in front of me was filming. We went back and looked, and thankfully he was not stepped on. It sounds like he is okay! He did a great job staying still and waiting for medics to assess him. They were quick getting to him. Props to them! The horse galloped around panicked, jumped a vertical, and seemed to jump through the kiss and cry area and took off towards warmup. Sounds like the horse was then caught and is okay. It was scary to watch! So glad the horse didn’t break a leg and the grounds person is okay.
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I still do this, and braid the bonnet in too- but I have crocheted bonnets and I think those are out of favor as bonnets now are more “ear muff” than fly protection?
Are the horse masks I now see for the purpose of keeping them on to help avoid this situation? I noticed at this event that Rodrigo Pessoa had one and one other rider, I believe. Are they for another reason? I took this in the warmup arena.
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Depending on who you talk to those are to help keep horses calm…or at least lighten the load of the owner’s wallets.
Em
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If people would adjust the throatlatch properly the bridles would stay on.
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Hard to believe this was 10 years ago. Pretty impressive feat, though.
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There was a bridle that broke at the AQHA world show in the reining a few years back. Unfortunately, rules stipulated that despite finishing (quite well, actually), the pair was disqualified.
I think braiding in the crown is the smart move. And hobble training horses. I’m a big believer in “loud riders, quiet horses” – meaning mine are exposed to a lot of insanity at home (flapping feed bags, ribbons and banners blowing in the wind, streamers hanging off of saddles, etc) so that when it happens in a less controlled environment, we’ve got half a chance rather than no chance at all. 
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I have a noise sensitive horse who also likes to shake off his fly bonnet. I definitely need to braid it in! Does anyone have an example of how to do this?
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I always expose my horses to everything that way they are comfy with strange noises. Trying to keep the world quiet will always backfire when the environment is so unpredictable
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I still don’t understand why so many people use the bonnets. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a show where the flies were so bad that you had to cover your horses ears (used to show in Florida even). Fly spray always did the trick. And if it’s for sound - use ear plugs? It seems like it started as (and still is) just a fashion statement and so everyone thinks they need one. 🤷
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Some horses will not tolerate ear plugs (either the putting them in, taking them out, or they shale constantly). Additionally they’re illegal in several equestrian sports.
There’s lots of silly stuff that’s a fashion statement in the horse world. This one happens to also be a safety issue. I hate bonnets for this reason - plus, I can never get them situated just right where I don’t feel like they are binding somewhere.
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Didn’t realize ear plugs were illegal in some disciplines. I’ve never shown in them myself, just used them as a groom.
At the risk of advocating for more rules 
seems like something needs to be done about bonnets since this keeps happening. 🤷
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It’s more the gnats that my horses don’t like. Or their own forelock says my mare.
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If ear plugs are illegal, I’m sure the bonnets would be as well, or at least make the judge wonder WTF.
The only equestrian sports I see them in is dressage, jumpers, some driving events (sorry, having a brain cramp and can’t remember the correct name for it) and racing of all types.
Believe it or not, no. You can use sound reducing bonnets but not ear plugs in eventing dressage. Not 100% sure of others.
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Thanks! I learned something new today. 
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