Hobby Horse Tack and Accessories: The Complete Guide

Tack is where hobby horsing turns from a toy into a sport. A bridle that fits, a browband that catches the light in the dressage arena, a halter for the stable at home: riders collect it, swap it, make it and judge each other on it. This guide covers every piece of hobby horse tack you will come across, what it is for, how to size it, and which items actually matter when you compete.

The pieces of hobby horse tack

Item	What it does	Needed for
Bridle	Headpiece, cheekpieces and noseband that frame the head	Everything; required at most shows
Reins	The strap you hold; attached to the bridle rings	Everything
Browband	Strap across the forehead, plain, patent or crystal	Dressage and showmanship turnout
Noseband	Cavesson, flash, drop or grackle (figure-8)	Realistic look; judged in showmanship
Bit	Small metal or plastic bit hung from the cheekpieces	Optional; realism only
Halter and lead rope	For "stabling" and showmanship in-hand classes	Showmanship, display
Martingale	Running or standing; decorative on a hobby horse	Realistic and western turnout
Breastplate	Chest straps in leather or webbing	Cross country, realistic turnout
Saddle pad and mini saddle	Sits on the neck behind the head	Showmanship, photos; rarely used in jumping
Ear bonnet, boots, bandages	Fly veil for the ears, leg wraps on the stick	Fun and turnout classes
Rosettes and rugs	Show prizes; a "rug" is a small blanket for the neck	Display, photos

Bridle types explained

The bridle is the one piece every horse needs, and the one judges look at first.

• Snaffle bridle. The standard: headpiece, browband, cheekpieces, cavesson noseband, reins. Works for every discipline.
• Competition bridle. A snaffle bridle with a padded noseband and a crystal or patent browband. The dressage choice.
• Grackle (figure-8) bridle. Crossed noseband straps, associated with jumping and cross country. Popular because it looks fast.
• Hunter bridle. Plain brown leather, no shine. For riders who compete in hunter-style classes.
• Western bridle. Often no noseband, sometimes a single-ear headstall, with split reins. Used in barrel racing and western classes.
• Rope halter and bitless bridles. Decorative; hobby horses do not need a bit.

Sizing tack for a hobby horse head

Hobby horse tack is sold in sizes that follow the head, and the labels are not standard between makers. The safest method is to measure your own horse before buying anything.

1. Nose to poll: from the front of the muzzle, up the face, to just behind the ears. This sets the headpiece and cheekpiece length.
2. Around the nose: the circumference where a noseband sits, a few centimetres above the muzzle.
3. Across the forehead: ear to ear, for the browband.

Most makers offer two or three sizes labelled A4 (or mini), A3 (or standard) and occasionally A2. Our horses have a head of about 35 × 23 cm, which corresponds to the class M or "standard" size at most tack makers; browbands around 15–17 cm and nosebands around 30–34 cm fit. When in doubt, buy adjustable: a bridle with several holes on every strap fits more heads than a fixed one.

Materials: leather, synthetic, ribbon

Real leather looks best and lasts longest, but costs the most and needs conditioning. Synthetic leather (PU or biothane) is what most competition bridles are made from: it cleans with a wipe, holds its shape and comes in every colour. Ribbon and webbing bridles are the budget option and the DIY favourite: a metre of 10 mm grosgrain ribbon and a few small buckles make a working bridle in an evening. Fleece bridles, like the white one on our Goliath and Domino, sit between the two: soft, distinctive and easy to wash.

Where riders buy hobby horse tack

Three sources, and most riders use all of them. Equestrian retailers in Finland, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands now carry dedicated hobby horse tack lines, including big brands' mini bridles and browbands. Independent makers on craft marketplaces sell handmade leather sets, often custom-coloured, with waiting times of a few weeks. And the community itself: tack is swapped, sold and gifted at shows and in club groups, which is where many riders find their first crystal browband.

What actually helps in competition

Not every accessory earns points. Here is how the pieces rank when a judge is watching.

• Essential: a fitted bridle that stays put through a jumping round, and reins you can hold. Everything else is optional.
• Worth it in dressage and showmanship: a padded noseband and a browband that matches the horse. Judges notice turnout.
• Worth it in freestyle: tack that fits the theme of the routine. A western set for a barrel-racing routine, silver browband for a grey.
• Cosmetic only: bits, martingales, breastplates, boots. They complete the picture and score nothing on their own.
• Avoid in jumping: anything loose. Rosettes, charms and clip-on decorations can fall on the course and cost you the round at many shows.

Making your own tack

Half the tack at any show is homemade, and it is a good way in. A basic ribbon bridle needs about a metre of 10 mm ribbon, four small buckles or D-rings, needle and thread, and an evening. Measure the head first, cut the headpiece with 5 cm to spare, sew the rings in place and adjust on the horse. Browbands are easier still: a strip of ribbon, a row of flat-back crystals glued on, loops at each end. Patterns circulate freely in hobby horse groups, and the makers who sell tack usually started exactly this way.

Caring for tack

Wipe synthetic and ribbon tack with a damp cloth, air dry, store flat or hanging so straps do not crease. Real leather gets a leather balm every few months and never goes in water. Check buckles and stitching before each show: a strap that fails mid-round is the most common avoidable elimination.