Horse Bridles and Reins: For Pleasure and Show

Horse Bridles and Reins: For Pleasure and Show

There’s no doubt that one of the most important pieces of equipment are horse bridles and reins. After all, they offer direct communication to your horse. Although a very well trained horse can be ridden without either, it’s vital to your safety that you have reliable horse bridles and reins while training and showing.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to horse bridles and reins is having a set for pleasure and a set for show, but never really using their show set. The show set is stored away in a safe place where it won’t get too dirty or worn looking so that it looks great on show day. Unfortunately, this can actually be a bad thing. You should always take time to not only regularly condition the leather of your show bridle, but also use it while training. A supple training bridle that gets more use will most definitely feel different to your horse on show day and may inadvertently affect his performance.

When it comes to your training bridle set, you want a good and reliable set. There are a variety of options and styles to choose from, but it’s wise to choose one that is the same style as the bridle that you will perform your horse in. This way you can be sure that when you change equipment, your equipment shouldn’t affect your performance. Obviously it’s important to keep your tack cleaned, but even more so with your practice tack. Your horse will sweat much more in this tack and this can cause grime to build up that can cause your leather to become weak and breakdown.

Aside from your daily training and riding, you have a variety of other bridle options, as well as rein options. These can be combo bridles that include a built in halter. These are excellent if you are going camping or trail riding with your horse. You also have various rein options including colored and rubberized reins for training and riding lessons. These help you get a better grip on the reins and also allow you to learn proper hand position. Nylon reins are great for riding in rough weather to avoid getting your leather tack too wet.

No matter if you plan to ride for pleasure or show, you have a variety of options available. Be sure to always clean your tack on a regular basis with a good leather conditioner and always check for any inconsistencies, cracking or breakage in your tack to ensure your safety each time you ride.