Headcollars under bridles?

Celestica

Celestica

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Why do people do this? When people are riding (not endurance), I honestly can't seem to think of a reason and I've been seeing it a lot recently !
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I did that when I first had my horse because I was leading out in hand to get him used to traffic. I had one lead rope on the headcollar and the other through the bit.
 
I have done it ocasionally on long hacks where I expect to stop for a break so I can tie up with the headcollar, but I take the noseband off the bridle first. I prefer to just take a headcollar with me if I'm planning on needing one, tied up neatly and attached to a D-ring or in a saddlebag.
 
I did it when I rode my stallion out - if for any reason I fell off and the bridle / reins were damaged, he had his head collar on underneath. Had a lead rope with me too. Sheer peace of mind tbh
 
I use an endurance all in one bridle when hacking, very useful if you have to get off and tie horse up when meeting a difficult gate, get off, tie up horse, open gate, lead through and tie again whilst closing and securing gate again, saves wrestling with gate and trying to hang on to horse and keeps farmers happy because you can close the gate properly. Have also tied up whilst 'nipping behind a bush' lol!! Always useful when traveling and unloading, don't have to take off headcollar and put on bridle risking an escape, just pop in bit and clip on to headcollar part.
Before I had one of these I'm afraid I did ride with an ordinary headcollar under bridle (with no noseband) for the same reasons, may just be Devon but sometimes find a stuck sheep that needs a bit of help, or meet up and stop off for a coffee with friend, not to mention the bridleway that ends near a pub with a handy fence to tie to.
 
we used to leave them on at the trekking yard as it was easier to tie them up between rides plus if you had to put one on a lead rein half way round a ride it meant i could do it without having to dismount. When my daughter was on lead rein the pony always wore his headcollar under his bridle and i do it quite often when i'm leading the youngster out in hand.
 
I have to do this at the moment as my mare has a big problem with her ears being touched and it is impossible to get a bridle on her the normal way. I do have to remove the browband and noseband though!
Having seen the link for the zilco bridle though I think that I will be investing in one - that would solve a lot of problems!!!!
 
Here in France, I do believe that riding schools out on trips HAVE to have headcollars under bridles , personally I go for the endurance option as suggested,
My all time favourite webbing bridle, the Cottage Craft, is no longer made sadly, although sometimes available on e bay.
 
We always do it driving you can buy nice thin light head collars from the driving websites that are ideal.
We always did it as kids so we could take the ponies bridles off when we stopped for a picnic we used our lead ropes as neck straps .
 
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