Comfort Bridles that put minimal/no pressure on ears/for sensitive horses!

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KatB

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Any suggestions for bridles that are really cut back with big browbands?!?

Lucky currently has an Albion, which is gorgeous and very very soft, but she is getting increasingly grumpy about having her bridle on, and last night put her head really low for me to rub behind her ears/her poll before she would lift her head again to have her bridle on! I think she dislikes any pressure in that area as she has always been a bit fussy in her head, and goes noticeably better in comfort headpieces than normal ones.

She is only in a loose ring snaffle, although did go hunting in her cartwheel gag last week, so wonder if that has made her more sensitive. She has her back done regularly, with no issues, so think it is more a sensitivity thing more than anything!!

Any help very much appreciated! :)
 
In theory yes, but I would like to see if there is anything available which is a bit more "traditional" looking! :D Thank you though :D I have been looking at those and contemplating whether it would actually make a difference!
 
rubys in a prestige which has a wide headpiece and an over sized bb- similar to the mark todd dyon copy which scooby used to be in. both seem settled in them but i do have a gel headpiece/sheepskin/another bit of sheepskin for the other bridle!
 
have you had her atlas/axis joint checked by McTimoney or similar? when mine are 'out' there (esp likely if they pull back when tied up) they can be very sensitive, but as soon as they're put right, the sensitivity/sillyness about being bridled goes...
i have a slightly shaped Stroud Saddlery IR bridle, which is v nice and well padded around the ears, fwiw.
 
I am boring in my repetitiveness but a Kate Negus headpiece really helped mine (had got to the point where I couldn't get the bridle on). I had my physio do some massage in that area too.

The headpiece has a buckle on each side for the noseband so that there's no noseband strap running over the poll at all. There's a huge choice of bits and bobs and you can make up a bridle to suit, or just buy a headpiece. They're not massively cut back but the decrease in pressure meant that I could bridle my horse normally again within about 3 weeks. Mine initially went very sore after an instructor put his snaffle up by about 2 holes on both sides.
 
Thanks Kerilli, I use a very good Osteo who did check her axis/atlas last time she was done (just before chritsmas) and she was fine, though has had adjustment there once before. He showed me what to look for/feel for in regards to tension there, and she feels lovely and soft and relaxed around that area at the moment! I will get her checked over again in the next couple of weeks though :) I thought of the stroud saddlery bridles, I just wasn't sure what their browband measurements were like, as most bridles off the peg seem to have browbands which are quite small!!

Thanks Lucemoose, hadn't thought of the prestige ones... will look at them :D

Showjumpergirl, that's what puts me off the Dy'on, the fact it would be very difficult to find bits to fit it, and I'm not sure my mare would appreciate the straps around her face so much! Have you used a jeffries bridle at all? How cut back are they? :)
 
Thanks Gamebird, I love Kate Negus bridlework, but they're quite similar in cut to her albion... however, I do like the bespokeness Kate Negus offer... so actually I may get in contact and see if they can do me a "special order" :p Thanks for that :D
 
Dizz hates any poll pressure at all. Even a jointed Happy Mouth three-ring gag on the snaffle ring was too much for her. She'll sit in her ar$e if I try a Pelham.

She goes well in the Morris and Nolan comfort bridle.
 
I've just ordered one for my lad who also seems to not like a traditional bridle. I've opted for a 'blingtastic!' Otto Schumacher bridle! Check out his website loads of choice!!
 
I have an Elevator bridle for Ellie.

She would do an excellent impression of a giraffe and made it impossible for me to bridle her and I would often end up in tears over it(I'm 50 btw). The Elevater and a Myler comfort bit sorted that out, she's obvously far more comfortable on both counts and will drop her head right into my arms now to be bridled. Well tbh, when she feels like it.

The bridle is lovely though, it's very well padded, cut away from the ears and it's that soft and supple that it's just got to be comfy.
 
Hi KatB, we have just bought a jefferies IR for Molly, because she was def uncomfortable in our ordinary stubben!:D must be Di's sensitive girlies:rolleyes:
It not got a huge cut back, and you're right the browband is not huge, it just fits nicely. It's very well made, good padding but not too thick, and like Gamebird's Kate Negus adjusts on the cheekpieces. It made a big and instant difference to HRH! :p
 
Haha! Thanks Badders!

Yeah I do like the idea of the IR's, but am just concerned the browband won't be big enough! Have emailed Kate Negus to see if they'd be able to do me a "special" headpiece with a X full browband :D Barnsby are apparently also doing a new headpiece design, but can't find details of it anywhere!!

I am seeing Di tomorrow for a lesson anyway, and will ask her to bring a magnetic headpiece to try, to see if the wider one makes a difference... :) Pleased HRH has settled in her new bridle, L has always had comfort bridles anyway (spoilt mare!)
 
Good luck with your search...those Kate Negus do look lovely. Though if you are going to see Di look at her bridles, when we tried Moll she had a lovely comfort bridle on with an enormous slightly dipped shaped browband on it, with green bling on the front. It looked very comfortable, but it may have looked like that because Molly isn't very broad in the head!!:D
 
Yeah that's Di's main competition bridle! It's an elevator with a Pink Equine bling browband :D I was at hers last week, and was going through browbands with her :p She is coming to me tomorrow, so no tackroom delving unfortunately :( :p
 
Robinsons do a cheap one that is very cut away behind ears - IR type design, but more extreme (less so than dy'on!). Just thought it may be worth getting something cheap to see if it works before splashing out on somethign more expensive.

Item code 33172
 
Just a thought as I 'know' your Albion bridle well ;)......the newer versions are more cut away behind the ears, so not as thick as yours. Why don't you contact Albion re getting a new head piece, may save you having to buy a new bridle??!
 
showjumpergirl said:
I've never seen such a cut back headpiece before! I was going to say something like the Jeffries IR, but that's nothing compared to ^. It doesn't look that flexible though when it comes to browband/noseband choices though.

Here's the IR anyway: http://www.ejeffries.co.uk/products/132894/IR_Bridlework
Click to expand...

I got mine from Evison Equine, its is the same design as the Jeffries IR, as i have one of these too, but less than half the price! The leather is English has has worn just as well, if not better than the Jeffries. I do think the fact the headpeice curves away from the ears really helps my boy.
 
I use a prolite headpiece with a full size browband on Jae's cob sized head/bridle. The prolite is so thick and comfy I can't imagine anything else being better?

Not a very fun example though if you're using this as an excuse to get a new bridle :p
 
Sabre Cordoba is very padded - much nicer than any of the other padded headpiece bridles I've come across. If you speak to Sabre directly they'll mix and match sizing for you, so you could go for an X-full browband and full everything else (or whatever). The bridle isn't cut away behind the ears, but it is very soft. I have found that it has made difficult to bridle horses much easier.
 
Have you tried the newer Albion headpiece? It is cut back around the ears like the Elevator. Might be worth a try.

Sorry- just seen that Sneedy has already suggested this. Didn't read the rest of the replies before replying!
 
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