New style “anatomical” bridle craze?

[Blueeyedroan]

Can anyone here help me understand the seemingly new craze of “anatomical” bridles ? It’s like it all started with the Micklem then just snowballed.
Now there’s all these bridles with weird nosebands that resemble an artistically recreated drop type noseband.
Why are these so popular ?
Who is using them?
What positive effect do people think they have ?
What positive effect do they ACTUALLY have ?

What ever happened to a good old fashioned , classy , hunter type bridle ? Hunters , jumpers , eventing , trail riding , the one classically styled bridle that looked clean and professional in any ring ? A nice Vespucci hunter bridle - perfection.
I’ve been guilty of donning the odd (fastened loosely as possible without looking sloppy) figure 8 in the jumper ring to “fit in”. But that’s as far from the classic style as I’m willing to venture.

Enlighten me to the new ways of tying a horses mouth shut…. Apparently I’m out of the loop.

[TheJenners]

@Blueeyedroan

Enlighten me to the new ways of tying a horses mouth shut….

Well that’s not what it is… It took me a few years to find a bridle that my fussy gelding accepted. He likes it. It is far from tight, seeing as the little turd can still eat grass

[LilDunFilly]

@Blueeyedroan

What ever happened to a good old fashioned , classy , hunter type bridle ?

Tastes change? You can absolutely still buy old-styled bridles at basically any tack store. Don’t think that has anything to do with looking “clean” or “professional” but those types of bridles are definitely still around. I personally love the feel of a nice padded crown piece and would start with one of those for my mare because I think it be more comfortable.

@Blueeyedroan

Why are these so popular ? Who is using them?

You’ll find people at all levels of riding using something labeled “anatomical”. Some people just chase the latest craze and some people find their horse goes better in a less-conventional setup. Others just like the look of them more. Barn had a mare who had facial surgery, then needed a different bridle while she healed.

@Blueeyedroan

What positive effect do people think they have ? What positive effect do they ACTUALLY have ?

The reputed “benefit” of most anatomical bridles is less pinching of sensitive facial nerves. A traditional bridle sits on top of them while anatomical bridles don’t/do less. Like any piece of tack, some horses do much better in it while others see no change or do worse. It seems like a personal preference kind of thing.

I’m a big fan of riding in tack I find to be aesthetically pleasing (read: cute) because… I find it cute and I spend a lot of money to enjoy this sport so why not. I ride Western and have multiple flashy/colorful bridle/breast collar sets because I like them. The western trainer I ride with uses plain, no-nonsense one-eared headstalls for basically every horse. It’s just a matter of preference.

[soloudinhere]

What’s with all these new fancy running shoes with cushioning and carbon plates and knit mesh uppers? What happened to a nice classic Nike Boston with zero padding, no shank support, and that nice hot nylon shell? I guess I just must be out of the loop as I’ve been wearing mine since the 1970s and these new shoes must just be a fad.

It’s called innovation. It happens with the passage of time. We know a lot more now about the sources and fixes for facial nerve pressure and how to make horses a lot more comfortable. Not all anatomical designs are wacky. Many are completely normal and it’s pretty offensive to assume that everyone using something different than you is “tying the horse’s mouth shut.”

[Red_Barn]

@Blueeyedroan

Why are these so popular ?

In most cases, I think it’s pure marketing, and little else. How else to get people to buy new bridles, which - let’s face it - rarely wear out with ordinary use? Fashions in tack are like fashions in anything else.

In a few cases, though, the new styles actually solve real problems. Horses that are hard to bit, or super fussy, or very sensitive in one area or another sometimes appreciate them very much.

In a way, “anatomical” bridles are like gluten-free bread: a God send for the few people who really are sensitive, and a trendy marketing ploy for the rest.

[Blueeyedroan]

There’s actually very little assumption involved in using the phrase “tying a horse’s mouth shut” in relation to a noseband. That’s literally, exactly , what most of them were designed to do.
The bridles I’m referring to look especially akin to a “drop” noseband which is used to prevent bit evasion, by making it physically impossible or difficult for the horse to open its mouth or cross its jaw.
I am sorry that education and factualism offends you. But assumption has nothing to do with it.

Drop nosebands mostly fell out of popularity many years ago due to the reported negative effects of applying pressure to the delicate tissues of the lower facial area , and pressure over cartilage - not bone. Many young riders were taught to avoid them for this reason. That was the “science” of the times I was educated in.

Now,~to me~ these “anatomical” bridles look a lot like a glorified drop and are often presented fitted as such (very low on face).
Marketing is singing the praises about this being the opposite of everything I was taught about low fitted nosebands.

So yes , I know what marketing would like us to think.
I was wondering more about what the actual effects are and why you use one .

Understanding is key in my world . I like to question things !

[Blueeyedroan]

I AM a huge fan of anatomical crown pieces / monocrowns. Literally addicted. I have at least 3 Vespuccis that don’t fit my horses but I still won’t get rid of . Butter soft leather , padded monocrown, horses literally react better to them.
My baby is the CWD anatomical bridle.

So I can’t say I’m not guilty of buying into the anatomical trend myself. They made sense to me in the first place. I then tried them , saw the difference, and that was enough to sell me on them . They are simply better in every way.

What I’m not sold on yet is the anatomical noseband craze and that’s what I’m trying to understand.

[Red_Barn]

@Blueeyedroan

The bridles I’m referring to look especially akin to a “drop” noseband which is used to prevent bit evasion, by making it physically impossible or difficult for the horse to open its mouth or cross its jaw.

I hate these too - but then, I also refuse to use a flash, so I’m clearly out of step with the majority in general.

[Snowdenfarm]

@Red_Barn

I hate these too - but then, I also refuse to use a flash, so I’m clearly out of step with the majority in general.

