A lip strap is a piece of
horse tack
Tack is equipment or accessories equipped on horses and other equines in the course of their use as domesticated animals. This equipment includes such items as saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, and harnesses. Equipping a hors ...
made of rolled leather or occasionally thin chain, used sometimes on some types of
English-style curb
A curb (North American English), or kerb (Commonwealth English except Canada; see spelling differences), is the edge where a raised sidewalk or road median/central reservation meets a street or other roadway.
History
Although curbs have ...
and
pelham bit
A pelham bit is a type of bit used when riding a horse. It has elements of both a curb bit and a snaffle bit. In this respect a pelham bit functions similar t ...
s. The lip strap runs between the
bit shanks and passes through a special center ring on a
curb chain sometimes called the "fly link". The lip strap attaches to rings at midpoint of the shanks and buckles on the near side.
How To Fit A Double Bridle
Retrieved on 3 April 2009
The lip strap helps keep a "mouthy" horse from mouthing or "lipping" the shank. It also helps prevent the curb chain from unfastening or otherwise moving too much.
In western riding
Western riding is considered a style of horse riding which has evolved from the ranching and welfare traditions which were brought to the Americas by the Spanish Conquistadors, as well as both equipment and riding style which evolved to meet th ...
, the "slobber bar" or "shank hobble" placed between the rein rings of a curb bit serves the same purpose as a lip strap. The leather curb strap-like attachments that are sometimes used to connect the rings of snaffle bit on a western bridle are also occasionally known as lip straps, though "bit hobble" is the term more often used.
References
{{Horse equipment
Bit accessories