The Headless Horseman in the end of the story was Brom Bones
The fact that crossing the bridge didn't stop the Horseman hints at this. So does the fact that what Ichabod thought was the Horseman's real severed head turns out to have been a pumpkin. The Headless Horseman in the end of the story was not Brom Bones
The "Ichabod Crane" the old farmer met several years later in New York was actually the Horseman wearing Ichabod's head. Brom made up the part about the Bridge.
The horseman is real, but no part of local lore has ever recalled the horseman being stopped by that one bridge... Brom made that part up specifically hoping Ichabod would believe it and end up getting himself killed.- In fact, Brom could've had many reasons for singling out the Bridge.
