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How to Correctly Fit a Double Bridle
In British Dressage, you are permitted to ride in a double bridle from elementary level and upwards.
However, if your horse goes well in a snaffle bridle and you don’t intend to ride in a competition where a double bridle is compulsory, then why put him in a double?
If a double bridle is not a necessity and your horse is happy working in his snaffle, then we advise you to leave him be as many horses find two bits in their mouth difficulty to except.
On the other hand, there are some horses who prefer a straight-bar bit and seem to accept the contact more readily in a double bridle. Alongside compulsory competition rules, this is another legitimate reason why you may want to use a double.
For your horse to be comfortable, it’s essential that you fit the double bridle correctly.
Here’s how to do it.
Choosing bits for the double bridle
A double bridle is made up of two bits.
When you come to choose the bits for your double bridle, make sure that they both fit comfortably into the horse’s mouth with a finger’s width of clearance on both sides.
The bradoon should be a ¼ inch wider than you would usually use, in order to allow sufficient space in the corners of the horse’s mouth for the Weymouth.
The correct fit of the bits is essential; if they’re too tight, the horse’s cheeks and lips will be pinched, and his lower jaw will be tight and tense when you work him.
It’s equally important that the bits are not too wide. If they’re too big, they will simply slide through the horse’s mouth, and most of the action will be lost.
The correct thickness of the bits for the size of the horse’s mouth and tongue is also very important.
If the bits are too thick or too thin, the horse will be uncomfortable and he won’t work forward to seek the contact, preferring instead to evade the double bridle by becoming overbent, opening his mouth, or dropping behind your leg.
Fitting the double bridle
The double bridle itself should be fitted in the same way as a snaffle, but with the bradoon lying over the Weymouth.
Related Read:Â How to Correctly Fit a Bit (Standard Snaffle/Loose Ring)
When you put the bridle on, a good tip is to leave the straps out of the cheek-pieces to make adjustments of the height of the bit less fiddly.
The browband should fit comfortably so that it doesn’t pull the the bridle back onto the bulbs of the horse’s ears.
The bradoon bit is fitted just like a snaffle, so that it slightly wrinkles the corners of the horse’s lips. It’s fitted to a separate headpiece, (the sliphead) which buckles on the offside.
The Weymouth (also known as the curb bit) is fitted on the cheekpieces, and once in the horse’s mouth, it should lie just below the bradoon when viewed from the side.
When correctly fitted, the Weymouth will act on the bars of the horse’s mouth and on his tongue, rather than his lips.
If you have a gelding or a stallion, make sure that the Weymouth is not fitted so low that it touches your horse’s tushes.
The throat lash buckles as it does on a snaffle bridle, as does the noseband.
Make sure that the noseband is not fitted so low that it interferes with the action of the bradoon; for this reason, you can only use a cavesson-style noseband with a double bridle.
The curb chain will be fastened to the offside hook of the Weymouth. Twist the curb chain clockwise until it lies flat, and then place it into the groove above the horse’s chin. Keeping the curb chain flat and maintaining the clockwise motion, hook it over the nearside hook, and if you have more than two links left over, hook them over the top.
To make sure that the curb chain is correctly fitted, take up the Weymouth rein and use it to move the bit to an angle of about 450. The chain should rest neatly in the horse’s chin groove.
If it’s too loose it will jangle about and irritate the horse. If it’s too tight, the horse will be extremely uncomfortable and will show signs of resistance.
Finally, put the lip strap through the fly link on the underside of the curb chain and buckle it on the nearside.
In conclusion
Your horse will only work happily in a double bridle if he’s comfortable and confident.
If you’ve never used a double bridle before, it’s a good idea to ask someone more experienced to help you to fit it, and then invest in some lessons on how to ride correctly in one.
Some tack and saddlery shops offer a fitting service for a small charge, and this could be a worthwhile investment if you are new to it.
Related Reads:Â
How To Dressage
(Book 1)
A practical guide to riding and training dressage test movements and transitions, with clear explanations of each movement and insights into exactly what judges are looking for in the arena.
The BIG Book of
Dressage Exercises
A comprehensive dressage workbook featuring over 40 arena floorplans and 190 exercises, including pole work. Suitable for all levels, with adaptable patterns and exercises to support your individual training goals.
Understanding & Using The Dressage Scales of Training
An in-depth look at classical training scales. Discover what each scale means, how they build upon one another, and how to apply them to develop a more balanced and supple horse.
The Pocket Book of
Dressage Exercises
A practical collection of dressage exercises (not found in the BIG book) to keep your schooling sessions varied and effective. Compact enough to take into the arena, it provides fresh ideas to help develop your horse’s training.