# Baffled about bridles



## Baylee (Apr 10, 2011)

I was just curious about western/ barrelracing bridles. The one I use on my mare doesn't have a noseband- it has the bit and browband. Do western bridles have nosebands? I know English bridles do but was just curious about the western bridles :wink:


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## BornToRun (Sep 18, 2011)

Out of all of the bridles I've ever seen, I haven't seen one with a cavesson before. All of my many western bridles do not have cavessons.


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## Baylee (Apr 10, 2011)

BornToRun said:


> Out of all of the bridles I've ever seen, I haven't seen one with a cavesson before. All of my many western bridles do not have cavessons.


Hmm, I'll keep looking. Thanks for the help!


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Western headstalls do not have a "noseband". (Bridle is the term used for the headstall and bit, together.)

You will sometime see a western bridle used in conjunction with a tie down, such as with roping where the horse requires the tie down to brace against when roping a steer or calf. They are two separate pieces of equipment.










Western bridles do however come with a simple one-ear or double-ear design, and some may or not not have a throat latch. It's a matter of personal preference and sometimes, a matter of fashion. I myself prefer a browband and throatlatch because I feel its less likely to slide off the horse's head when I am doing intense things (barrels, cattle work, etc).











And also, there are hackamores or combination western bits (bit with a noseband) that can make it look like the western headstall has a noseband, but it is actually the bit, and not the headstall.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Generally speaking, no, western bridles do not have nosebands/cavessons. There are some people that add them for appearance sake, but most don't have them.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Baylee said:


> Hmm, I'll keep looking. Thanks for the help!


Unless you have a headstall custom-made, or you find an old vintage western headstall, you won't find one with a noseband. 

My mom actually has a vintage show/parade bridle that is similar to this one, with a noseband.


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