The differences begin with the caveson and browband.  The leather used can be a single flat piece, raised or even raised and padded piece.  Fox hunting bridles are traditionally made from a single strip of leather with the noseband as wide as 1 ½”.  The browbands on almost all bridles are much thinner than the cavesons. Simplicity is the style of the hunt bridle, easy to clean, sturdy and elegant.

Jumper bridles and eventing bridles change the regular caveson out and put in a figure 8 noseband.  Event bridles also may feature a flash caveson as well. Gag cheeks are traded in to these bridles when a gag bit is used. Running martingales are available to match these bridles as well.  The reins included on these bridles are usually rubber covered for good grip.

Show hunter bridles are finer in the brow and nose.  Most are made from leather that is raised and stitched. Covering a cord with leather and stitching it down to a second piece of flat leather backing make the leather raised.  The raising makes the nose and brow look rounded.  It is a very flattering look on a horses or ponies head.  Many of the raised bridles have fancy stitching on the front of the caveson and browband, enhancing the look of the bridle.  These are especially nice on horses that have white markings on their faces.  Hunter bridles are also available in padded.  This means that the caveson and brow have an extra piece of leather, usually a contrasting color, sewn under the raised part. Many bridles now feature a padded crown piece as well.  The padded horse bridle is ideal for the heavier headed horse or pony where a finely raised bridle would look out of proportion. Padded are fancy stitched or plain, most show bridles come with a pair of 5/8” laced reins.

Dressage bridles add all sorts of extras.  The cavesons can be flash, crank, drop or plain.  They tend to be style wise a wider, black padded headstall.  Now most of the crowns are padded as well. The padding on a dressage bridle can be contrasting in white or self padded in black.

English horse bridles are all designed on a pattern.  They usually have all of a set list of essential parts.  Depending on what style of riding you choose, your bridle will have slight differences.  Some of the changes are purely stylistic. The basic parts include:

• Crown Piece
• Cheek Pieces x2
• Caveson or Nose Band
• BrowBand
• Reins

Choose a bridle based on your horse discipline.  Most equestrians own more than one bridle.