MEASURE YOUR HORSE
The chart and photos will guide you through each step
These measurements are very important! Please follow the directions on the measurement form below. Take each measurement several times to insure accuracy. Use a 3/4 inch wide soft measuring tape as is used by tailors or seamstresses for taking measurements for human clothing. Place it comfortably around the horse's face (don't cinch the tape tightly). Give us the measurement to within 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch. If it is hard for you to tell (horse is a bit squirmy) give us the range- for example: Measurement of #1 may be 25 1/4 to 25 1/2''
NOTE: If you would like one sidepull bridle to fit more than one horse — we will do our best to help you. Give us the measurements of the primary horse you want to fit and the measurements of the second horse. While it is best to use a sidepull which exactly fits each horse, generally the bridles will work if the noseband is a bit too large but not if the noseband is too small. For Example: It works to ride a medium-sized horse in our large size bridle. It does not work to ride a medium horse in a small size bridle. Measurement # 1 is the most important measurement in making this decision. If the measurements you send us clearly indicate the bridle will only fit one of your two horses - we will fill the order for your primary horse.
Please fill in the measurement form below and send with your order
Measurement Form
Fill out Items 1 through 5 & send or fax with your order form.
Follow the diagram above and measure the following distances:
1. Completely around the face JUST BELOW the cheekbone and curve of the jaw: __________________ inches. (Most horses are 23 to 27 inches around in this area) View Photos of Step 1
2. Completely around the horse's nose on the bony area of the jaw JUST ABOVE the round soft part of the chin: ___________________inches (Most horses are 16 to 20 inches around in this area) View Photos of Step 2
3. From one corner of the mouth up over the top of the head (behind the ears) and down to the other corner of the mouth:_________________inches (Most horses are 42 to 49 inches long in this measurement) View Photos of Step 3
4. Browbands should not fit snug on the horse's forehead or pull the
headstall of the bridle forward onto the horse's ears. They need to be sized
generously yet not be so large that they gap on the horse's forehead.
Browbands vary widely in their design and overall length. Some of them have
single loops on each end which enclose the headstall, others have double
loops which enclose the headstall and the throatlach. In order to build you a
browband which works with Diana Thompson's sidepull headstall, we need you to
measure a browband which fits your horse and give us the length of the
section of the browband which does not include any of the loops on each end. This "No-Loop" measurement may vary between 12-15 inches. See drawing below.
No-Loop Brow Measurement
A) No-Loop Section of browband which fits your horse ______________inches
If you do not have a browband which fits your horse, you can give us the measurement of one which is too big or too small.
B) No-Loop section of a browband which is too big __________inches and estimate how much should be removed________inches
C) No-Loop section of a browband which is too small _______inches and estimate how much extra room is needed ____________inches (generally 1/2 increments work best)
5. What breed___________, height_________, approximate weight__________ and age is your horse?________________.
MATCHING REINS: CHOICE OF REIN WIDTH, STYLE AND LENGTH
The reins which match Diana Thompson's sidepull bridle come in two widths, three lengths and with an option of a center buckle.
WIDTH: Select the 5/8 inch wide reins or opt for the wider 3/4 inch reins.
STYLE: The reins attach to the sidepull with a high quality buckle. You can choose either a closed loop style of rein that does not have a buckle in the center or an English style of rein which has a buckle at the center.
LENGTH: Most commercially available reins are too short. Rein length should be long enough to allow your horse to stretch his neck down towards the ground without you leaning forward in the saddle and holding the very end of the reins. We offer 9, 10 and 11 foot long reins. Nine foot long reins may be desired for small horses with shorter necks such as the smaller Arabians, Paso Fino's, Peruvian Pasos, etc. Ten foot long reins are a wonderful rein length for most horses between 14.2 and 15.2 hands tall. Eleven foot long reins are necessary for the taller (16 hand or taller), longer-necked and larger horses such as the large Thoroughbreds, warmbloods and draft crosses. A 15-2 hand warmblood Diana recently fitted rode well in the sidepull bridle with the 10-foot long reins.