Friday, December 31, 2010

Identify This...

..Type of bridle for me if you can. I just love the way it looks, especially in combination with certain period costumes! I want to know if its design is more than just ornamental though. Does it have a 'proper' name?

5 comments:

Jeni said...

That is simply called a "Cross face" bridle. If it has a fancier name than that I've not heard it. I've mostly seen them on draft type horses at renfaire's and really haven't been able to get a close enough inspection to see if all that extra leather is of mechanical use or just ornament.

I do say they are really pretty!

sidesaddlegirl said...

Sometimes you see them on Argentinian polo ponies too. Maybe somewhere that sells polo tack would have something similar.

gemma said...

I went on a riding holiday a couple of years ago (in the UK) and one of the cobs had a bridle like that. I *think* they said the horse was Polish bred and the bridle had come with her from there...there was some kind of Polish connection anyway!
Pic here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gemma_lds/2479241986/

Julie said...

Humm - well.. now I know some of you have seen them, but I am still at a blank as where to buy one to get more details .. price, purpose, fitting - etc.

"Cross face" makes sense, but I am not coming up with much information by using that term in my search.

sillywhippet said...

Hi Julie,
Firstly I love your blog, makes me want to get my big standardbred gelding going aside.
Secondly, I've seen the bridle either called a "Cross face" as Jeni said or a "X" (sorta like a "Y" they use on race horses) bridle. Serveral different types of these bridles can be found on this page towards the bottom (loads of scrolling but worth it):http://www.usfriesianreferral.com/tack.html

Also this site has very interesting article about medieval bridles (including the X ones) and also an essay on the construction of a medieval side saddle:
http://ilaria.veltri.tripod.com/bridle.html

http://ilaria.veltri.tripod.com/sidesaddle.html

Hope this help,
SW