Western Bridles & Headstalls

How to Fit Western Headstalls for Horses

A headstall is part of a halter or bridle that goes around a horse's head and is attached to cheek pieces which hold a bit, nose piece, or bosal, and control the horse while riding. A headstall combines with a bit to form a bridle. Equestrian Collections has a wide variety of Western bridles for sale from such popular brand names as Weaver Leather, Turn-Two Equine, Cashel, and Tough 1. Western headstalls for horses are available with brow, double ear, and slip ear band. They can be decorated with conchos, elaborate tooling, or braided rawhide, and use tie ends or Chicago screws to secure the headstall to the bit.

It is very important to know how to properly fit these critical pieces of tack. We have compiled a series of steps that will help you with this important process.

Step One

Measure the length of your horse's head from the top point of the skull down to a corner of the mouth. Then measure the bottom part of the horse's chin, which will tell you what size chin strap and bit you'll need. Third, take a measurement from a corner of the horse's mouth going straight back to the withers. This last measurement will help you decide the length of reins needed.

Step Two

Now it's time to decide which type of Western headstall you want. There are 4 basic types of headstalls, the browband headstall, the bosal headstall, or the one ear or two ear headstall. A bosal headstall holds a bitless bridle, or hackamore on a horse's head (this is the only headstall that isn't designed to be used with a bit). A browband headstall features a leather strap that will fit directly across a horse's forehead and replaces those leather loops that are used in one or two-ear headstalls. A one ear headstall has a smallish leather loop on the bridle's crown portion which conveniently fits around one ear. A two ear headstall will have two loops, one loop for each ear.

Step Three

Decide which chin strap, bit, and reins that you want. You can use mecate reins with a bitless bridle or a bosal headstall, romel reins for curb bits, and split reins can be used with curb bits and snaffle. The bit should fit securely in the horse's mouth without pinching or hanging out too far from the edge. Choose a chin strap that will fit loosely underneath the horse's chin.

Step Four

Now it's time to fit the bridle. Remove the horse's halter while hanging the bridle over a shoulder. Stand to the left side of your horse, place your right arm right over the horse's nose, and position the bit in his mouth. Encourage him to pick up that bit completely into his mouth with your left hand. At the exact same time that your horse picks up his bit, you'll need to place the chosen headstall over his ear (or ears). Fasten his chin strap below the chin. Check that the bit fits correctly in your horse's mouth. Double check the bridle, and that's all there is to it!