Proper bridle fit & comfort for the horse

[mydogs]

Im trying to wrap my head around this and unfortunately my google results aren’t helping much.

I found this photo:
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/25/5c/06/2…door-rooms.jpg

In my mind, I see three things that I would imagine would not be comfortable for the horse.

1. where the browband and nose/cheek pieces intersect, there is a bony bump (can’t for the life of me find the name of this bone). Wouldn’t it be irritating to have the bridle touching this bone?

2. The noseband strap looks awfully close to the horse’s eye, as well as the buckles. It just looks “too close for comfort” to me.

3. The crown piece looks like it is digging into the back of the horse’s ear.

Im by no means judging this horse/product/brand or whatever. It just happen to appear in my google results for an example.

If I am wrong in my above thinking, I would love more information on how this is either the correct fit for the horse & why. Or if it truly does cause the horse discomfort, I would love to know why (what bones or nerves is it hitting?).

Ive been really looking into different aspects of the horse’s comfort and the bridle is the piece that has really stumped me.

[CHT]

I have also struggled with bridle comfort as some of the mono crown shaped crownpeices curve forward into the base of the ear if the horse rotates its ears back, and makes the skin wrinkle. The arch of the cut back needs to go lower.

Also notice a lot of noseband straps are very close to the cheek bone.

I am not sure that the brow band against the bony area is much of a concern though, as I would think the brow band is relatively loose (so no pressure)

[mydogs]

@CHT

I am not sure that the brow band against the bony area is much of a concern though, as I would think the brow band is relatively loose (so no pressure)

I think the strap for the noseband would be more irritating on that bony area since that part lays against the face. Just seems like an annoyance.

[Scribbler]

Any fit issues could be solved with a longer browband. Everything could then slide back a little bit. As far as discomfort, the flash and the crank would cause more discomfort than anything else on this bridle.

[sheltona01]

If you want to read about some research into bridle fitting. http://www.fairfaxsaddles.com/bridles/bridle-testing-and-design

There is more to it than most people realize.

[beowulf]

@sheltona01

If you want to read about some research into bridle fitting. http://www.fairfaxsaddles.com/bridle…ing-and-design

There is more to it than most people realize.

well, a bridle and bit really, is an inherently uncomfortable thing - no matter how you put it you are still putting metal in a horse’s mouth. not against bits at all, but it’s nice to see people are working towards solutions that are more ergonomic and comfortable for the horse. glad someone is actually doing studies on it - i’ve been saying for years that the traditional bridle needs a revision.

[Scribbler]

@sheltona01

If you want to read about some research into bridle fitting. http://www.fairfaxsaddles.com/bridles/bridle-testing-and-design

There is more to it than most people realize.

Very interesting! This might confirm what I thought when I looked at the photo posted by the OP, that the flash is dragging the whole bridle downwards.

[beowulf]

@Scribbler

Very interesting! This might confirm what I thought when I looked at the photo posted by the OP, that the flash is dragging the whole bridle downwards.

It’s been my unscientific observation, proved only by my own experiments on my own tired nags, that flash and/or low nosebands (drop, cranks, and the Micklem noseband) will pull the entire headstall down the tighter they are fastened. That is part of what causes pressure across the crown in a fastened bridle.

The amount of pressure across the back of the crown (sometimes labeled “poll pressure” - really, it is pressure on the two spots behind the ears) is, in my observations, directly correlated to the tightness of the noseband[s]. A loose noseband (2+ fingers) will not affect the headstall. A tight noseband will. The noseband creates an “anchor point” of pressure and distributes it IME across the crown and also across the bridge of the nose and lower jaw.

The nosebands that provide the most pressure across the nose, when tightened, I’ve found are the figure eights and the Micklems. I have a gelding that will not move forward if he feels the bridge of his nose is constricted; I had a Micklem on him for all of 5 minutes before he planted. Same with the figure 8. It was perplexing behavior because he is a very “go-go-getter”.

