Rural Heritage April/May 2026

bridle than it probably was as a halter. Finally, I like the snap on the throat latch as a quick and easy way to secure my bridle, but I need a buckle on the other side of the throat latch to make sure it is adjusted to fit securely. A halter can run a little loose under the throat, but we all know that adjusting the throat latch is important to what keeps a bridle on. It is really easy to make a good quality hole in a nylon strap. Hold a 3-inch nail with a good pair of vice grips. Heat the nail with a small torch in your shop, or over the kitchen range. Then just slide the nail back and forth to “melt” a good hole. I like to use a gloved finger and push them flat and smooth as soon as I pull the nail out.

and making it a useful bridle. You might need three changes to a halter to make it work as a bridle. You definitely need to add a strap in front of the ears; call it a brow band. All bridles have this and it holds the sides up neatly. A lot of draft horses have big blocky heads (some Suffolks sure do), and this is a Another view of Mary in her halter/ bridle.

good chance to make this band a good length that holds the ring on each side up but not so short that the bridle is always tight up against the base of the ear. A good halter will have a buckle on the back at the pole strap to adjust it for size. You may need extra holes in the strap, as it will be worn high and tighter as a Duke wears a halter/bridle made from a halter with modifications.

Rural Heritage

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