phrase

• (of a horse) ridden on a loose rein to allow it to gallop freely, especially at the end of a race.

  ‘Most of the runners are off the bridle while Shergar is cantering.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Norman knew he would stay and even though he was a bit off the bridle round the turn he just kept on galloping.’
  • ‘He was the first horse off the bridle, but he kept coming on ground which certainly wasn't ideal for him.’
  • ‘‘He came off the bit,’ Johnson said of Perfect Drift's momentary pause.’
  • ‘At home, he'd only work as well as the horse beside him but we'd never take him off the bridle at home either.’
  • ‘Nicky Richard's horse looked like winning last time over this course and distance, but did not find as much as expected off the bridle.’
  • ‘But, not for the first time, he didn't find a lot off the bridle and was a length adrift at the line.’
  • ‘He was making a bit of a run coming to the turn, but when Frankie Dettori shifted out, we ended up copping a bit of a bump, just when I was letting Media Puzzle off the bit, and that was the end of us.’
  • ‘Unfortunately I got trapped behind Royal Rebel for a while, when he was on and off the bridle a bit, but five out I got on the tail of Westerner and followed him.’
  • ‘Just over two furlongs out he sneaked a glance behind and the sight of everything else off the bridle was all he needed.’