All of a sudden things become more interesting when your bridle breaks (with pics)

How annoying, good thing your guy was nice to you about it.

I was on my TB once going down a hill ( large kinda steep ) and he started bucking , and just to add a bit of fun to the situation my cross over bittless bridle broke and slid up his face . He stopped about half way and I quickly jumped off, the bridle wasnt to bad just some stiching had come loose and broken under pressure. I was just lucky I was still in the paddock when it happened.........Also found out a little later he bucked because he got a small peice of wire wedged under his shoe..proberly quite uncomfortable for him.

This thread reminds me of that old Pony Club safety rule that no buckle on your bridle should be on the top hole; that you have to have at least two holes above the buckle. That way, when your bridle breaks when you're riding out (they usually break at the buckle) you can buckle the bridle back together and have something to ride home with.

The first couple of days of Pony Club camp; there were always a lot of frantic parents trying to get bridles cut down or have more holes punched.

I've too similar stories.

The first one I was running Annie for the first time last summer and I took he rinto the barrel turn and she tossed her head and freaked out until the bridle slipped off and I couldn't make her stop! LOL I was trying to steer with reins around her neck and panicking with my legs xD

Second time was just a few weeks ago when I was riding Rebel out to the creek and it was in an old bridle (Only one that fit, I left the good one at Toni's on accident) and it broke at the browband. Luckily I had the halter on underneath so I just clipped both ends of the reins to the sides of the halter and rode back. He wasn't too happy about it but at least I survived the ride home :)

Clever invention. I like it ^^

Haha what sold me on my gelding was when I was riding him and his bridle broke. He was from my trainer at the time and I knew him well before I started riding him. He was a rescue and I had helped with his ground work and then I started taking lessons on him after she started him because there was no other horse for me to ride. I was a decent rider and he was a decently started greenie and we were supervised so it worked. I was doing canter circles and simple transitions and figure eights and my trainer had this weird look on her face for about 10 minutes during my lesson. In those days you did NOT look down at your horse and you did NOT stare at your hands. You looked where you were going unless your trainer was talking and then you looked at them so they knew you were listening. Apparently his bridle separated and I did 10 minutes of school figures in the ring at the walk, trot and canter with his bit hanging around his neck and me steering with my hands but only actually steering with my seat and legs and maybe a little neck reining. I went home and whined, wheedled and coerced my parents into writing the check =P Then I bought a better bridle for him!

My only problem came from a borrowed bridle many many years ago but I've been on trail rides where other rider's tack has broken. I always carry a long piece of latigo on my saddle that can be used as a chin strap or in some other fashion to do a temp fix should the need arise.

I can't tell you, over the years, that having a way to make a quick repair has saved a lot of problems when you are miles from the trailer.

Been there! About two years ago I was riding a freshly started, um slightly HOT, 4 year old in the pasture and the same thing happened. I felt the reins go slack and looked down and the bit was hanging around her neck. I was SOOOO glad she was having a good day,lol!

Me too. I keep latigo saddle strings on my saddle all the time and always have a pocket knife handy. There have been several times where I've had to piece together something to get me back home or finish out the work day.