Annagain
Well-Known Member
...on the cheek pieces on both sides, about 5 holes BELOW where the buckle was, what would you think had caused it? I'm trying to work it out!
If a bridle broke....
- Thread starter Annagain
- Start date
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
any signs of previous wear? or got very dry and snapped off?! am i reading this right, it would be on the extra bit of leather not under any tension when in use?
scruffyponies
Well-Known Member
I'm confused. There aren't any 'holes' in a cheek piece. Do you mean the headstall broke?
holeymoley
Well-Known Member
The bit got caught on something and horse has yanked back?
Annagain
Well-Known Member
Sorry, yes, both sides, where the cheek pieces attach.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
Correct. Bridle less than a year old, very well looked after, not dry. Both sides broken in the same incident (apparently).
Fieldlife
Well-Known Member
on the headstall part, below the cheekpiece buckle is just hanging loose? No pressure no reason to break.
Mouse / rat ate it?>
Mouse / rat ate it?>
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Horse poked head through door with bars or a weave grid?
I saw an awful accident like that once. Halter was a mess and horse permanently scarred. If it had been a bridle, at least it would have broken earlier.
Have you checked the horse's mouth?
Patterdale
Well-Known Member
Bit caught on something. Or headpiece. Either way, check his mouth.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
But it's broken in a place that shouldn't have been under any pressure, just hanging loose. I can understand one side getting caught and breaking in that place but not two?
More context - deliberately omitted at first time so as not to lead anyone's thoughts!
Charlie went on trial (not to the lovely person who has now bought him) and he was returned as something happened (they were very vague about it but once they decided against him, I just wanted him away from there so didn't push it) and during that something they claimed he stood on his reins and broke his bridle. Now that he's found his lovely new home, I went to collect his tack from the sales livery (new owner didn't want it) at the weekend. I knew I'd find a broken bridle but I was quite shocked at what I found.
If the break had been a hole below or even 2, I could have believed that they lowered the bit (or put a different bit on him although the bit rings on his bit are really small so if anything, it would need to go up if something had a bigger ring) but this is 5 holes, a good 2 inches. Even if they'd put a pelham on him (which they shouldn't have needed to do as he has a lovely soft mouth) it wouldn't need to go down that far? Are there any gadgets that someone might attach to those pieces, lower down than the cheekpieces? It's the only explanation I can think of, both for the reaction they hinted at and the breakages in the position they're in. He was checked over on going back to the sales livery and was vetted a few days later and is fine.
I don't know whether to ask them to pay to replace it or not. I never have to speak to them again so I'm not worried about upsetting them but I'm not sure if I'd come across churlish? It is still useable but it looks awful.
More context - deliberately omitted at first time so as not to lead anyone's thoughts!
Charlie went on trial (not to the lovely person who has now bought him) and he was returned as something happened (they were very vague about it but once they decided against him, I just wanted him away from there so didn't push it) and during that something they claimed he stood on his reins and broke his bridle. Now that he's found his lovely new home, I went to collect his tack from the sales livery (new owner didn't want it) at the weekend. I knew I'd find a broken bridle but I was quite shocked at what I found.
If the break had been a hole below or even 2, I could have believed that they lowered the bit (or put a different bit on him although the bit rings on his bit are really small so if anything, it would need to go up if something had a bigger ring) but this is 5 holes, a good 2 inches. Even if they'd put a pelham on him (which they shouldn't have needed to do as he has a lovely soft mouth) it wouldn't need to go down that far? Are there any gadgets that someone might attach to those pieces, lower down than the cheekpieces? It's the only explanation I can think of, both for the reaction they hinted at and the breakages in the position they're in. He was checked over on going back to the sales livery and was vetted a few days later and is fine.
I don't know whether to ask them to pay to replace it or not. I never have to speak to them again so I'm not worried about upsetting them but I'm not sure if I'd come across churlish? It is still useable but it looks awful.
