Chapter XVII: Riding Bridles

Riding bridles, though forming a very important portion of the harness maker’s stock, are much less varied in character than most other leading articles, because display is not an important matter except in a limited number of cases. The military and ladies’ dress bridles are the only ones ornamented to any extent; even in these the principal strapping is a duplicate of the less pretentious article. The ornamenting consists of cross face or other similar decorations.

Bridles take their name, except in isolated cases, from the style of bit used, the headstall of a Pelham, bradoon, port, or snaffle being of the same pattern, made up with or without billets for the bit rings. Figs. 1, 2, and 3 represent a bradoon, or loose ring, a double rein port, and a Pelham, the strapping, with the exception of the reins, being the same in all. The regular lengths and widths for cutting with and without billets are:

Length, Width,
inches. inches.
Crown piece 24 1⅜
Split 7
Cheeks 13 ¾
Without billets 15 ¾
Billets 8 ¾
Throat latch, two buckles 12 ⅝
Front 22 ¾
Reins 52 ¾
Billets 8 ¾
Without billets 56 ¾

Fig. 4 is a plain snaffle bridle, the lengths for cutting being the same as those previously noticed; Fig. 5 is a single round cheek bridle, in which but two pieces are used for the cheeks and crown; the throat latch is cut in one piece and is rounded the whole length, the ends being joined by a leather tassel. The cuttings are:

Length, Width,
inches. inches.
Cheek, buckle side 20 ¾
billet side 24 ¾
rounded 12
Billets 9 ¾
Throat latch 39 ¾
Reins 54 ¾
rounded 18
Billets 9 ¾
Front 24 ¾
rounded 11½
Curb straps 22 ½

Fig. 6 is a double cheek bridle with a plain port and a light bradoon bit. The cheeks and crown piece for each bit are cut in one piece. The cuttings are:

Length, Width,
inches. inches.
Port cheeks and crown 34 ¾
rounded 12
Bradoon cheeks and crown 36 ¾
rounded 12
Billets 8 ¾

Fig. 7 represents another style of double cheek bridle, the cuttings for which are the same as for Fig. 5, both cheeks being of the same length; the nose strap, which may be used or not, is cut three quarters of an inch wide and twenty-eight inches long, and rounded fifteen inches.

Fig. 8 represents a double cheek bridle, in which the cheek pieces on each side are cut in one; the crown piece for the cheek is also cut as one; it is doubled and buckled on the crown, and is provided with two small slide loops; the throat latch and crown are cut in one as are also the nose and chin pieces. The cuttings are:

Length, Width,
inches. inches.
Cheeks 33 ¾
rounded 24
Billets 8 ¾
Crown piece, made up as hame strap 24 ¾
Throat latch 39 ⅝

Fig. 9 represents a style of double cheek and bit bridle made up with long cheeks and without billets. The cuttings are:

Length, Width,
inches. inches.
Cheeks, port, buckle side 20 ¾
billet side 24 ¾
Bradoon, bit, buckle side 22 ⅝
billet side 26 ⅝
Throat latch 22 ⅝
Front, made up 13 ½
Bradoon reins 90 ¾
Port reins 96 ¾
Billets 8 ¾

The peculiarity of these bridles is the manner in which the port cheeks and throat latches are cut and made up, and the use of separate straps for the crown and cheeks for the bradoon bits. The English Weymouth bridle is not as popular in this country as the port and bradoon. It has double cheeks, one of which is buckled into the ring on the top of the bit check, the other is cut longer and is buckled into the rein ring at the end of the mouth piece, the bit used being the Pelham.

Three kinds of leather are used for bridles—black harness, russet, and buff. Light weights should be used in all cases, and the cheek straps and reins cut from the firmest part of the side. English russet has long been a favorite brand of leather, but the better grades of American are equal to it in every respect. Buff leather is used to a considerable extent for flat fancy bridles, to be used with saddles having seat and knee pads made of buckskin. This leather, being soft, is not creased, and is stitched no more than is absolutely necessary to secure the various straps. Cheap bridles are sometimes made up with plated rosettes, but leather is used on all finer grades.