#Horse tack

[camelidae]

Finally sat down and did some studies of horses with tack on. Usually whenever I try and draw a horse with a bridle or saddle on, I just wing it. I don't want to have to look it up. I rely on my vague memory from taking horseback riding lessons 20 years ago. Maybe I'll look up a reference afterwards to fix it after it's gone horribly wrong, but it's usually too late by then. Hopefully doing these have at least helped that process a little 😅

[admiraltx]

Finished the bit and installed it this morning

[whywishesarehorses]

Hello! I have a question: I think I’ve seen you ride in a bit less bridle? Can you tell me about the one you use? My horse has a leaser who is really hard on the reins. She’s in lessons but I’m thinking of having her ride in a bitless bridle when she isn’t in a lesson. But I know nothing about the bitless options. I’d love your opinions! Thank you!

Sure! I ride Thea exclusively bitless - bitting her up has just never worked out.

This side pull is the one I started her in: it’s simple action, direct pressure, with the stabilizing triangle. The thinner noseband can lead to harsher impact - but it’s direct and easy.

This little S mechanical hackamore is what we ride in most these days - it DOES have leverage, it does apply pressure to her nose, jaw, and poll when I lift the reins. I do not recommend this for someone who is heavy handed - this can be a harsh bitless tool in heavy hands. For us, it lets me steer with my pinkies and lift her shoulders (think curb bit for a finished horse). You can see that this has a curb chain, kept loose but lightly touching.

We also have a loping hackamore - this is like a bosal, but softer & made of yacht rope. It uses direct pressure on her nose + the rotation created by neck reining can serve as its own cue

I’ve been riding the Chicken in a wagon wheel hackamore - this has almost no leverage, but can be rigged for poll pressure as well. There’s also similar “flower hackamores” that add a small amount of leverage if needed, without as much as a shanked option!

A lot of this depends on whether you’re English or western, how much stopping power is needed for your horse, and other factors. My key point is: not all hacks are less severe than a bit. Heavy hands can do a lot of damage with a hack - they sit over the sensitive nose bones and nerves, esp if not set correctly.

Personally not big on the criss cross style hack

[horsesarecreatures]

"Whilst this study used six participants on a horse simulator (to even out some of the many variables with real horses) this is a standard participant number and is needed to provide a valid statistical test using a t-Test method to show reliability and validity. It does show that the TCS develops less pressure in all areas (left, right, front, back) than a traditional saddle and as such should provide some reassurance to those that wish this."

[andallshallbewell]

[fly-tempest]

Decoration of a horse's head, duke's horse. The Alka of Sinj Museum, Sinj, Croatia.

[draftmare]

Just the pony being gorgeous in all of her bridles.

[chromecowgirl1]

[sventhefjord]

Sven is the cutest little bean

[virtie333]

My main task in my new job is stocking product. Every day there is a new shipment of something, and if it belongs in my 'area' (pets and livestock), then I get to put it away. While I do a lot of the pet stuff, as well as chickens and cattle, it's the horse stuff that I always end up doing the most of (because so many of my fellow employees don't know a thing about horses! Hence the reason I was hired so quickly). Anyway, last night I had a whole huge cart full of horse tack to stock. The horseless horse loving girl I grew up as was in absolute heaven!

[admiraltx]

One of mine

[whywishesarehorses]

Any chance anyone on horseblr is interested in/collects vintage horse tack? I've got an assortment of cool stuff from the 60s in really good condition -- a hand-quilted stable blanket, a racing bridle, a jockey's helmet with the silks.

I also have some vintage Japanese Boy's Day horse figurines if that's your cup of tea

[horsesarecreatures]

New Imperial plain raised snaffle bridles. They are made from durable Buffalo leather. Sold complete with ¾" laced reins. Horse size. $38.50. I got them at a liquidation auction; their regular price is $56.95.

[jorvik-fashion]

[jhara-ivez]

look how pretty (and expensive) this visigothic bit is! It has silver inlays and such small details in the metalwork. I adore it. It’s one of those which can hurt a horse a lot if not used correctly, but I hope whoever owned it was a skilled rider - AND absolutely fabulous. One day when I’m rich I’ll have something pretty like this for my horsie.

[draftmare]

Well, this is kind of a bummer. I have both of my Micklem bridles for sale, and Micklem just came out with new models and are clearing out the ones I have for sale for $100.

They do look really nice though, and apparently they use a nicer leather, though I haven’t seen one in person, just going off the website description. My biggest complaint about the Micklem was that it was a nice design, just crap leather for the price. There were other bridles at the same price point that managed to use nicer leather, so I was never sure what Micklem’s excuse was.

It looks like the noseband is wider, which is a nice design choice. I personally prefer a wider noseband on my thicker headed horse. Thin nosebands look like shoestrings on her face. It also comes standard with a u-shaped browband, which is much more flattering than a straight across browband on most heads (the old one came with a straight across browband and I never used it). They also apparently updated the cheek straps, but in these pictures they look the same to me.