I used to be able to identify quite a few different bits for various purposes - as I recall, this one is a variant generally used with American Saddlehorses. For no particular reason, I've been wondering just what the origin of this one is, and how it got named that way. Knowing it to identify it is just NOT the same as knowing where the name came from.

The bridoon is also known as a bradoon.

http://onlinedictionary.datasegment.com/word/bridoon

Although most dictionaries say that bridoon is of german origin, there is another word "brigd" which is from "bregdan" meaning to pull. The word "bridle" also has it roots here. Bridoon is a german word for "snaffle".

Bridle was the reference to all parts as a whole in early usage, while bridoon may be derived from "snavel" meaning "horse's muzzle" and is of dutch origins.

I did not find any dates of when these words came into use.
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For those of you who are unfamiliar with “bridoon”, and need a little more information on it. Here it is:

A bridoon is a snaffle bit which has small rings, and is used in conjunction with a Weymouth (curb) bit or a pelham bit in a double bridle.

The U.S calvary used a “bridoon” bridle and was standard issue before 1812, although it was common for some to use just a single bit. The 1841 bridoon bridles have a separate strap or “holder” for fastening the “snaffle’ to, which give the appearance that the bridle has 2 throat straps. This style changed in the early 1900s, so the 1841 is a rare find. During the U.S. civil war very few used a bridoon bridle, a snaffle was most often the bit of choice.

piggins - great! Funny how a phrase that you learn by rote and functional denotation will come back to haunt you after 30 years, but this was exactly what I was looking for.

piggins, could you please tell me where you found this info on bridoons?

When I answered aecass’s question 3 years ago, I found the information online from several different sources. . . Dictionaries, encyclopedia’s, historical pages, etc. . .