Measure a Horse for a Bridle

This post will show you how to properly measure a horse for a bridle.

A snaffle bridle is the simplest kind of bridle for young riders. It is made up of the following different parts:

• cheek piece 1 (attaches to the crownpiece)
• crown piece 1a (attaches to the cheekpiece)
• browband 2
• noseband 3
• throat latch 4
• reins
• bit

Snaffle bridles come in four main sizes: pony, cob, full and oversize. How do you know what size will fit your horse? It is easy to understand that you would not buy a pony-sized bridle for a 17 hand Percheron. But sometimes it is not so clear. When you’re not sure, it is helpful to know how to measure your horse for a bridle.

 

Measuring A Horse for a Bridle

Use a soft fabric measuring tape with inch or centimetre increments.

The dotted lines in the pictures below, illustrate the position of the tape measure on the other side of the horse’s head, where it is unseen.

 

Step 1

Measure for the crown and cheek pieces, parts 1 and 1a in the picture of the bridle above.

To do this, measure from the corner of the horse’s mouth, up along the line that the cheek piece would follow, over the ears (for the crown piece), and to the other corner of the mouth.

 

 

 

 

Step 2

Measure for the length of browband.

Measure from the back edge of the horse’s ear, around his forehead, to the back edge of his other ear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3

Measure for the length of noseband.

Measure the circumference of the horse’s nose, approximately one inch or two finger widths down from the prominent cheek bone towards the nose.

Math Talk: circumference – The distance around the edge of a circle or any curvy shape. In this case, a horse’s nose.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 4

Measure the length of throat latch required.

Measure from back of your horse’s ear, under his throat, to the back of his other ear.

 

Let’s look at different measurements and relate them to bridle size categories.

Click here to see a bridle size chart. Refer to the chart to answer the following questions.

1. Measurements for each part of a bridle listed in the chart show a range of sizes for all but one bridle part. Which bridle part does not show a range of measurements?

2. Why is that?

3. If you adjusted the noseband for a ‘Full’ sized horse to it’s largest size, what would the circumference of the noseband be?

4. If you adjusted the throat latch for a ‘Cold Blood’ sized horse to it’s smallest size, what would the circumference of the throat latch be?

5. You’ve followed the instructions for Step 2, measuring for the browband. The measurement was 15 inches (38 centimetres). What horse bridle size category does this correspond to?

6. The measurement you took for the noseband was 23 inches (58 centimetres). What horse bridle size does this correspond to? 

7. The measurement for the throat latch was 40 inches (101 centimetres). What horse bridle size does this correspond to?

Now you know how to measure a horse for a bridle! Be sure to take along your measurements (and tape measure) when you go shopping!

 

 

 

 

1. Measurements for each part of a bridle listed in the chart show a range of sizes for all but one bridle part. Which bridle part does not show a range of measurements?
Answer: The browband

2. Why is that?
Answer: The other parts of a bridle are adjustable. They have multiple holes that allow you to either loosen or tighten that bridle part. The browband has only one loop at each end. There is no way of adjusting the length.

3. If you adjusted the noseband for a ‘Full’ sized horse to it’s largest size, what would the circumference of the noseband be?
Answer: 28.34 inches (72 CM)

4. If you adjusted the throat latch for a ‘Cold Blood’ sized horse to it’s smallest size, what would the circumference of the throat latch be?
Answer: 42.91 inches (109 CM)

5. You’ve followed the instructions for Step 2, measuring for the browband. The measurement was 15 inches (38 centimetres). What horse bridle size category does this correspond to?
Answer: G-Pony

6. The measurement you took for the noseband circumference was 23 inches (58 centimetres). What horse bridle size does this correspond to?
Answer: Cob

7. The measurement for the throat latch circumference was 40 inches (101 centimetres). What horse bridle size does this correspond to?
Answer: G-Pony

 

Common Core: 3.MD.B.4, 4.MD.A

Photos:
Atticus Finch by carters; CC BY-SA 2.0
Buck by WesternStock

Feature image by Liesbeth den Toom; CC BY-SA 2.0