With bridles it’s all about finding the pressure spot your horse doesn’t mind, as there’s no way to affix a bridle and hold the bit in place without providing some aspect of pressure …

To me the perfect bridle would have lining on both sides behind the ear, cutback crown, lower browband fixture, elastic insert[s] on both sides of crown where noseband attaches to crown, an o-ring type fixture mid-cheek so noseband and cheek pieces could move independent of crown (IMHO I think the biggest flaw in bridles right now is that the noseband and cheek pieces cannot move independently of crown), and a D and/or O ring for noseband to move independent of jaw-straps similar to what Fairfax has.

[Snowdenfarm]

@sheltona01

http://www.fairfaxsaddles.com/bridle…ing-and-design

Has anyone on here, not affiliated with the company, tried this bridle?

[outerbanks77]

https://www.manolomendezdressage.com/2013/12/06/facial-nerves-and-the-importance-of-proper-bridle-fitting/

[outerbanks77]

@Snowdenfarm

Has anyone on here, not affiliated with the company, tried this bridle?

I have one, but have not been able to ride with it, just tried it on for fit. Mine is the drop version. Kind of bulky but does seem that the different features would add to the comfort factor.

[Libby2563]

@Snowdenfarm

Has anyone on here, not affiliated with the company, tried this bridle?

Unfortunately not yet. I ordered one from Jacobson’s Saddlery (sheltona01 above) in July. I haven’t received it yet though. When I asked for an ETA and price in August, I was told, “They are working on it.” My last email on 9/26 went unanswered. I reached out to Fairfax directly and they told me they couldn’t discuss an order by a stockist. Not the best buying experience so far…

[Snowdenfarm]

@outerbanks77

https://www.manolomendezdressage.com/2013/12/06/facial-nerves-and-the-importance-of-proper-bridle-fitting/

This is…sad really. I wish it had included pics of bridles that avoid pressure on all those nerves. I have heard that a flat leather bridle may be the kindest.

[mydogs]

@Snowdenfarm

This is…sad really. I wish it had included pics of bridles that avoid pressure on all those nerves. I have heard that a flat leather bridle may be the kindest.

I agree. I’ve looked at hundreds of bridles online and while I’ve found several that I think would be comfortable, I wish I could just make my own bridle.

[Equibrit]

The Danish Federation just issued rules on bridle fit; http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/denmark-bans-tight-nosebands-2018-635162

[outerbanks77]

@Libby2563

Unfortunately not yet. I ordered one from Jacobson’s Saddlery (sheltona01 above) in July. I haven’t received it yet though. When I asked for an ETA and price in August, I was told, “They are working on it.” My last email on 9/26 went unanswered. I reached out to Fairfax directly and they told me they couldn’t discuss an order by a stockist. Not the best buying experience so far…

I bought mine from TDS Saddlers in UK. They were great about keeping me informed; the size I needed was backordered, but it took less than a month from sending in the measurements to receiving the bridle from UK.

[dressagegirl123]

outer banks, now that you’ve used it for a while, what do you think of the Fairfax bridle?

[mydogs]

@outerbanks77

I bought mine from TDS Saddlers in UK. They were great about keeping me informed; the size I needed was backordered, but it took less than a month from sending in the measurements to receiving the bridle from UK.

Also curious to see how you like your Fairfax bridle. I just checked TDS’s website and it looks like you can order just the noseband, which I would consider purchasing.

[Equibrit]

Interesting articles;

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0737080615005535

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/art…type=printable

[outerbanks77]

@mydogs

Also curious to see how you like your Fairfax bridle. I just checked TDS’s website and it looks like you can order just the noseband, which I would consider purchasing.

Sorry, I really haven’t used it - the horse I bought it for was unstarted at the time and ended up going for an extended stay with a western trainer and she is going in a Micklem right now because I didn’t want to send the Fairfax to spend a winter getting tossed around a training barn.