Quigleyandme
Well-Known Member
It happened to me. I tied the pony to the arena fence using the reins for a minute because I‘d forgotten my hat and he pulled back. The bridle broke both sides just as you described. It was newish and well maintained.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
Below the buckles?
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
that's totally weird. i've had bridles break at the hole the cheeks were buckled to, or above, when a horse has got entangled or stood on the reins etc, but i can't imagine how THIS could have happened in a similar way. might they have been using the bridle on a different horse when it broke?
Patterdale
Well-Known Member
I can’t picture where you mean that had no pressure on it?
Escapade
Well-Known Member
Possible someone used it for another horse while it was away?
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
the bits that are usually tucked into the keepers on the cheekpieces.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
It would totally be explained if the horse poked his head through bars or a grid then pulled back. The spare bits would be on the top of the other parts.
No wonder new owner didn't want the bridle.
If he is happy in his new home, I would simply let it lie.
No wonder new owner didn't want the bridle.
If he is happy in his new home, I would simply let it lie.
spacefaer
Well-Known Member
I'd assume it was being used on another horse with a bigger head tbh.
greasedweasel
Well-Known Member
Had a bridle do the same, grackle noseband snapped too, bridle basically disintegrated. Pony had lightly stood on a lunge line attached to his bit longreining. Was quite dramatic, bridle also not old from a company better known for its rugs.
Patterdale
Well-Known Member
Ahhhh! Used on a bigger horse then I’d say.
Fieldlife
Well-Known Member
I think used on a bigger horse that broke it and trying to pretend Charlie broke it.
Whether I would say anything depends on the terms of them trying Charlie.
I sent a quirky horse on a loan with a view to buy. In my loan contract I listed all equipment sent with him photos and the used replacement cost if broken, and that any damage was at loaner's risk. When loaner bought him she bought some equipment and not others. All came back in good condition.
If you didnt detail what you sent and your expectations, be difficult to enforce.
Whether I would say anything depends on the terms of them trying Charlie.
I sent a quirky horse on a loan with a view to buy. In my loan contract I listed all equipment sent with him photos and the used replacement cost if broken, and that any damage was at loaner's risk. When loaner bought him she bought some equipment and not others. All came back in good condition.
If you didnt detail what you sent and your expectations, be difficult to enforce.
Quigleyandme
Well-Known Member
Yes. Half way between the buckles and the billets on both sides.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Different bit of leather I think? Op is talking about the surplus leather on the headpiece straps with all the holes, not the cheekpieces breaking.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
no, it's the 'spare' leather that's broken - the bits that would normally be tucked into the keepers. I'll get a photo tonight.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
We used the BHS standard loan agreement which states they're responsible for tack. They made it out to be all his fault so I didn't push it but now that I've seen it, I can't see how it could have been. It would be going some to put it on a bigger horse, he's a 17hh horse in an X-full bridle (albeit with the cheekpieces on the top but one hole!)
nutjob
Well-Known Member
Maybe they used a different bit and put on a pair of shorter cheekpieces which fastened lower down if there wasn't enough adjustment upwards, horse got upset and panicked. Hence blaming horse 
.
.Fieldlife
Well-Known Member
Maybe they used a different bit and put on a pair of shorter cheekpieces which fastened lower down if there wasn't enough adjustment upwards, horse got upset and panicked. Hence blaming horse
That is possible some people keep the bit cheek pieces attached to the bit and swap the bit. A gag bit might fit the bill. And explain his apparent freak out! If you google for pictures some gag bits come with their own shorter cheek pieces. A gag bit on charlie would fit the lower holes on the bridle and probably the unexplained behaviour.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
That could well be it. I was thinking any other bit would need to go up not down but if they changed the cheekpieces as well that would account for it, I didn't think of that. Although like I said, he never needed more brakes, he was very polite in that sense so I don't really know why they'd want to change it.