Comfort bridles

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EventerPony

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Hello, we're back with another bridle thread, this time i'm looking for a comfort bridle. Something with a cavesson noseband. I've heard good and awful things about the anatomical type bridles, particularly micklems. Anyone have any suggestions?
 
Henry James 3D air head piece with one of their cavesson nose bands?
Or one of the Dy’on bridles, I think it’s the working collection, has a nice cut back head piece and the leather quality is stellar.
 
DirectorFury said:
Henry James 3D air head piece with one of their cavesson nose bands?
Or one of the Dy’on bridles, I think it’s the working collection, has a nice cut back head piece and the leather quality is stellar.
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I have this..The Henry James 3D Head piece that is!!! I love it and the leather quality is amazing!! Made much more of a difference to my horse than the Micklem (and Im a big fan of the Micklem).
 
I use micklem bridles for lunging and riding a leading .
I have Fairfax bridles for my special horse I was so sceptical but they change some horses so much .
I also love my fairfax breastplate .
 
The Fairfax ones look v nice, not such a nice price though. Will defo have a look at the henry james 3D head piece. im willing to spend a mid amount, about the same price as the micklems.
 
cremedemonthe said:
Not a fan of comfort headpieces, more accidents with them breaking every year. Seen some nasty splits and tears, OP I will send you an article explaining why they can be dangerous if they fail.
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If possible please may you send me this article so that I can have a read too? Many thanks
 
poiuytrewq said:
Oh really? That’s scary. Damn it i purchased a quite expensive one not so long ago ?
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Not wishing to scare anyone, just showing them what can go worng with these headpieces. You get to hear about them breaking as well as seeing them in the workshop for repairs .
I'll send you the article on them, then you can make your own mind up :)
Oz
 
Been asked by a few so here it is, NOT scaremongering at all , just showing you what can and sometimes does go wrong with saddlery.
If yours is made like the one in the article, sewn across key strength areas and little leather left for integral strength then be aware of this and keep an eye on it.
I am sure yours will be fine, here have a read and make your own minds up. Seen many that were about to break or indeed, had broken. Some was due to leather care neglect, leather had dried out and would have broken anyway but the deisgn of these comfort headpieces are not a good idea but that is MY opinion and not necessarily anyone elses :)
Oz

http://www.unicornleather.co.uk/comfort_headpieces.html
 
That makes sense, the only bridle I can remember being broken in many years was a comfort one, the horse was running about loose and trod on the reins, which is what caused it but it was probably lucky he was in an enclosed field and not on the road which would have made catching more tricky, I think the reins stayed round his neck in one piece with the bridle and bit flapping about uselessly.
 
I have an English leather micklem and I like it, horse goes much better in it. Got it for very good price though. Also have Henry James cavesson which is also a nice bridle.
 
I'd recommend Henry James too - I have a PS of Sweden that I needed to change the noseband on and bought a HJ noseband as couldn't justify PS prices again.

Very pleased with the quality & would happily purchase again.
 
Not all comfort head pieces have a crew hole though - I have the Collegiate Comfitec Bridle and the headpiece has the three straps off the headpiece in one piece of leather with no crew hole. I would also recommend it as it make a huge difference to my horse! Its based on the Fairfax design but alot cheaper!
 
I have a Native Pony Bridle with padded headpiece for my cob, the padded noseband fastens with a buckle both sides, and the leather is superb. Was about £130 ish custom fit - XF 1" padded browband and 2" padded nodeband and the rest of the bridle 3/4" Full size. You can probably see there is no hole through the headpiece at all.
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Not sure if I have misunderstood, is it just the headpeices with the threaded through noseband slot you have concerns about? Most of the comfort bridles nowadays have a single solid headpiece like JMBs though? The Micklems do..
My horse has a Buhler from Kramer equestrian and my son's pony has a john whittaker, both of them are solid headpeices.
 
NiceNeverNaughty said:
Not sure if I have misunderstood, is it just the headpeices with the threaded through noseband slot you have concerns about? Most of the comfort bridles nowadays have a single solid headpiece like JMBs though? The Micklems do..
My horse has a Buhler from Kramer equestrian and my son's pony has a john whittaker, both of them are solid headpeices.
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I think it's just the headpeices. What do you think of the Buhler?
 
cremedemonthe said:
Yes, I am on about the original comfort headpieces where the noseband headstrap comes up through the headpiece via a crewhole
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I never liked those.
Thankfully they are dying a death and being replaced by monocrown style which are my preferred headpiece and have been for years. Sabre started that trend for me, although I’m sure there were other makes at the time too
 
ihatework said:
I never liked those.
Thankfully they are dying a death and being replaced by monocrown style which are my preferred headpiece and have been for years. Sabre started that trend for me, although I’m sure there were other makes at the time too
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When I last went to an equestrian trade fair (5-6 years ago) the talk amongst people there was that Saddlers and retailers were seeing litigation against manufacturer's and sellers of these type of bridles as accidents were occurring, so the demise of the original as far as I am concerned can only be a good thing.
 
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