Anatomical cavesson bridle - recommendations

[mini_b]

I’d like something simple, plain, workmanlike.

Buckles/billets- no clips

No rolled leather bits

Something suitable for a FS/XF trad Hunter type head.

Just wanted to explore alternatives. I love my sabre bridle but think the cut behind the ears could be better, he definitely rubs his face a lot even with a slack noseband.

Havana leather. No bling/patent.

Ta all. Merry Christmas xx

 

[Roxylola]

I got one from equi elegance last year and they are fantastic for the price
https://www.equi-elegance.co.uk/sale-comfort-bridle-havana
https://www.equi-elegance.co.uk/photo37144112.html

 

[mini_b]

£

I got one from equi elegance last year and they are fantastic for the price
https://www.equi-elegance.co.uk/sale-comfort-bridle-havana
https://www.equi-elegance.co.uk/photo37144112.html

£29? Unbelievable!
Please enlighten me, I am somewhat aware of the pressure points around poll/ears and over nose/cheeks.
Should I be looking for something special in terms of around the face, it’s definitely his face he wants to rub. Or is a “normal cavesson” fine? With a cutaway headpiece?
I never ever have tight nosebands.

(There is tension which I think would also be helped with a friendlier shaped headpiece - I’m just attacking all angles)

 

[Roxylola]

They are nicely padded without being bulky, and shaped but not hugely so. I think if you look at the really expensive ones there's a lot of research/tech goes in to them. However the cheaper imitations aren't always as good. I've got something inspired by a psos bridle, but I noticed when I was cleaning it the headpiece isn't actually symmetrical which might (or not) explain why my reins never want to be the exact same length.
Personally, I'd either spend the big bucks and probably go for the stubben one or go simple like the above.

 

[Roxylola]

Happened to have it at home as I cleaned it this week

 

[Roxylola]

Money no object, and if I could get over my dislike of how space age it looks, I'd have this https://stuebben.co.uk/accessories/0021-002510-000000000000

 

[mini_b]

They are nicely padded without being bulky, and shaped but not hugely so. I think if you look at the really expensive ones there's a lot of research/tech goes in to them. However the cheaper imitations aren't always as good. I've got something inspired by a psos bridle, but I noticed when I was cleaning it the headpiece isn't actually symmetrical which might (or not) explain why my reins never want to be the exact same length.
Personally, I'd either spend the big bucks and probably go for the stubben one or go simple like the above.

What is better about the stubben?
I have a better shaped padded shires
grackle but it’s a grackle - it’s only for braking.
I am looking for ultimate relaxation in terms of the basics of
prancing with this one

 

[mini_b]

Money no object, and if I could get over my dislike of how space age it looks, I'd have this https://stuebben.co.uk/accessories/0021-002510-000000000000

It hasn’t updated.

Sorry it’s not for me at all.
If it was truly amazing I’d buy it for
My stress head but it is so hideous looking. In comparison to the plain plain approach we take!

 

[mini_b]

There is a sabre “sensitive” which has a cutaway headpiece but not sure if this would solve the apparent issue.

 

[Roxylola]

Yeah, the pics show the facial nerves etc that it avoids. That and the fairfax seem to have really done the research. But I can't love the style of it and its soooo expensive.
Fairfax is a bit more traditional styling.
The sabre bridles are excellent value for the money. I guess it depends where the issue is as to if the comfort headpiece would be enough. Have you tried without a noseband? Different nosebands etc?

 

[mini_b]

Yeah, the pics show the facial nerves etc that it avoids. That and the fairfax seem to have really done the research. But I can't love the style of it and its soooo expensive.
Fairfax is a bit more traditional styling.
The sabre bridles are excellent value for the money. I guess it depends where the issue is as to if the comfort headpiece would be enough. Have you tried without a noseband? Different nosebands etc?

No I haven’t....
I ride in either a slack trad Hunter cavesson on the sabre
Or grackle on the comfort shires but he’s twatting about too much to bother with rubbing his head..
...or is it the nicer head piece.

He is 100% sensitive around his lips/mouth and rubbed himself silly with the wrong noseband/bit combo when I first got him. He will still rub with a grackle (I don’t do it over tight) but it’s more lip rub than head rub.
The more we’ve partied in the grackle the less he does it...
I use a grackle rather than bitting up as he can be a proper thug and I’ve got him schooling in a snaffle/plain band rather than the various implements he was sent to me in.

I just feel a bit stuck for the next idea to be honest.

 

[Roxylola]

Mmm, its tricky, some horses just seem to prefer the position and feel of a grackle or drop noseband. Can you try your grackle headpiece on a snaffle for schooling?
I know cranks have a bad rep, but again some horses seem to like the noseband being close and secure rather than loose, and I find cranks are always nicely padded. I never do them tight at all though

 

[mini_b]

As the weather has got colder and he’s bit spicy (we school only in open spaces) he’s more reluctant to take the contact we worked on in the summer. And trying to rub more intensely. I give him lots of breaks for his neck but it’s getting to a yank arrr mum my face.

