A guide to bridles

SPANA vets treat countless injuries resulting from painful bridles and bits at our centres. For such a simple piece of kit, it has the potential to create a vast array of difficulties for working animals if it isn’t right. Read about how simple bridle and bit swaps, plus better education about how to fit a bridle, change the lives of working animals all over the world.

There are dozens of types of bridles used by horse owners across the world; from the functional to the ceremonial, from the basic to the most ornate. In areas such as Central Asia and the Middle East, bridles can be a source of pride for horse owners, signifying the worth of the animal and the great deal of care it is given.

Often the only option for owners is to make bridles and bits out of rope, plastic and even metal. Not only can the straps of these makeshift bridles rub and create irritation, but the bits can cut in to the delicate skin of the mouth, causing infection and excruciating pain. In extreme cases, sharp wire can even be embedded into skin and be very difficult to remove from the animal’s mouth.

Baruti was brought to our Botswana centre, led by a rope halter and rusted wire bit that was starting to cut deeply in to the sides of the donkey’s mouth. His owner had done his best to treat the wounds but every time he took Baruti out with him to transport goods to market, he had no choice but to use the only equipment he had and the donkey’s wounds could not heal. SPANA vets gently applied ointment to Baruti’s sensitive skin, repaired the rope harness with softer material, and gave his owner a smooth new snaffle bit to sit comfortably in the donkey’s mouth. Now, despite the long hours spent helping his owner, Baruti is not in constant pain and distress.

Learn more about how we help thousands of animals each year escape the debilitating pain of uncomfortable bridles and pinching bits. Your support can provide even more bits to working horses, donkeys, mules, because a life of work needn’t mean a life of pain.