Parts of the English and Western tack
***Bridle parts***
A bridle consists of leather or synthetic straps, held together and attached to each other by buckles.
The strap that holds the bit onto the bridle in called the "head piece" or "crown piece". Some people ride with only this piece. With no nose band, brow band or throat latch.
A "nose band" is the part that goes over the nose and is also called a "Cavason" This is used mainly just by English riders. Occasionally some nose bands will have a small loop in the middle of it that allows another strap pass through. This piece is called a "drop cavason" And is goes around the horses chin to keep the horse from opening his mouth to avoid the bit.
The part that goes over the horses forehead is called a "brow band" Mostly these are used only by English riders, but some western people do use them. That I've see anyway.
The 'throat latch" goes under the throat of the horse and keeps the bridle or head piece from being pulled over the horses head.
Bits
Most english riders use snaffles...the most mild of bit selections.
Eggbutt snaffle - the rings are slightly oval shaped and don't move Loose ring snaffle - The rings are fully round and can rotate. KK snaffle - instead of only one joint it has two. Dee ring snaffle - Rings are D shaped and allow a slight amount more of leverage. (I thing) There are twisted snaffles, copper snaffles, twisted copper snaffles, double twisted copper snaffles, driving snaffles and the list could probably go on and on. Though when you get to the twisted bits they are not a mild and can painful to the horse is used inproperly. The copper mouthed bits help the horses salivate and keep his mouth soft.
I'll add more bits later.........
Saddle parts
English
The front of the saddle is called the "pommel". The back of the saddle is called the "cantle". The underside of the saddle is called the "panel". The part that goes down the side of the horse is called the "flap". The piece that you put your foot in is called the "stirrup". The strap of leather that holds the stirrup to the saddle is called the "stirrup leather" The stirrup leather is held to the saddle by a small bar of metal called the "Stirrup bar" this piece is cover by a leather flap called the "skirt" A "girth" is a long, wide strap of cotton, leather, nylon or other synthetic material that goes under the horses belly, right behind his elbows and hold the saddle in place. Right in the withers. The straps underneath the 'flap' that you buckle the girth to are called the "billets" Depending on the type of saddle with depend on the length of these. Dressage saddles tend to have longer billets. While jumping saddles will have shorter billets. All purpose saddles will have different length's depending on who makes them.
Western
The western has more parts to it. It is a bigger saddle and covers more of the horses back. Some of the pieces I won't be able to properly discribe, due to the fact that I don't ride western. If I get something wrong and you feel I should correct it, Please by all means enlighten me.
The "horn" is the part of the saddle that protrudes from the "pommel" or front of the saddle. The bulges on the pommel of the saddle, (that if you get rammed forward your thighs hit on) are called the "swells". The "seat" is were your butt sits. The back of the saddle that raises up is called the "cantle". The leather that extends from the cantle is called the "rear housing" The leather that extends out and down further from the 'rear housing' is called the "Saddle skirt". The straps of leather that hang down from the 'rear housing' are called the "saddle strings" On most western saddles, hanging from the 'saddle skirt' is a "rear cinch billet". When a cinch is attached to this it goes around the horses belly, behind the riders leg. I assume this keep the back of the saddle in place when a horse is working a cow or reining. The stirrups and leather look very different on this saddle then english. Instead of having narrow stirrup leathers, you have wide "fenders" That hold your very different looking stirrups. The western cinch has two large rings at each end that attach to one long billet strap. Unlike the english billets that are short and narrow.
Note: English people call the strap that holds the saddle in place a "girth" while the western people call it a "cinch"
***Bridle parts***
A bridle consists of leather or synthetic straps, held together and attached to each other by buckles.
The strap that holds the bit onto the bridle in called the "head piece" or "crown piece". Some people ride with only this piece. With no nose band, brow band or throat latch.
A "nose band" is the part that goes over the nose and is also called a "Cavason" This is used mainly just by English riders. Occasionally some nose bands will have a small loop in the middle of it that allows another strap pass through. This piece is called a "drop cavason" And is goes around the horses chin to keep the horse from opening his mouth to avoid the bit.
The part that goes over the horses forehead is called a "brow band" Mostly these are used only by English riders, but some western people do use them. That I've see anyway.
The 'throat latch" goes under the throat of the horse and keeps the bridle or head piece from being pulled over the horses head.
Bits
Most english riders use snaffles...the most mild of bit selections.
Eggbutt snaffle - the rings are slightly oval shaped and don't move Loose ring snaffle - The rings are fully round and can rotate. KK snaffle - instead of only one joint it has two. Dee ring snaffle - Rings are D shaped and allow a slight amount more of leverage. (I thing) There are twisted snaffles, copper snaffles, twisted copper snaffles, double twisted copper snaffles, driving snaffles and the list could probably go on and on. Though when you get to the twisted bits they are not a mild and can painful to the horse is used inproperly. The copper mouthed bits help the horses salivate and keep his mouth soft.
I'll add more bits later.........
Saddle parts
English
The front of the saddle is called the "pommel". The back of the saddle is called the "cantle". The underside of the saddle is called the "panel". The part that goes down the side of the horse is called the "flap". The piece that you put your foot in is called the "stirrup". The strap of leather that holds the stirrup to the saddle is called the "stirrup leather" The stirrup leather is held to the saddle by a small bar of metal called the "Stirrup bar" this piece is cover by a leather flap called the "skirt" A "girth" is a long, wide strap of cotton, leather, nylon or other synthetic material that goes under the horses belly, right behind his elbows and hold the saddle in place. Right in the withers. The straps underneath the 'flap' that you buckle the girth to are called the "billets" Depending on the type of saddle with depend on the length of these. Dressage saddles tend to have longer billets. While jumping saddles will have shorter billets. All purpose saddles will have different length's depending on who makes them.
Western
The western has more parts to it. It is a bigger saddle and covers more of the horses back. Some of the pieces I won't be able to properly discribe, due to the fact that I don't ride western. If I get something wrong and you feel I should correct it, Please by all means enlighten me.
The "horn" is the part of the saddle that protrudes from the "pommel" or front of the saddle. The bulges on the pommel of the saddle, (that if you get rammed forward your thighs hit on) are called the "swells". The "seat" is were your butt sits. The back of the saddle that raises up is called the "cantle". The leather that extends from the cantle is called the "rear housing" The leather that extends out and down further from the 'rear housing' is called the "Saddle skirt". The straps of leather that hang down from the 'rear housing' are called the "saddle strings" On most western saddles, hanging from the 'saddle skirt' is a "rear cinch billet". When a cinch is attached to this it goes around the horses belly, behind the riders leg. I assume this keep the back of the saddle in place when a horse is working a cow or reining. The stirrups and leather look very different on this saddle then english. Instead of having narrow stirrup leathers, you have wide "fenders" That hold your very different looking stirrups. The western cinch has two large rings at each end that attach to one long billet strap. Unlike the english billets that are short and narrow.
Note: English people call the strap that holds the saddle in place a "girth" while the western people call it a "cinch"