Billets or buckles?

KINDMARE

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Planning on getting a new bridle but can’t decide to go for billets or buckles?
Which do you prefer and why?
Thanks
 

CanteringCarrot

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I cannot stand bridles with buckles. They are bulky and just don't provide a nice refined or finished look. Takes away from the horse's head, in some cases. Maybe on a horse with a larger head size, the buckles aren't as bad, but I'll never own a buckle bridle. They just drive me nuts looking at them and I haven't the faintest clue why. Maybe because the riding school where I grew up always had the billet style and I just became so used to it.
 

paddy555

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buckles, I don't worry about looks I just prefer them. I also find them easier to do up after cleaning. Only problem I have found is I had to have mine made rather than off the shelf and that cost more. I also find they last longer than billets. One I have just bought has billets and I really dislike them. It was only bought as an interim measure until I decided what final bridle I wanted for a new horse. Really don't like it.
I think I find that buckles are flatter and smoother against the side of the face.
 

Batgirl

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I'm going rogue and saying clips, I had a beautiful one made for my boy that I had to sell when he retired. When my clyde is fully grown I'm getting hi one made.

But failing that hook/billet fastenings
 

paddy555

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I'm going rogue and saying clips, I had a beautiful one made for my boy that I had to sell when he retired. When my clyde is fully grown I'm getting hi one made.

But failing that hook/billet fastenings

no way. The clip between the cheek piece and the bit could get caught very easily on something such as pig wire.
I had a clip between the reins and the bit and that got caught. Fortunately the horse was sensible and stood whilst I scrambled off and got the bridle off him.
 

Shay

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Clips are useful if you change bits a lot - they are called dealers clips for a reason. But they are not safe XC or hunting as paddy says. I'm a buckle fan - two reasons. Firstly - far easier to use when you are dissassembling to clean. With billets there is a great temptation to clean around them rather than get them all the way off and back back on. But also - they are actually safer than billets. Quite possibly because they are more easily checked and cleaned. If the leather is starting to give way around a buckle - you'll see it.
 

Batgirl

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no way. The clip between the cheek piece and the bit could get caught very easily on something such as pig wire.
I had a clip between the reins and the bit and that got caught. Fortunately the horse was sensible and stood whilst I scrambled off and got the bridle off him.

Generally don't let my bridled horse near pig wire or anything else that could just as easily get caught on buckles and bits. But I understand the concern.
 

OrangeAndLemon

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Billets generally including for any show stuff but I have buckles on my everyday reins and I love it for the ease of quickly removing them to lunge or long rein.
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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Billets, so much neater than buckles.
if you look after your leather the billets last longer i find.
ive one bridle here that is 35 years old and still absolutely immaculate, used everyday and in the show ring
Absolutely agree.
My daily hacking bridle has browband, headpiece and cheek pieces that I brought in 1982, stripped weekly and cleaned, wiped down after every use. Still safe to use and in good nick :)
 

Surbie

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Billets. They look so much nicer.

Can't say they last any longer, but that's mainly because my horse eats leather if he can get to it. So I can't have nice stuff.
 

Tihamandturkey

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Billets but only if you check them properly.

I was faffing about changing bits tonight then decided to lunge in small arena first in case Madam was fresh - so far so good.

Hopped up & set off only to suddenly find my right rein blowing in the wind ?

Had to reach down & wind it through the throat lash so I could attempt to get off as Madam was dancing around in a panic ?

Won't be making that mistake again in a hurry ?
 

DirectorFury

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Billets always.
Iirc there was a thread on here years ago discussing the clips and one of the concerns was that they’d rattle on the bit rings and potentially effect the quality of the contact. Did I dream that?
 

emilylou

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Billets. They are smarter and break easier when you really need them to.
Buckles are clunky and clips get caught on wire
 
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