Crownpiece (headstall)The main strap, over the head just behind the ears. It sits at the poll and holds the rest of the bridle in place. Called the headstall in the US and the headpiece in the UK.
BrowbandRuns from under one ear across the forehead to the other. It stops the bridle sliding back behind the poll.
ThroatlatchRuns from the right ear under the throat to the left. It stops the bridle coming off over the head. Called the throatlash in the UK.
CheekpiecesRun from the crownpiece down along the cheekbone to the bit rings. Two straps, one each side.
NosebandIt encircles the nose. It is often used to keep the mouth closed or to attach other gear. A cavesson is an English noseband with its own headstall.
BitThe mouthpiece that sits in the horse's mouth on the bars. The bars are the gap between its teeth. The cheekpieces and reins fasten to its rings.
ReinsThey link rider and horse. They fasten to the bit below the cheekpieces.
How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-27. Wikipedia, Bridle, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridle , Parts: the crownpiece (headstall in the US, headpiece in the UK) over the head just behind the ears at the poll, the main strap that holds the rest in place; two cheekpieces from the crownpiece down the side of the face along the cheekbone to the bit rings; the throatlatch (throatlash in the UK) from the right ear under the throat to below the left ear, to stop the bridle coming off over the head; the browband across the forehead from under one ear to under the other, to stop the bridle sliding behind the poll; the noseband round the nose, often used to keep the mouth closed or to attach other equipment, the cavesson being an English noseband with its own headstall; the reins, the rider's link to the horse, attached to the bit below the cheekpieces; the bit in the mouth, resting on the bars, the gap between the teeth. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-27. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
This parts of a bridle worksheet numbers seven parts of an English snaffle bridle, top to bottom, from the strap behind the ears to the reins. Write a name on each line, then check it against the key.
Read the full guide
Word bank for the seven lines
In alphabetical order, to write on the board: bit, browband, cheekpieces, crownpiece, noseband, reins, throatlatch. Lines 1 to 3 are the straps that meet below the ear: the one over the head, the short one across the forehead and the one that curves under the throat.
Parts of the bridle worksheet: answers to accept
Riders use more than one name for a part, so mark these right as well: headstall or headpiece on line 1, throatlash on line 3, cheekpiece on line 4, cavesson on line 5 and snaffle on line 6.
Questions and answers
Is the bridle on this worksheet English or Western?
English: a snaffle bridle with a browband and a noseband. A Western bridle usually has no noseband, and many have no browband either. For a Western class, tap those two parts to take their numbers off the sheet.
What is a snaffle bridle?
The basic English bridle. It carries one bit and usually one set of reins. A double bridle carries two bits and two sets of reins, so its rider holds four reins.
Are the crownpiece and the throatlatch one strap?
Usually, yes. On most bridles the throatlatch and the crownpiece are cut from one piece of leather, so lines 1 and 3 name two parts of one strap.
What is a bridle without a bit called?
A hackamore, or in some places a bitless bridle. It guides the horse with a noseband that presses on the face, so a worksheet of one would have no bit to label.