Browbands... They're NEVER big enough.

I'm a bridle maker and nearly every horse I go to measure is wearing a bridle with too long cheek pieces and too short browband. I know the standard cheek piece manufacturing lengths are based on the days when bits had smaller rings and gags hardly existed so the needed to be longer. I'm not sure why browbands are too short, maybe horses tended to have finer heads in the olden days.
 
I have found that different makes have different length browbands. Kieffer are pretty generous with the cob browband measuring 16 1/2 inches which fits both my anglo and grey arab, so they both have off the peg Kieffer bridles. My chestnut arab (has a little 's' hackamore) needed a stubben ctd bridle in pony size and then a 17 inch browband (which some makes consider extra full!).

I should add that I am that weirdo who goes to the tack shop with a list of measurements and a tape measure. LOL!
 
Browbands are always too tight, cheek pieces always too long, and I think a number of brands have forgotten that nosebands can come in more than one size and without a flash attachment.

I make my own now.
 
I agree!
I must admit that I now ride in a "bridle" that only has the cheek pieces and the head piece (rather minimal I know :))
It is a good quality hunter style plain bridle that I got as it was in a sale and a very good price. I liked the broad leather as it suited my pony's head. It came with a browband and a cavesson noseband.
The noseband went straight away as to me it is just an extra bit of leather that needs cleaning and has no real purpose. Plus I tend to put the bridle on over a rope halter for convenience and it would interfere.
I also had to replace the browband as it was too small but the next size up was slightly too big so it was a bit loopy. I rode like that for a while but then decided that was also not very useful so that went as well!
I still have both so could rebuild if I need to look smart but otherwise we are fine :-)
 
Native pony bridles make nice quality plain leather bridles in mix and match sizes. Have one for our exmoor, she has cob nose band, pony cheek pieces and cob + brow band.
 
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