Billets or buckles?

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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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
Batgirl said:
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
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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.
 
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.
 
paddy555 said:
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.
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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.
 
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.
 
conniegirl said:
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
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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 :)
 
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.
 
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 ?
 
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?
 
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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