Horse tack

Here are collected thumbs about horse tack.

Halfter, Gebiß, Zaumzeug/Bits, Bridles, Halters[edit]

Curb bit[edit]

Curb bits are bits that have shanks and use leverage, regardless of mouthpiece. A curb bit might have a jointed mouthpiece or a solid mouthpiece.

Diagram showing parts of a curb bit
A low port curb bit with a roller or cricket and loose jaw shanks
A low port curb with a cricket roller, loose jaw shanks. "Quick" brand bit
A western style curb bit with silver design, suitable for show.
A western style curb bit with silver design, suitable for show.
A western style curb bit with silver design, suitable for show.
medium port curb bit with short loose shanks and sweet iron mouthpiece inlaid with copper.
traditional low port western style curb bit
Bits with direct pressure are snaffles, even without broken mouthpiece; bits with shanks are curbs, even with a broken mouthpiece.
Shanked bits with jointed mouthpieces are curb bits. (Bits at top of image)

Combination designs, curb and snaffle pressure[edit]

A bridle may be able to apply both snaffle and curb leverage, depending on the bits used and where the reins are attached to them.

A curb bit and a bradoon (double bridle)
A pelham bit combines curb and snaffle pressure on different rings placed on a single bit
A Kimberwicke bit looks like a snaffle, but has very slight leverage due to slots that hold reins in position.

Snaffle Bit[edit]

Snaffle bits are bits that use direct pressure without leverage, regardless of mouthpiece. Not all snaffle bits have jointed mouthpieces, and a bit with a jointed mouthpiece is not always a snaffle, it depends on the type of leverage.

Diagram of the parts of a snaffle bit
A snaffle bit with western styling, also wrapped in rubber to make it milder
Dee Ring Snaffle Bit
French Link Snaffle Bit
Mullen mouth snaffle, synthetic mouthpiece.
Loose ring snaffle with a ball-link in the middle
Bits with jointed mouthpieces and no shanks are snaffle bits (bottom two bits)
Bits with direct pressure are snaffles, even without broken mouthpiece; bits with shanks are curbs, even with a broken mouthpiece.
Single-jointed bits: loose ring (either side) and eggbutt (middle)
Twisted wire snaffle
Single jointed fulmer snaffle

Snaffle bridles[edit]

Detail of headstall and browband
Snaffle bridle with a Market Harborough
Eggbutt
D-ring
snaffle bridle with flash noseband
Snaffle variation called a boucher
Australian Barcoo (or ring-head) bridle
A western style bridle with a browband and a snaffle bit
Hunt (or English) bridle, snaffle bit, cavesson noseband

Double (Weymouth) bridles[edit]

Gag bits[edit]

"Gag snaffle"
American gag
American gag
3-ring bit/Pessoa gag

Western Bridles[edit]

A western style "split ear" bridle with decorative silver added for show, has curb bit
A set of romal style reins
A set of western-style split reins, attached to a snaffle bit
A western style bridle with a browband and a snaffle bit

Hackamores[edit]

A bosal style hackamore
Detail of mecate reins attached to a bosal
Closeup of bosal and mecate on a horse
A horse wearing a bosal hackamore
A Jumping Cavesson--a type of hackamore that allows a sport horse ridden in English style tack to be ridden without a bit in its mouth
A sidepull, a type of hackamore for horses
A type of combination halter and bitless bridle