Bridle Fitting

Here are Albion's top tips for bridle fitting:

  • Make sure the browband is not too tight and is not pulling the headpiece onto the back of the ears. The current trend is for the brow band to be slightly loose.Bridle Fitting
     
  • The throatlash must not be tight, as it will interfere with breathing and collection. To ensure comfort there should be enough room to place a clenched fist between the side of the horse's cheek and throatlash.
     
  • The buckles of the cheek pieces and noseband should be parallel and slightly below the corner of the eye (to avoid damage in the event of the bridle pulling across the face), and the arms of the cheeks and noseband must lie behind the horse’s cheek bones.
     
  • The noseband must lie at least one finger or 1cm below the cheekbones, as this is another pressure point area. If the noseband is placed too high on the face it can cause great pain.
     
  • The buckle of the cavesson noseband must sit comfortably at the back of the jaw, in between the jaw bones, to avoid creating a pressure point.
     
  • The pad on the back of the crank noseband fastening should not connect to the front of the noseband, as this can cause pinching and subsequent sores.

 

In case you are unsure on sizing, here is an approximate guide to the sizing of the Albion KB bridle components. Its also handy to know that you can totally customise your Albion bridle, so if your horse has a non-standard size head, you can, for example, buy cob size cheeck pieces, a full size head piece and browband and a cob size noseband - it's totally up to you! 

Head Piece Size (including cheek pieces):

1. Cob = 38 Inchs

2. Full = 41 3/4 Inchs

3. Warmblood (X-Full) = 46 Inchs

Brow Band Size:

1. Cob size = 15 Inchs

2. Full size = 16.5 Inchs

3. Warmblood (X-Full) = 17.5 Inchs

Noseband Size:

1. Cob = 23 Inchs

2. Full = 25 Inchs

3. Warmblood (X-Full) = 27 Inchs

Albion Nosebands attach at both sides, to a slip that runs through and over the head piece, so it is good to note that Albion bridles only work with Albion nosebands. Being attached in this way ensures the pressure across the horses poll is even and the construction allows the bridle to be as comfortable as possible.