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How to Make a Horse Bridle

| Updated August 11, 2017

Things You'll Need

  • Recycled cloth belts, 1/2-inch or 1-inch thickness

  • Two O rings

  • Lighter

  • Damp rag

  • Measuring tape

  • Utility knife or heavy duty scissors

  • Sewing machine

Warnings

  • Keep lighters, knives and scissors away from children.

Tips

  • Use this DIY bridle to reduce wear and tear on your show or retail bridles.

Equine enthusiasts delight in owning their own horses, but the cost of doing so, especially if your horse is young and still growing, can be astronomical. Acquiring tack, such as bridles, bits and reins can put a serious dent in your horse paraphernalia budget. DIY projects can help soften the expense of outfitting your horse with necessary tack, and making your own bridle can allow you to custom fit your horse in your own style.

Measure your horse if you don't have an existing bridle as a guide. Measurement 1 will be taken from the left corner of your horse's mouth to 1 inch below the back edge of his left ear, minus the width of the O ring on your bit. Repeat on the right side and note both measurements. Measurement 2 will be taken from 1 inch below the back edge of your horse's left ear, over the top of his head behind his ears, to 1 inch below the back edge of his right ear. Measurement 3 is his brow band measurement taken from 1 inch below the back edge of his left ear, across his forehead to 1 inch below the back edge of his right ear. Measurement 4 is for his throat latch and is acquired by measuring your horse from 1 inch below the back of his left ear, under his throat to 1 inch below the back of his right ear.

Choose your belts. Measurement 1 will be the most vital measurement used in choosing your belts, because you'll use two belts to create these two pieces, one on each side of your horse's face. The best choice of belts will be equal to Measurement 1 when the belt is fastened on the middle hole, pulled tight and laid flat. This will allow you to loosen the bridle if your horse grows, or tighten the bridle as it wears. You will need four or five belts, depending upon your measurements and the length of each belt.

Fasten the belts equal to Measurement 1 at the middle hole, looping each through an O ring. Set aside.

Measure and cut a piece of a third belt equal to Measurement 2 plus 2 inches.

Cauterize each end of the piece you cut in Step 4. Extinguish using the damp rag.

Loop each end of the piece you cut in Step 4 around each of the two O rings, overlapping the fabric by only 1 inch, and stitch these using your sewing machine. Go over this seam an additional one or two times to maximize the seam's strength.

Measure and cut a piece of your remaining belts equal to Measurement 3 plus 2 inches.

Cauterize each end of the piece you cut in Step 7. Extinguish using the damp rag.

Line up the two pieces already attached to the O rings so that they'd meet if the O ring wasn't present.

Loop one end of the piece you cut in Step 7 around one of the two O rings between the existing two pieces already attached to the O ring, on the right side. You can visualize how this piece you cut in Step 7 will be the brow band, extending across your horse's forehead. Loop the other end of the Step 7 piece around the other O ring, between the existing two pieces, on the left side. Overlap the fabric by 1 inch, and then stitch these using your sewing machine. Go over this seam an additional one or two times to maximize the seam's strength.

Measure and cut a piece of your remaining belts equal to Measurement 4 plus 4 inches. This is your throat latch piece. You're adding an additional 2 inches because the throat latch piece should not be tight around your horse's throat.

Cauterize each end of the piece you cut in Step 11. Extinguish using the damp rag.

Loop your throat latch piece into your O rings, visualizing how the throat latch will run underneath your horse's neck. There will be just enough room on your O rings to add these pieces based on how you completed Step 10. Overlap the fabric by an inch, and stitch using your sewing machine. Go over this seam an additional one or two times to maximize the seam's strength.