In early Europe, there was a popular superstition that the wearer of turquoise could never suffer a broken bone. Instead, the turquoise itself would shatter and thus prevent the accident. Stones therefore were set into horses' bridles to keep them from stumbling and falling.
These days, it is commonplace to see horse bridles decorated with turquoise (usually imitation), although not many people who own them actually know the custom's origin.
[Juanita’s FootNote: "And the reason turquoise hardly ever shows up in donk or mule bridles must be because ... they never stumble! Ok, I admit it. I made that part up. Thanks to Jean Sorensen for sending this wonderful bit of Trivia in!"]
