If you were buying a bridle for this horse…

Bridle like this. Handsome cobs look ridiculous in stitched or fancy leather. Problem is so few saddlers actually make proper hunter and cob bridles now, you need to go bespoke. A lovely hunter bridle will last you a lifetime, the one on this cob is over 30 years old.
 

Attachments

  • Cob.jpg
    Cob.jpg
    200.8 KB · Views: 145
Flat hunter noseband like AA lists.
My go to for most is the Cordoba, but their cavesson won’t do your horses head any favours.
 
You guys are all so boring.

She needs one of these.

f043ba87a8f2fdf83e38cf45ece7890e.jpg

Lest you think I don't put my money where my mouth is.....

He usually goes in a very boring brown bridle these days, but that's just because the medieval one is the only bridle I have that fits is Myler combination bit. But he hasn't needed to be ridden in that in ages, so I may stick the snaffle onto this red bridle.


241021242_1051988275606192_1564699558776937797_n.jpg
 
Thank you, food for thought. So, excepting the ever adventurous @Caol Ila, the general vibe is ‘big and flat’ as @Britestar nicely summed it up. I’m having a hunt about. Thoughts on these? One is nearly four times the price of the other- Is the price difference between them to do with the quality of the leather and therefore the durability? We are just happy hackers who school for fitness so no need for anything terribly fancy, but I want her to be comfortable and happy and I’m willing to spend more with that in mind.

And you barbarians who want to shave all her lovely floof off… madness. It’s her only feminine feature the poor soul 😂 I feel like it would be just like the time OH shaved all his facial hair except the moustache off- he was like a stranger, I couldn’t even look at him
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6697.png
    IMG_6697.png
    117.4 KB · Views: 119
  • IMG_6699.png
    IMG_6699.png
    167.5 KB · Views: 95
I've got an Irish Draught with a big bucket of a head, and he looks immeasurably better in a flat noseband. Coming from dressage, I've always liked a padded noseband, so can't get my head around plain flat nosebands, so I like the flat padded nosebands from English Bridles (added benefit of really lovely quality leather)
 
They don’t look thick enough!

www.fyldesaddleryltd.co.uk

Ridden Show Cob Snaffle Bridle - Fylde Saddlery

A Thick Chunky Bridle with 3/4 Cheeks and a choice of 1 1/2″, 1 3/4″ or 2″ Nose Band comes with a plain rein. Snaffle Bridle only (photo is for viewing purpose only) Havanna or Black Cob Full Over Size Cob 3/8″, 1/2″, 5/8″, 3/4″ split to split 11 1/2″ length 27″ throat lash 22 […]
www.fyldesaddleryltd.co.uk www.fyldesaddleryltd.co.uk

 
Have a look for a Jeffries hunter bridle. It won't break the bank and will be superior in quality to a bridle made by Shires, or similar. Also, if you're a pedant, like me 😇; Jeffries cut with bridle point and not egg point, which is more 'correct' for anything traditional.

Sabre are lovely, and I have bought their bridles for sport horses, but they wouldn't be my go to for something a bit more chunky.
 
Get practical and go for a military bridle for everyday use :)

For some reason not known to me I have about eight of them in my tack cupboard and no horses anymore.
 
I bought a bridle for Lari when I first had him.It's a Henry James.

I used to have a nice hunter bridle for Bailey very similar to this one for Bsiley but can't remember the brand
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20250502_092943_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250502_092943_Gallery.jpg
    198.6 KB · Views: 72
  • Screenshot_20250502_093059_eBay.jpg
    Screenshot_20250502_093059_eBay.jpg
    164 KB · Views: 84
I'd buy one of these with the 2" hunter noseband and browband.

Anatomical bridles | Comfort Bridles | HS Saturn

Anatomical bridles designed for maximum pressure point relief, detachable throatlash and 'Quick-Click' browband. The ONLY bridles approved by Horse Bit Fit
www.horsemanshipsaddlery.uk www.horsemanshipsaddlery.uk

Or one of these

EB Premier Comfort Flat Padded Bridle

The Premier range are made from English leather that is 3.8m that has no growth marks, scratches or creases. The bridle is handcrafted by the most highly skilled Master saddler. It can be mixed and matched to your measurements to ensure that it fits
www.englishbridles.co.uk www.englishbridles.co.uk

Both lovely bridles although the EB one has nearly doubled in price since I bought it and it wasn't that long ago!
 
One that fits - seriously though

a cob size will have far too small a browband and pull the back into his ears
full size will have cheek piece buckles up where all the nerves join.

Have a good measure of what he's currently in to make sure whichever style fits well. Probably you'll have to buy separates to get a good fit.

Mine with a similar build has extra full browband, cob headpiece, pony cheeks - and really those are still touch long

You want the cheek buckles as low as you can. In the two sales picks above the chestnut horse is a much better fit than the grey - the grey the cheeks are too long so the buckles sit too high and on the place where the nerves are closest.

I don't bother with a noseband unless I have to have one for dressage comps.
 
Cloball said:
you're all wrong apart from @Caol Ila and @smolmaus you need a bright biothane with no nose band with a dark pony any bright colour will stand out lovely and biothane is so easy to look after.
Click to expand...
orange biothane bridle is on my list for the next "one too many glasses of wine online shopping time" I already have orange reins
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top