English Bridle Tutorial

Materials I use to make a bridle

 

This is a simple step by step model horse English bridle tutorial. If this is your first time making a bridle I would suggest to stick to every step in the directions. Otherwise you can change things that you would like to be different. If you have any questions, just ask.

Materials that will be needed:

1/8th inch leather lace or narrow ribbon.

Craft glue or a hot glue gun.

Scissors

Model horse

Measuring the Headstall

Clamps if you are not using hot glue.

Step 1: The Headstall
Take you model horse and your materials that you will be using to make your bridle

(leather lacing or ribbon.) and measure from one side of the horse's mouth to the other side of the horse's mouth. Cut the material where as needed.

Step 2: The Nose Band.

Take your horse again and measure your leather or ribbon around the horse's nose. This should be a little loose on your horse's nose otherwise it may break when you are tacking and untacking him or her. Cut the material and then glue the beginning of the material to the end of it.

Step 3: Attaching The Headstall to the Nose Band.

Take your headstall and your nose band which now should be close to dry. Take one end of your headstall and glue it to the side of your nose band. Take the other end of your headstall and glue it to the other side of your nose band.

Finished Headstall

Step 4: Making your Brow Band.

For this step your nose band and headstall arrangement needs to be dry. Otherwise, you may get glue on you model. Fit your headstall and nose band on your model and take your leather or ribbon and measure for a brow band. The brow band should rest between the ears and the eyes of your model horse. Cut the material as needed. Take the partly finished bridle off your horse and glue your brow band onto the head stall.

Note:

You can mark where the brow band should go but I prefer to just eyeball it.

Step 5: Making your Reins.

For this step your bridle needs to be dry. Take your partly finished bridle and put it on your model. Take your material that you are using and measure your reins. The reins for this bridle should be able to go over the horse's mane and they should rest far enough away from your model's neck that your rider could grab them.

Step 6: Making sure Everything Fits.

For this step the bridle has to be dry. Take your bridle and put it on your horse. Check to make sure nothing is too small. If something is too big or small. can fix it or use it on another horse. Have fun with your new bridle!

My model with her new bridle.

Trouble shooting

Glue won't stick to your material
If you are using ribbon sometimes glue doesn't like to stick. For ribbon, I would recommend using hot glue.

Glue gets on your model
Please do not try the bridle on your model before the glue is dry or this may result in glue rubbing off on your horse. I can not be held responsible for this. Some warm water and soap might get it off if you rub it gently.

Bridle keeps falling off your horse
Something on your bridle needs to be smaller. For example, if the the nose band keeps falling off your model, make a smaller nose band for your bridle if you wish to continue using it for that horse.

Here are some bridle kits that I have made. They are very realistic and fun to construct. If you would rather  buy a premade Breyer bridle there are some links below.

Rio Rondo bridle kits

Traditional show bridle

Classic English jumping accessory