STATE-OF-THE-ART BRIDLES

THE SECRET BEHIND OUR OCTA CONCEPT

The entire foundation of our OCTA concept is about creating the world's absolute best bridle, and for us, that definition involves several key factors:

THE BRIDLE MUST STAY STILL
A key condition for top performance is that the bridle or double bridle remains completely still. While this may sound simple, it has proven to be quite rare. We've designed our nosebands with a "cracked" shape and added soft cushions on the inside to ensure they stay perfectly in place.

MINIMIZED WEIGHT
The lighter, the better. You don't want unnecessary weight affecting your horse's comfort or performance.

CLOSE TO THE HORSE
The bridle should sit close to the horse, with minimal padding between the horse and the top leather. Too much padding can make the bridle unstable, causing it to move and work against the horse, rather than with it.

CLOSE | STILL | LIGHT

WHY IS A HEADPIECE SO IMPORTANT?

A common misconception is that just because a bridle or double bridle has a lot of padding on the headpiece, it automatically means a good fit for the horse. We disagree. In our opinion, a bridle should sit close to the horse, not on top of the horse’s neck. Heavily padded headpieces can actually have the opposite effect, causing the bridle to move even more during work. A bridle that doesn't stay still disturbs the horse with every step.

You can compare an overly padded headpiece to a cart loaded with mattresses (our metaphor for padding) stacked on top of each other. What happens when the cart starts to roll and turn? The higher up in the mattress stack, the more unstable it becomes, and you have to be careful in turns to prevent any mattresses from falling off. However, if you have just one mattress that fits the size of the cart, you never have to worry about losing mattresses, because it will stay securely in place.

In other words, avoid building a headpiece with too much height, as the horse will constantly need to "adjust" to the swaying.

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE

THE TYPE OF BUCKLES IS CRUCIAL

Having buckles placed on the headpiece is an elegant detail that keeps the focus on your horse’s expression, but you should be mindful of the type of buckles you use and where they are placed.

If you have a standard buckle (like those often found on belts) to adjust the height of the noseband and bit, you face the major disadvantage that all the pressure is concentrated under the buckle. Additionally, if you have a buckle that isn't anchored and regularly needs adjusting because it slides down to one side, the situation gets even worse.

When you adjust a noseband or cheekpiece this way, the horse is constantly subjected to pressure points that move around. This results in an uneven distribution of pressure across the horse’s neck, and even worse, the pressure shifts every time the horse moves.

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE

TMJ-CUSHION AND A BROWBAND THAT DOESN'T PRESS AGAINST THE HORSE

In all our headpieces, there is padding with an open shape along the ears. A bridle must lie against the ears; otherwise, it will slip off. The ears act as a "stop" that prevents the bridle from sliding off. If you want a headpiece that doesn’t touch the ears, you would have to secure it with a tightly fastened throatlatch or a cheekpiece that is too tight and raises the bit too high in the mouth. Think of it this way: If you pull the bit up too high in the mouth, you create a counterforce—as tightly as you pull up the bit, you're also pressing down on the headpiece, making it as uncomfortable as a vise.

Having the headpiece lie against the ears isn’t automatically wrong. You just need to consider how it fits. If you have a heavily cut-out space for the ears, there is a risk that it doesn’t accommodate the entire ear, which can lead to the lower part of the headpiece digging in at the base of the ear.

All our headpieces have a perfectly placed small cushion that protects the sensitive joint known as the TMJ. Simply put, this is the joint where the lower jaw attaches to the upper jaw, located above the eye.

READ MORE ABOUT TMJ HERE

LET THE HORSE DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE

THE NOSEBAND THAT BRINGS IMPROVEMENTS

It’s not often that one reflects on the structure of a horse’s jaw beneath the skin. Riders are sometimes surprised when they first realize where the horse’s teeth are actually located and how far the jaw extends. The horse has an upper jaw that sits slightly outside of the lower jaw. The oral cavity is quite small, and the horse has a relatively large tongue, while the roof of the mouth is rather low, further restricting space.

Our unique noseband is designed to leave the cheeks completely free, eliminating the risk of pinching. Additionally, the noseband features a "cracked" design and a soft cushion at the front on the nose bridge, ensuring it stays perfectly still during the entire ride – which is extremely important. The rear part of the noseband is also angled downward to prevent it from tipping forward on the nose.

THE AREA WITH CHEEK RELIEF REMAINS COMPLETELY DRY AS THE CHEEK HAS BEEN LEFT FREE

HERE YOU CAN SEE THE CHEEK RELIEF AND THE PLATE AT THE FRONT OF THE NOSEBRIDGE

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF TMJ INFLAMMATION

Problems can arise from a variety of causes, but some clear correlations have been observed:

  • Head shaking
  • Sensitivity around the ears and difficulty being bridled
  • Difficulty opening the mouth or fully yawning
  • Increased sensitivity to sound
  • Shy or withdrawn behavior
  • Jaw misalignment, uneven bite
  • Excessive jaw/tongue activity
  • Stiffness in the neck and/or soreness along the back
  • Cribbing
  • Limited movement of ears or eyes
  • Head tilt (a more serious sign that may indicate neurological issues)
HOW TO MASSAGE TMJ