Throatlatches

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Straps on a horse's bridle or harness that run beneath the jaw to keep the headstall from slipping off
2. Bridle straps fastened under a horse's jaw so the headpiece stays in place during riding or driving
3. Harness pieces that loop under the lower jaw of a horse to hold the bridle securely on its head

Etymology: "Throatlatches" is simply the plural of "throatlatch," the strap or fastening that runs under a horse's throat to hold its bridle or headstall in place. The plural form is what you would use when a harness has two of them, or when speaking of several horses' gear at once. The word is a plain compound of "throat" and "latch." "Throat" is an old English word for the front of the neck, and "latch," in the sense of a fastening or catch, gives the second half. Put together, the name describes exactly what the piece does: it latches at the throat. The compound needed no special invention; English speakers simply joined two everyday words to name a practical part of horse equipment.