I don’t feel like it’s a strapping him shut issue. He’s not “better” for
Rubbing in the grackle, I just so rarely use it it’s just my go to combo (at the moment) for speedy company/jumping/fast work. I’m not sure I can compare

Basically the rubbing is more prevalent in the cavesson/bomber combo. He does find schooling difficult and I do ask he works on a hack and doesn’t slop the whole way around on the buckle.

(Thanks for input this far)

 

[mini_b]

Mmm, its tricky, some horses just seem to prefer the position and feel of a grackle or drop noseband. Can you try your grackle headpiece on a snaffle for schooling?
I know cranks have a bad rep, but again some horses seem to like the noseband being close and secure rather than loose, and I find cranks are always nicely padded. I never
do them tight at all though

I thought i answered but he does rub with a grackle. He doesn’t like it but it works as a combo with a less severe bit than he needs and over time he rubs less now... he’s also markedly less dangerous in company.
It seems to be lower face issues rather the head piece but I’m not sure if they are connected

 

[Roxylola]

I thought i answered but he does rub with a grackle. He doesn’t like it but it works as a combo with a less severe bit than he needs and over time he rubs less now... he’s also markedly less dangerous in company.
It seems to be lower face issues rather the head piece but I’m not sure if they are connected

You kind of did, I was just sort of throwing things out there really - thinking if he did it less in that combination it might be worth trying just a noseband swap for your schooling bridle. It would be so much easier if they could talk sometimes

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Horsemanship saddlery do a lovely anatomical cavesson bridle. I have the Saturn one in brown and their reins and the leather is good quality and soft.

 

[mini_b]

You kind of did, I was just sort of throwing things out there really - thinking if he did it less in that combination it might be worth trying just a noseband swap for your schooling bridle. It would be so much easier if they could talk sometimes

Sorry I was thinking out loud I hadn’t really explained it to myself!
He only does it less in combo because he really doesn’t get chance to as we at speed/busy. He will rub when we get back, I get off and then it starts. Whereas in the simple combo it’s a lot more often where we are moving slower/thinking!

 

[mini_b]

Horsemanship saddlery do a lovely anatomical cavesson bridle. I have the Saturn one in brown and their reins and the leather is good quality and soft.

This seems to ring a bell from my physio (no neck/facial issues mentioned! - just in passing)

 

[Littlewills]

Horsemanship saddlery do a lovely anatomical cavesson bridle. I have the Saturn one in brown and their reins and the leather is good quality and soft.

I was just about to recommend them. They do 4 or 5 slightly different shaped anatomical headpieces, so you can get one that's a good fit. My PSOS is for sale as it just didn't fit my little mare properly sadly, so even the mega bucks ones dont always work out.

 

[sherry90]

Another horsemanship saddlery recommendation. The bridle itself is really lightweight but good quality, you can swap to a Hunter style nose band rather than padded and also swap the browband if you want (it clips on)

 

[MereChristmas]

I am also saving so I can buy an anatomical bridle.
I have been recommended both Horsemanship saddlery and these

https://www.henryjamessaddlery.co.uk/collections/bridles

I have no idea how to choose a headpiece though or which I should buy.

 

[Griffin]

Horsemanship saddlery do a lovely anatomical cavesson bridle. I have the Saturn one in brown and their reins and the leather is good quality and soft.

I have the same and it really is a lovely bridle. My mare goes so well in it.

 

[Abi90]

I have a horsemanship saddlery one as well. It’s lovely quality and was not too expensive

 

[vmac66]

Another one for horsemanship saddlery bridles. Lovely bridles. My fussy mare is happy in hers.

 

[mini_b]

Ok this is all very good thank you so much!!
Everyone that’s got a horsemanship saddlery bridle, could you let me know what the actual improvements were you had personally. Cheers all x

 

[vmac66]

Mare used to rub her head after bridle was, taken off. She hadn't done this since I changed to the Horsemanship saddlery bridle.

 

[mini_b]

Mare used to rub her head after bridle was, taken off. She hadn't done this since I changed to the Horsemanship saddlery bridle.

Did she try to stop to rub during work?
Do you have a cavesson noseband?
Ta x

 

[vmac66]

Never tried to stop work.
Have a cavesson noseband done up very loosely.

 

[mini_b]

Never tried to stop work.
Have a cavesson noseband done up very loosely.

Thank you! Currently my noseband is slack. Actually slack. It’s a plain hunter cavesson. If we take a pause in a lesson or stop for a gate he will rub. He is an excellent gate opener but will drag his head along the gate until he is ‘done’ before we may proceed.

In a lesson, or schooling he REALLY wants to rub his nose/mouth if we are walking or paused/loose rein.

 

[McFluff]

Have you tried with no noseband?
That’s how I worked out that my mares sensitivity was around the side of her face. She was always happiest with no noseband, and to compete I ended up in a micklem.