Throatlatch

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The strap on a horse's bridle that runs under the jaw and throat to keep the headgear from slipping off ; a piece of harness fitted to hold the bridle securely in place
2. A buckled band across the underside of a horse's head that secures the bridle ; a fastening on tack that keeps the headpiece from coming loose during riding
3. The part of a horse's harness passing beneath the throat to hold the bridle in position ; a strap of tack that prevents the bridle from slipping over the head

Etymology: Throatlatch is a plain compound: "throat" joined to "latch," and the "latch" here is the older sense of a fastening or catch, not the door hardware most people picture today. On a bridle, the throatlatch is the strap that runs under a horse's throat and buckles to the headstall, keeping the bridle from being pulled off over the animal's head. The word therefore describes the part's function in its most literal form: a catch that sits at the throat.

Synonyms: throatlash