Bridle

It provides additional control and communication through rein pressure (Oxford English Dictionary, n.d., para.

Headgear without a bit that uses a noseband to control a horse is called a hackamore, or, in some areas, a bitless bridle.

The bridle, depending on style, may also contain some of the following elements: A hackamore, put simply, is headgear that controls a horse via pressure points on the face, usually with a nosepiece instead of a bit.

[3] Bitless bridles are similar to hackamores, but some designs use different leverage principles for control.

Hackamores and bitless bridles use a headstall with reins attached to some type of noseband or nosepiece.

The jaquima or original bosal style hackamore is mostly seen on young horses being started under saddle in western riding disciplines.

Some riders, not realizing that a horse's head overall is a very sensitive area, use a noseband-based style of headgear without the same caution they might use with a bit, thus defeating any benefit that an apparently milder form of gear would otherwise provide.

The most visible difference is that they usually include partial eye coverings called blinders, blinkers or winkers that restrict the horse's peripheral vision.

Winkers may be square, dee-shaped, hatchet-shaped, or round, and are adjusted to fit clear of the center of the horse's eye.

The noseband is fitted into the bridle so has a certain amount of action, and is not on a separate headstall (also called sliphead) as is a cavesson.

The reins can be attached in any of the three slots along the shanks, resulting in a snaffle or curb action as required.

In addition, tying with a slipknot that can be released by pulling on the end of the lead rope is a key safety tactic.

Historically, it was a useful skill if a rider had to momentarily dismount and perform a task that required both hands (such as removing brush or fixing a fence) in a remote area where tying was impracticable.