How to Bridle a Horse

Put your horse in a halter while you prepare to bridle her.

Use cross-ties, a single tie down, or tie the lead line to a post to keep your horse in place. Attach cross-ties to the side rings of the halter.

Attach a single tie down to the ring at the throat of the halter.

Stand on the near (left) side of the horse when putting on the bridle.

Put on a running martingale (helps to keep horse from throwing its head up), drop noseband (helps keep horse's mouth closed) or any other schooling aids.

Check to make sure all other tack is adjusted properly. The cinch should be snug and the back cinch (if you're using one) should be attached.

Remove halter from face and replace around neck to prevent horse from wandering off. 

Place your right hand on top of the horse's head. (Use a mounting block if you can't reach.) With your wrist between the horse's ears and your fingers facing the nose, press gently downward to get the horse to drop its head.    

Grab the top of the headstall (the piece that fits over the horse's head) with your right hand. Separate the mouthpiece (the piece that actually goes in the horse's mouth) from the reins and hold it to the horse's lips. A trained horse should automatically open its mouth. Ask the horse to "Open."

Slip the bit gently into the horse's mouth. Don't force. Once the bit is in place, slip the top part of the headstall over the horse's ears.

Adjust the length of the face strap so there are one or two wrinkles in the skin at the corner of the horse's mouth.

Adjust the chin strap (if your headstall has one). You should be able to fit two fingers between the horse's throat and the strap when the horse's head is facing forward.

Hold both reins in your left hand while undoing the halter with your right hand. When walking with the horse, keep the horse on your right side and hold the reins in your right hand.

Warning and Tips

If you can't reach the top of your horse's head, either stand on a mounting block or slip the mouthpiece inside the horse's mouth and then gently lower your horse's head to fit the headstall.

If your horse fights having the bit put in its mouth, have your horse's teeth checked. Horses' teeth continually grow; the mouthpiece may be rubbing against a tooth.

If your horse refuses to open its mouth, hold the mouthpiece in your left hand and slip the thumb of your right hand into the left side of your horse's mouth, where the lips meet. There are no teeth back there. Wiggle your thumb in the horse's mouth; this may coax the animal to open wide.

Headstalls come with or without chin straps. The headstall either will have one or two ear loops, or will have a brow band that fits across the forehead and a strap that goes over the head behind the ears.

Be careful with a horse's ears when you are putting on the headstall. Horses' ears are sensitive and many do not like their ears touched.

Make sure the mouthpiece you use does not pinch the side of the horse's mouth.

Never force a mouthpiece into a horse's mouth. Allow the horse a few seconds to position the mouthpiece in its mouth.