Bruzzle

The Bruzzle

The development of SuperPrix! has brought about revolutionary changes in equipment for riders and horses alike. The bruzzle is a huge improvement on old fashioned bridles with their tangle of flimsy leather straps. One’s groom no longer has to deal with tiny primitive buckles and minute adjustments. The bruzzle is a sleek, customized one-piece unit of rubberized neoprene that embraces the head in a concealed web of steel cables encircling the nose, jaw and poll. The snug fit around the horse’s muzzle and jaws insures that the mouth is held firmly closed in all situations. In addition to preventing biting by highly strung equine athletes, the bruzzle gives the rider maximum power and control over her mount with a minimum of effort.

Your Pet is a Work of Art

Mouthpieces

Cathedral Bits

Long popular with Western riders cathedral port bits have been refined and enhanced to meet the needs of Super Prix practitioners. At first glance one is struck by the elegance and beauty of these mouthpieces, but make no mistake, these are serious pieces of equipment that really pack a punch.

The Chartres

An extremely effective bit for collecting the horse and an essential piece of equipment for Pirouette to Infinity riders. The unique combination of a cathedral port with a spoon-like tongue depressor guarantees that all sensitive areas of the mouth are accessed to achieve complete submission. This bit has a lot of whoa! Comes with matching lever arms.

The Chartres is just one of a series of exquisite bits based on famous French cathedrals. Other models are The Rheims (featuring an ingenious flying buttress design) and The Notre Dame which is based on one of the church's famous gargoyles.

Spring-loaded Bear Claw Correction Bit

This workman–like bit is excellent for reschooling horses that become high headed when rein pressure is applied. The spring mounted “claws” work independently to insure a wide area of influence on the pallet. This assures proper breakover in the first three cervical vertebrae to give a more pleasing head set. The copper rollers act like a pacifier should the horse become anxious.

The Notre Dame

This mouthpiece is a new take on an old favorite, the bicycle chain. Combined with the gargoyle port this bit is cleverly designed to serve a double purpose. The lower surface of the port tends to trap the tongue, allowing more bar pressure and better control. The upper arch contacts the palate to irresistibly encourage a proper head set, while the bicycle chain allows the bit to drape softly over the tongue. Truly a marvel of modern engineering! Comes with matching lever arms.

Lever Arms

While many mouthpieces come with matching lever arms, riders may also purchase individual elements depending upon their horses’ needs. Assembly is easy: the only tools needed are a socket wrench, rubber mallet and a can of WD-40.

Slotted Ratchet

This no nonsense shank is perfect for schooling multiple horses due to its adjustability. Three rein slots allow the rider to modify the pressure applied to the mouth, while the locking ratchet design lets the rider alter the angle between the shank and bit thus attaining sufficient leverage to influence any horse, no matter its disposition or level of steroid supplementation.

3-Hole Scimitar

Based on the concept of the 3-ring elevator bit often seen in the jumper ring, this stylish design offers three options of leverage: mild, endurable and inescapable. The tempered steel blade (plated in 18K gold) will withstand years of hard use, and can also double as a decorative letter opener or utility knife.

The Snake

For those herpology afficionados, The Snake still provides enough leverage to persuade the most recalcitrant mount. Also available in Rattlesnake and King Cobra designs.

Research by a panel of FEI experts has shown that any movement of the horse’s jaw (as allowed by conventional bridles) can cause undue pressure to the sensitive poll area. The bruzzle’s unique closure system (which consists of a 3 inch wide strip of industrial strength Velcro running the length of the underside of the lower jaw) insures a snug fit that exerts equal pressure over all parts of the head. Thus the bruzzle has been ingeniously designed to reduce pressure to the neck/poll area to a minimum, resulting in more humane equine headgear.

The History of the Bruzzle

As early as 2007 FEI officials were questioning the efficacy of traditional leather bridles. While flash nosebands and crank cavesons could be tightened to an adequate degree for most amateur’s horses, superior equine athletes ridden by qualified professionals needed something more intimidating. Several solutions were put forward to address this issue with varying degrees of success. The first contender was the ST (Super-Tite) Bridle that consisted of a veritable rat’s nest of straps and buckles which encircled the horse’s head like a snare. While apparently successful in clamping the horse’s jaws shut, frustrated grooms responsible for getting these contraptions on their charges’ heads began deserting their jobs in droves.

The next attempt looked like a winner on first viewing. The Bungee Bridle was an instant hit with grooms and riders alike. It was easy to fasten, provided consistent and powerful support to all sensitive areas of the head (including the mouth when a bungee was used as a bit hanger) and the colorful cords could be coordinated to one’s outfit. Major tack manufacturers strove to outdo each other in designing clever variations on this popular item. Things were going swimmingly until the 2028 Olympics in Topanga. As the top Aesthetic Equitation rider cantered down the final center line, her horse tripped and fell to his knees. Since she had a death grip on her bungee reins she was catapulted over her mount’s head, unfortunately grabbing her horse’s Bungee Bridle on the way up. A large assortment of colorful squiggles went zinging in all directions to the detriment of the officials at C and the delight of her competitors. The FEI subsequently banned the Bungee Bridle from competition.

For the next ten years there was a scramble to come up with a suitable replacement for the Bungee Bridle. All manner of materials were scrutinized including ratchet straps (similar to those used to secure cargo, only prettier), stainless steel chain and barbed wire with spring tensioners, but nothing seemed to offer the right combination of coercion and style.

In 2038 Erik Klensch, a wealthy entrepreneur and long-time sponsor of Super Prix, invented what was to eventually become the bruzzle. Herr Klensch was a costume designer who had made his fortune catering to the S and M trade. Intimately aware of the properties of plastics, and neoprene in particular, he posited that if humans enjoyed wearing skin tight, non-breathable materials, horses could learn to tolerate them as well. Thus the bruzzle was born.

Early versions encased the horse’s entire head (except for the nose and eyes) in lustrous plastics, but it was found that certain horses tended to become claustrophobic and occasionally violent. To address this difficulty large sections of this “hood” were trimmed away, leaving a shape that was inspired by the muzzles worn by Herr Klensch’s Rottweilers and a few of his clients.

Although this muzzle shape was fairly effective in keeping a horse’s mouth shut, resistant equines were still able to move their jaws due to the slightly stretchy quality of the neoprene. The resultant tooth grinding sound was both unattractive and annoying. To solve this difficulty Herr Klensch devised a truly amazing lattice of aircraft cable and piano wire embedded in a quarter inch thick layer of neoprene. Not only was this design sleek and functional, but it also kept the true power of the bruzzle hidden from the prying eyes of animal rights activists.

Of course the real power of the bruzzle comes from its bits, and modern improvements are obvious in this area as well. Since the FEI eliminated the snaffle bit from competition, riders are able enjoy the benefits of the curb bit in its myriad configurations. To best take advantage of this variety the bruzzle features interchangeable mouthpieces and lever arms which insure instant response and submission. FEI approved mouthpieces include spades, high-port rollers and the ever-popular bicycle chain. A bewildering selection of lever arms is also available to insure lightning-fast response time. Arms may be straight or curved in approved lengths from 8 to nearly 14 inches.