Headpieces

A headpiece for your horse!

A headpiece is the piece of leather that sits behind the horse’s ears. The headpiece connects the noseband, browband and buckles, which together form a bridle. Therefore, without the headpiece, there can be no bridle. Because the headpiece sits behind your horse’s ears and provides a connection for all the individual parts, it is important that it fits properly. Not every horse reacts the same to every headpiece. Many bridles come standard with a headpiece, but this does not always mean that this is the right headpiece for your horse. To find the right headpiece for your horse, it is smart to try on a number of models. This can be done through a headpiece fitter.

What exactly is a headpiece?

A headpiece is the part of the bridle that connects all the parts into a bridle. The many developed models of headpiece each have different functions independently. One well-known model is the anatomically shaped headpiece. An anatomically shaped headpiece differs from a normal bridle by the gap between the ears and the headpiece created by an anatomical headpiece. The horse’s reaction to this can vary greatly. Every horse’s head is unique, so every horse’s head also has its own preference in terms of headpieces.

Using a headpiece

When attaching a headpiece, it is important that it fits properly. Also, there is indeed a side that points to the horse’s ears and a side that points to the rider. The headpieces are made to fit optimally. When attaching a UNIQ Bridles headpiece, it is easy to know which is the right side because the UNIQ letters always point toward the rider. Once you have attached the headpiece to your bridle, you can put it on your horse. The UNIQ Bridles headpieces have a slanted strap for the throat lash, so the throat lash will always stay neatly in place and certainly not rub against the bridle pieces.

Different types of headpieces

There are many different headpieces, each with a different function. All of these headpieces have a different function. UNIQ Bridles offers a wide range of headpieces so there is always a model that fits your horse. The headpieces are anatomically shaped and made of soft leather, which offers a comfortable feel to the horse. Some models offer more freedom around the ears and others offer a different kind of pressure.

The Aachen is an anatomically shaped headpiece with a square cutout for the ears that distributes pressure evenly for the highest possible comfort.

The London is an anatomically shaped headpiece with soft padding and a large ear cutout that relieves pressure on the nerves and gives the ears more freedom of movement.

The Paris is an anatomically shaped headpiece with straight pressure behind the ears, but a cutout around the first cervical vertebra that gets plenty of room here and allows the horse optimal movement.

The Venice is an anatomically shaped headpiece with a round cutout in front of the ears. It prevents pressure on the sensitive nerves on the horse’s head and reduces pressure behind the ears and neckband. The soft padding provides more room for the ears to move naturally.

Certified bit and bridle fitters offer an even wider range of headpieces. The headpieces are then measured by a professional and chosen based on your horse’s performance during fit.

Need advice?

Still not quite sure which headpiece to choose? UNIQ Bridles has a number of certified bit and headpiece fitters who can work with you to find the perfect match. The fitter will fit a number of models to your horse after which you will choose the right model together. Just a quick question? UNIQ Bridles is ready to answer your questions every week. Send an email via contact and your question will be answered as soon as possible.