I am right there out of step with you!

[Willesdon]

I once asked Dickie Waygood, Team GB Performance Manager etc, if Micklem bridles make a difference. His simple reply: “Some horses like them, some don’t”. Horses have opinions and preferences too.

But I personally think many of the anatomical bridles are seeking to deal with non-existent problems. A correctly fitted classic plain one will also avoid the pressure on facial blood vessels and nerves that the anatomical ones claim to prevent.

[Libby2563]

@Blueeyedroan

What I’m not sold on yet is the anatomical noseband craze and that’s what I’m trying to understand.

Have you looked at any of the Fairfax bridle research? They measured pressure under different parts of different bridles and used the results to design their bridle. Here are some of the findings regarding nosebands:

• A cavesson noseband fitted high up against the cheekbones puts pressure on arteries running directly under the end of cheekbone and causes reduced joint flexion compared to a correctly fitting noseband.
• Flash nosebands cause the most pressure and have the most detrimental effect on a horse’s movement. A flash strap dragging down the lower edge of the cavesson part is the most antagonistic high-pressure noseband design we tested.
• Drop and grackle nosebands perform better in terms of pressure reduction and freedom of movement compared to any other conventional noseband we tested.
• A crank noseband exerts less pressure than a normal cavesson! This is perhaps one of the most surprising and controversial findings of the scientific trials (see below)

https://www.fairfaxsaddles.com/bridles/bridle-testing-and-design

[Blueeyedroan]

This is interesting! Will look deeper into it.

If I had my way I wouldn’t ride with a noseband at all. More to clean, more to do up and undo. Mine are done up loosely at best and exist to look proper not perform any function.
I dig western bridles what can I say .

[soloudinhere]

I hardly think it’s a craze - at least in dressage world where I live. The only one you really see beyond the very entry level is the Tota noseband, which has its devotees and detractors.

I suspect the craze at least in eventing is due to the high percentage of off the track horses with mouth issues.

I spend my money on expensive bits with research behind them, and the Fairfax bridles which also have research supporting them.

[JB]

@Blueeyedroan

What ever happened to a good old fashioned , classy , hunter type bridle ?

They are 100% still out there, look in every Hunter ring

@Blueeyedroan

Enlighten me to the new ways of tying a horses mouth shut

If you’re using a noseband to tie the mouth shut, you’re doing it wrong. Their intention is to keep the horse from gaping his mouth and potentially allowing a cheek piece to get into the mouth. That’s the other end of the spectrum of strapping it shut. Some setups are also designed to help keep a horse from crossing his jaw and evading your hands.

They should never, ever be so tight the horse can’t open his mouth at all.

@Blueeyedroan

What positive effect do they ACTUALLY have ?

They avoid the sensitive pressure points and nerves, they curve around the back of the ears to not rub, they often are shaped to not put pressure against the front molars, some have cheek pieces set really low to get away from the nerves and veins up closer to the eyes, and probably more details I’m forgetting.

Every make has different qualities, many of them have different models or are adjustable enough, to suit a variety of head conformations and needs

Lots of people DO probably buy them because they’re popular, find they don’t do anything different for their horse OR make him worse, because they had no idea how to connect their horse’s head to a particular set of anatomical considerations. That’s not the bridle’s problem.

@Blueeyedroan

Now,~to me~ these “anatomical” bridles look a lot like a glorified drop and are often presented fitted as such (very low on face).

What bridles are you looking at?
This Stuuben Freedom is most definitely not a drop at all

Schockehmohle Equitus looks like a drop at first glance but that’s because of how the cheek piece is, NOT because of where the noseband is

PS of Sweden is definitely not a drop

Myth Busting the Anatomical Bridle | Eland Lodge

[JB]

Here’s another article talking about some of the actual research that went into looking at where nerves and blood vessels lie in relation to traditional bridle conformations
Best Guide for Anatomic Bridles Explained - 2019 Edition • TackNRider

And I’m pretty sure this anatomical Hunter bridle would be (and probably already is) widely accepted in the Hunter ring

[TheJenners]

Thank you @JB. OP seems bound (ha) and determined to snark at any bridle other than what she uses and prefers despite what others are posting re same.

[Blueeyedroan]

No snark.
Although I do not want to use them myself or personally agree with how many styles of nosebands are commonly used, I’m not here to shame anyone for their choices or argue.
To each their own .
It just clashes with a lot of what I was taught and I am seeking a deeper understanding.

JB has provided much educational material for me to browse over , thank you ! I will find the answers I seek within

[Blueeyedroan]

And as I said before I was referring to the noseband more so than the anatomical crown piece…… which I absolutely understand and employ.

I’m also seeing that a lot of these nosebands are actually meant to be fitted higher up than what I’m seeing in person. Which is what is making them look more like the “drop” noseband style.

[soloudinhere]

Just a note on the drop noseband.

Regardless of what you might have been taught in the States, in many areas of Europe the drop is the standard noseband for young horses and Valegro himself went in a drop for his snaffle for the vast majority of his career. The noseband helps support the bit in the mouth and hold it still, and it’s much less leverage than a flash noseband.

There’s nothing inherently wrong or “bad” about a drop so comparing these nosebands to one doesn’t really mean anything. It’s just another style of noseband.

Also, for the record, OP your post title is about anatomical BRIDLES not anatomical NOSEBANDS. You admit to using an anatomic crown because it’s better. So why the snark about an anatomic noseband, beyond that you don’t get the physics of it but somehow do for the crownpiece?

[Blueeyedroan]

I’m sorry your feelings are hurt but there was no snark. Just trying to gain understanding and education before my opinion is set in stone.

And yes I could have titled it differently but if you read my original post it’s clearly the noseband in question.