Step-by-Step: Building Your Own Bespoke Bridle with Henry James Saddlery
We’ve all heard of Build-a-Bear, but how about Build-a-Bridle? By creating your own bridle, you can design a custom piece of tack that perfectly fits your horse’s shape and size while aligning with your riding style.
What Size Bridle Does Your Horse Need?
If your horse has an unusual head shape or size, building your own bespoke bridle could be the perfect solution. We recommend measuring your horse’s head with the Henry James Saddlery Bridle Fitting Tape Measure before you start. This easy-to-use tape measure helps identify the correct bridle part sizes and specifies the required size for different noseband types, such as grackle and cavesson.
Step 1: Choose Your Headpiece
With five different headpieces to choose from, selecting the right one can be challenging. Here’s a simple breakdown to help you decide which headpiece best suits your horse. All headpieces include integrated straps that minimise pinching, rubbing, and unnecessary pressure on the sensitive poll and TMJ (temporomandibular joint).
- Arc Classic Headpiece A simple, traditional headpiece with three straps for cheekpieces, noseband, and throat lash. It features light padding and an ergonomic cut for a comfortable fit, providing ample space for your horse’s ears.
- Half Moon Headpiece This headpiece is slightly wider, helping to relieve pressure on your horse’s poll.
- Flexure Curve Headpiece The widest available headpiece, the Flexure Curve’s anatomical design offers optimal pressure relief across the poll.
- Comfort 3D Air Designed with the same anatomical shape as the Flexure Curve, this headpiece provides maximum pressure relief with additional soft 3D Air padding. The padding cushions the base of the ear with a central gap over which minimises contact with the last two vertebrae of the horse’s neck.
- Comfort 4D Air This headpiece operates in the same way as the Comfort 3D Air. But, with additional padding extending below the browband the 4D it also provides cushioning for the TMJ. This advanced anatomical design and gives superior comfort. Also available for Double Bridles.
Step 2: Pick Your Browband
Many riders already have a special, sparkly browband that can be used with their new bridle. However, if it’s time for an upgrade, choose a soft leather Henry James browband that complements your new bridle beautifully. Options include U-shaped, straight, and curved browbands.
Step 3: Choose Your Cheekpieces
Select classic buckle or billet cheekpieces for a traditional look. If you frequently change bits, consider clip cheekpieces, which make switching bits quick and easy.
Step 4: Select Your Noseband
We offer several Henry James Saddlery noseband designs to choose from:
Cavesson A simple, timeless noseband with soft padding and a chin buckle guard for added comfort.
Comfort Flash A beautifully padded noseband with a removable flash strap. (Flash attachment is fixed and cannot be removed.)
Dressage Crank This innovative crank minimizes pressure on the horse’s cheekbones, allowing them to focus on achieving the perfect piaffe. It features a fully removable flash attachment and strap for versatile use.
Grackle Also known as a ‘Figure 8’ noseband, the Grackle prevents your horse from crossing their jaw and opening their mouth. It includes soft padding under the crossover for optimal comfort.
Step 5: Treat Yourself to Some New Reins
Whilst it is likely that you already have some reins knocking around in your tack room, it would be criminal to put them on your shiny new bridle. Complete the perfect custom bridle with new reins and select the pair that will best suit your favourite equestrian discipline.
Struggling to decide which Henry James reins will best suit you? Why not eliminate any confusion by using our quick comparison guide.
Bio Grip Hybrid Reins With Leather Stoppers
With a width of 20mm and thickness of 8mm, this medium-soft comfortable thick rein is suitable for all disciplines - the most popular rein.
Smooth Eventer Hybrid Rubber Reins
With a width of 18mm and thickness of 6mm, this soft slim light weight rein is suitable for all disciplines and very grippy.
V Grip Hybrid With Leather Stoppers
With a width of 19.5mm and a thickness of 7mm, this is a very grippy soft rein with small bobbles - comfortable to hold with or without gloves.
With a width of 19.5mm and a thickness of 6.5mm this extremely soft rein gives a spongy feel in the hand.
Calfskin Supergrip Reins with Stoppers
With a width of 18mm and a thickness of 5mm, this is a thin, neat looking rein with medium thickness popular for dressage, flatwork and showing.
Customer Reviews of Henry James Saddlery Reins
Henry James Saddlery Calfskin Supergrip Reins
Ellen: These are wonderful reins! Good quality leather, rubber backing, hand stops are spaced closer together than the reins I have had in the past, allowing more precise control. Arrived on time. The 54" is the perfect length for my 14.2 hand Mustang. Excellent product.
Henry James Saddlery V Grip Hybrid Reins With Leather Stoppers
Diane: Just what I needed after hearing my trainer tell me to "shorten my reins " - over and over again . Now, no more slipping and no more reminding! They have done their job beautifully....
Henry James Saddlery Bio Grip Hybrid Reins With Leather Stoppers
Emma: Very good quality reins!
Exquisite British Horse Tack from Henry James Saddlery
Enhance your connection with your horse with Henry James Saddlery tack. This beautifully crafted collection uses Sedgwick leather, known for its softness and suppleness, providing maximum flexibility and comfort to help your horse perform at their best.
Complete your tack collection with a breastplate, martingale, and soft stirrup leathers for the ultimate ride.
