What's the name and purpose of this tack?

[Spandale]

I keep seeing images of horses wearing what I can only describe as a halter. Most of them sit really low on the nose, sometimes even below it and are made with a thick rope. What's the name of them and what's their purpose? Why do they sit so low?

 

[scruffyponies]

Looks like a form of bosal, fitted way too low.

http://functionalhorsemanship.blogspot.com/2015/11/fit-and-placement-of-bosal.html

 

[Otherwise]

One of them looks like an argentine Polo halter, the others just look like traditional bridles as in traditional for their country.

 

[Shay]

It might help to know where you got the pictures? The bottom one is a Chillian Vaqueros in traditional tack. The middle looks like it might be a bosal but you can't see enough to know. The top one I'm torn between an Indian decorative parade bridle or an Argentinian parade bridle.

The answer to your question does depend to an extent on where the bridles are from. The purpose may be decorative. It might be a muserola noseband. It might be something else altogether!

 

[Cortez]

They are various forms of bosal and combination bridles from South America. They work by putting pressure on the soft tissue and cartilage of the nose, and are not particularly kind although effective in experienced hands. The two riding bridles are combinations with a curb bit.

 

[Mule]

I love fancy tack from different cultures, particularly some of the traditional baroque tack. Perhaps we're catching up, now that we've discovered bling 😉

 

[Spandale]

It might help to know where you got the pictures? The bottom one is a Chillian Vaqueros in traditional tack. The middle looks like it might be a bosal but you can't see enough to know. The top one I'm torn between an Indian decorative parade bridle or an Argentinian parade bridle.

The answer to your question does depend to an extent on where the bridles are from. The purpose may be decorative. It might be a muserola noseband. It might be something else altogether!

Sorry I don't know where they're from. I'm part of a horse group and I just keep seeing photos of horses with tack like this and I've never seen it before in my country

 

[Spandale]

One of them looks like an argentine Polo halter, the others just look like traditional bridles as in traditional for their country.

Yep, just googled that. It's what I was looking for! Thanks!!

 

[Spandale]

I love fancy tack from different cultures, particularly some of the traditional baroque tack. Perhaps we're catching up, now that we've discovered bling 😉

Me too! I'm a sucker for baroque tack!

 

[paddy555]

the horse is presumably a Criollo ridden in his normal tack. The one on the right looks to be a bozal that has been adapted as a headcollar. You can see the bit on the nosepiece (just by the top of the mouth) and this is where the reins would attach on each side. It would be higher on the nose if used as a bosal and the back would be tied with a string of rawhide. It is used to break young horses before they go into a bit. After they have been trained in a bozal they have a bit in and go into four reins. Then after further training they work purely on the bit reins and the bozal is removed. The top bridle is a show bridle from some S American country.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I was going to suggest a hackamore.