Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Bridle over halter

From: Ronda

Hi Jessica:

Imagine my amazement when I came across this website by accident and discovered that it is just the thing every horse owner needs!

I have a question regarding putting a horse's bridle on over a halter, which I have seen done a few times, usually at trail ride businesses. Although I know this isn't the proper way to ride your horse, can it be done? It offers more security by having something always on your horse's head with which to 'hold it', without that intermediary period between the bridle coming off and the halter going on and vice versa. I don't want to make my horse sound difficult but we all know that, when startled, a horse can get away from you quite quickly. I have a 7 year old Appy mare and haven't had horses for 14 years so I'm getting used to it all over again. She is a sweetheart but has her moments like all horses. My concern is, would this cause extra pressure on various spots on her head and would it be uncomfortable for her, or confusing? I know about slipping the halter off her nose to go around her neck, but that doesn't really offer the control of something on her head. Any thoughts would be appreciated, especially from someone knowledgeable.

Hi Ronda! There's nothing wrong with putting the bridle on over the halter, and people who routinely take long trail-rides often do this. It does indeed offer more security, as well as more comfort for the horse - you can't forget your halter at home, and you'll be able to let your horse graze at lunchtime.

Your concern about extra pressure on your horse's head is a valid one. If your horse is going to wear a halter under the bridle, be sure to make any necessary adjustments to the bridle before you begin your ride. You may need to loosen the cheekpieces and throatlatch, and if you use a cavesson, you will need to loosen that as well. Be sure that your bridle CAN fit well over the halter. If, for example, your horse's browband is already snug, you'll want to replace it with a longer one so that the extra layer underneath the bridle won't make the browband painfully tight.

If all of this changing and adjusting seems like too much work, there are some alternatives. One is simply to carry a halter and leadrope with you, and exchange them for the bridle whenever necessary. Another, more convenient, alternative is to purchase a halter-bridle combo. In the last fifteen years, these have become very popular in the USA and are now available through most tack shops and horse equipment catalogues. These "combo" bridles are basically halters with a removable pair of cheekpieces (for the bit) and a pair of reins or a long single rein. The cheekpieces and reins typically snap or buckle into place, allowing you to make a quick, easy conversion from halter-and-lead to bridle-bit-and-reins.

Halter-bridle combinations are popular with police, mounted patrol, and military units, as well as with casual and trail riders. They're easy to use and only require to be adjusted ONCE, as long as they're always used on the same horse. Fifteen years ago, "combo" bridles were more costly and difficult to find, but today, they're widely available and can be purchased in the material of your choice - leather, Beta, nylon, parachute cord, etc. You can also find them in different colours and colour combinations.

Don't worry about whether this is "proper" - it's certainly sensible and appropriate when you're trail-riding. It wouldn't be "proper" for many forms of competition, but then neither would most of our schooling equipment and our own schooling clothes, so that consideration shouldn't bother you at all, and it certainly shouldn't stop you. If you compete, you'll know the rules and keep a set of appropriate tack and clothing for competitions. The rest of the time, what you and your horse wear is up to you. Whether you buy a halter-bridle combo or adjust your horse's trail bridle so that a halter will fit comfortably underneath it, it makes sense to do whatever will increase your security and your horse's comfort.

Jessica

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