How to Assemble an English Bridle

This article is intended to help new riders (or their guardians) put together an English bridle. In addition, we will identify and describe each part of a bridle so you can refer to these pieces by their correct names. Perhaps you've taken your bridle apart to thoroughly clean it, or maybe you're trying to assemble a complete bridle out of various pieces from multiple bridles. Whatever your situation, the RW crew is here to help!

Like saddles, bridles are an essential piece of equipment and must be correctly assembled to function properly. If you're new to riding, consider reading our related articles:

• Types of Bridles
• How to Measure & Fit a Bridle
• Best of English Bridles Buying Guide

Let's start by identifying the parts of a bridle so you can be sure you have everything you need to assemble a complete English bridle.

Although bridles may differ in certain ways, below are the key elements or pieces that are typically found on all English bridles. We start at the top of the bridle and work down the bridle as it continues down the horse's head.

Crownpiece

The crownpiece or headstall of the bridle is the leather strap that goes up and over your horse's head. The crownpiece sits just behind your horse's ears. As most of the other bridle pieces attach to this crownpiece, it is a foundational element of the English bridle. Crownpieces either have a dual crown, which uses two straps of leather that go up and over the horse's poll, or a monocrown, which has a single piece of leather that extends over the horse's poll. In our assembly example, we will be using a dual crown piece.

Browband

As its name implies, the browband is that part of the bridle that goes across the upper part of your horse's head or brow. The browband has two loops, one at each end. The straps of the crownpiece fit through these loops to hold it in place. The browband and crownpiece encircle your horse's ears.

Noseband (Cavesson)

The noseband is a leather strap that encircles the horse's nose. The noseband is held in place by buckling onto the crownpiece directly (monocrown) or by passing through one loop of the browband, extending up and over the horse's crown, and passing through the other loop of the browband before buckling on the other side (dual crown). A cavesson is the plain, standard noseband that only buckles once around the horse's nose. Other specialty types of nosebands can be added to bridles when needed.

Cheekpieces

Two cheekpieces, one on the right and one on the left, buckle to the crownpiece and hold the bit in place. Adjustments of the cheekpieces change the height of the bit in the horse's mouth. Specialty bridles, such as certain anatomical bridles, have unique cheekpieces that are much shorter and only compatible with their specific headstall.

Bit

The bit is the metal (or rubber) piece that fits in the horse's mouth and allows the rider to communicate with the horse. There are many types of bits that put pressure on different parts of the horse's mouth, their poll, and their chin. Read more about the different types of bits here!

Reins

The reins connect to the bit and help the rider communicate with the horse. Traditional reins are made with simple leather, often with lacing to improve the rider's grip. Today, there are many different types of reins. Rubber-covered reins are designed to improve grip and are popular in the jumper ring and the cross-country phase of eventing. Some dressage reins have rubber grips along the inside, while fully synthetic reins are popular among endurance riders because of their durability. For more information, check out our article on the different types of English reins and how to measure them!

Now that you know all the pieces of your bridle, we're ready to put it together! We suggest you use a wall-mounted bridle holder or hook. Do not try to assemble a bridle on your horse; it's simply too difficult. Follow the below steps to complete your bridle.

• Place the Crownpiece on the Bridle Holder - The crownpiece should be facing forward with the two (or three on a monocrown) straps on the right and the throatlatch on the left. If you have an anatomical crownpiece, be sure the curve that accommodates the ears is facing forward.

• Attach the Browband to the Crownpiece - First, simply hold the browband up to the crownpiece and consider how you want the finished bridle to look. Keeping that vision in mind, put one side of the crownpiece (the throatlatch and one side strap, which is on the left) through the loop on one side of the browband. Now, take the other side of the crownpiece and put it through the loop on the other side of the browband. Place the assembled pieces back on the bridle holder and confirm that you have put everything together correctly. The browband should be facing toward you, and if there is a logo on the browband, it should be facing upward and forward. If the logo is upside down, that means the browband is upside down.

• Attach the Noseband - Next, we will attach the noseband. Take the long strap of the noseband (the end without a buckle) and pass it through the left loop of the browband, under the crownpiece. Then extend it up and over the bridle holder and pass it through the right loop of the browband, staying under the crownpiece. Buckle it to the other end of the noseband. This buckle should be on the right side of the bridle with the bridle facing toward you. Don't worry about exactly where the noseband is sitting, as it may be adjusted further once it's on your horse's head.

• Attach the Cheekpieces - Buckle the two cheekpieces to the straps of the crownpiece. Make sure you are attaching the cheekpieces to the correct straps, the straps closest to you. The throatlatch strap is usually thinner than the cheekpiece strap on the crownpiece, so this will help you distinguish which is which. If your bridle has buckles, they should face outward when attached correctly. If your bridle has hook attachments, those should face inward toward the horse. Again, don't worry about how high or low you attach the cheekpieces; you will adjust them later when the bridle is on your horse. However, they should be on the same hole on each side. If you have a reference picture, this is a good time to compare!

• Attach the Bit - With your cheekpieces now in place, you're ready to attach the bit. Before doing so, examine your bit and determine the front and back of the bit. Hold up the bit and consider how the bit should sit in your horse's mouth. Most bits have a slight curve, which should curve away from the bridle. Furthermore, bits with logos will also face up and away from the bridle. The bit will attach to the cheekpieces with either hook-and-loop closures or buckle closures. Again, buckles face out and hook-and-loops face inward when put on correctly.
• Interim Assessment - We're almost done, but now is a good time to look at the bridle and confirm all the pieces are attached correctly. Are the browband and noseband facing you? Can you envision how your horse's head would fit inside the bridle? If things don't look right, make the necessary adjustments or changes. It may be easier to disassemble everything and start anew.

• Attach the Reins - Now attach each side of the reins to the bit, with the inside of the reins facing inward and the outside of the reins facing outward. If you're unsure how to distinguish between the inside and the outside of the reins, look for the buckle at the end of the reins; the buckle always faces outward. Also make sure you attach the reins below the cheekpieces, regardless of what bit is used.

• Final Check - Examine your completed bridle from all angles and confirm that it is assembled correctly. Again, envision it on your horse or compare it to your reference picture. Could you easily access the buckles to make adjustments? Would the throatlatch and noseband buckle correctly? Perhaps ask your trainer or an experienced rider to review your assembled bridle before putting it on your horse. If something looks wrong, fix it!

Closing Thoughts

Don't be afraid to take your bridle apart! It's much easier to do a thorough cleaning and conditioning of your bridle when it's in pieces. When assembled, some areas are difficult or impossible to access to get squeaky clean. Once you've taken apart and reassembled your bridle a couple of times, it will be easy to do so again and again. If you have further questions, please reach out to our customer service team at info@ridingwarehouse.com or by calling 1-800-620-9145.

Expand your understanding of bridles and how they function by reading our other articles in this series:

• Types of Bridles
  
• How to Measure & Fit for a Bridle
• Best of English Bridles Buying Guide