I'm really getting fed up with this...

Kokopelli

Kokopelli

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Went to buy Andy a new bridle today as we got him a new bit which means his current doesn't fit as the cheek pieces are too long, plus its easier to swap bridles then bits.

So went to tack shop today to get a bridle for around £50 and the only ones we could get were flash ones :(

This has really annoyed me, if I wasn't paying very much I wouldn't mind just getting it and taking teh flash off but when you pay £50 you should get the bridle you want. So came home empty handed and unable to try new bit.

Why, oh why did we give all our pony stuff away when we sold our last pony? :rolleyes:
 
I have a caldene bridle which has a proper detachable flash. I hate those little loops you get when you take the flash off!

Its annoying as most horses don't need a flash, they just wear because the bridle came with one! I end up buying plain cavessons (for showing) and using them. It looks so much nicer too!
 
I know what you mean, took me ages to find a normal cavesson bridle i liked, the majority do seem to be flash nosebands and they just dont look nice with that little loop left if you take the flash strap off. i ended up buying online, but even then there wasnt much choice:confused:
 
I can't wait for it to go out of fashion! I'm glad grackles seem to be declining in numbers now.

I also found getting a bridle with a nice pair of reins was very difficult aswell.
 
The lady who has Joe on loan just got him an Evision comfort bridle, I think it was £55 and is very nice, that has a caveson and they suppiled different sized head piece, cheek pieces and noseband to fit as he has a very broad forehead and tapered nose (connemara!) I can find out where she got it from if you want
 
I know whay you mean abou everything having a flash and nasty reins I hate bridle shopping

Jane_Lou - When you find out could you let me know aswell please? I too have an akward to fit connie head :rolleyes:
 
Having the same problem here.. :/ Everything is with a flash and a crank noseband, all reins are those half rubber or that woven fabric.. plain smooth leather reins, please?

Not that I need more bridles.. >_> Ended up with 7 or 8 different bridles and riding cavessons when my trainer had a webshop.. x) Everything from a plain bridle to a spanish show bridle.. and then I got a westernbridle that I use now.
I never rarely nosebands or throatlatches though, so I suppose it's not really a problem for me.. I just don't like that there's a flash on everything.
 
I have the opposite problem :) I need a cob sized bridle and need to buy a full noseband so it doesn't matter what bridle I get as noseband doesn't fit anyway.

Jane_Lou - another who'd be interested. :)
 
I ride without a noseband for that reason!! so annoying,

ponycamp-1.jpg


I think he looks cute without it!
 
Any decent saddler will chop and change parts for you-mine does and I'm led to believe that this isn't unusual.

£50 for a bridle is super cheap, I would be expecting to pay £80+ for something decent, and normally need to buy reins on top of that. Xx
 
Jane_Lou said:
The lady who has Joe on loan just got him an Evision comfort bridle, I think it was £55 and is very nice, that has a caveson and they suppiled different sized head piece, cheek pieces and noseband to fit as he has a very broad forehead and tapered nose (connemara!) I can find out where she got it from if you want
Click to expand...

I would be interested in this please

I know what you mena I hate that they are all flash too

I eneded up the a JW which does come with a flash but you can take it off and not tell it was even there but it was £140

Others are right though £50 is a bit cheap so very limiting. However there are a fair few about for that price you would think 1 would come without a flash. I did think Robinsons did one ?
 
Well for £50 we weren't expecting the nicest of leather as it is a secondary bridle, so we don't really want to be spending more than this on something that won't be used that often.

Will have a look around online sites, also thought that robinsons would have well priced ones so may have a nose there.
 
And also.... why can't you get long reins anymore??? They all seem to be 58" which is FAR too short for my giraffe!!
 
Ascot by Dever do a lovely cavesson raised padded bridle for under £50 as do the Shire Salisbury range :) Both are lovely budget bridles :)

DOH just realised you want plain reins...
 
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Keep an eye on Ebay, I have just bought a 2nd hand English leather bridle, I needed one for hunting it is hardly used, gorgeous leather, cavesson noseband (so I don't need to keep swapping when I needed to put the pelham in) it didn't have reins but it was £12 - bargain!! :)
 
collegiate do a plain cavesson im sure, and pink equine, although not sure of their prices.

TBH its the price thats limiting you, elevator, passier, inch's dressage own brand, albion, all do plain cavesson but are more ££££.

or you could look for a budget double bridle and take the sliphead off?
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
collegiate do a plain cavesson im sure, and pink equine, although not sure of their prices.

TBH its the price thats limiting you, elevator, passier, inch's dressage own brand, albion, all do plain cavesson but are more ££££.

or you could look for a budget double bridle and take the sliphead off?
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea with the double bridle as I've seen a few of them I like the look of.
I wouldn't mind spending more if it was going to be my main bridle but as a secondary one it seems like a bit of a waste of money.
 
Ohh it drives me mad too! NONE of the local saddleries stock plain cavesson bridles, they all seem to have either a flash or grackle!!
Mine do not need either, just the plain noseband! Argh :mad:
 
I had this prob a few years back needed a new bridle and at the time everything was with a grackle, now it seems everything comes with a flash, so now i have a stock of flash straps and all the nose bands have the silly hoops on them
 
I feel your pain, have been through this too and it drove me mad!

I tried an Dever Ascot - must admit I didn't like it. The leather (although shiny) was cheap and dry, but because of the shiny coating on it it wouldn't take in any grease or oil. The noseband was also made wonky (the comfort headpiece one is on hangers - but mine were different lengths so the noseband was lower on one side!).

OH had a collegiate (and also the breastplate) and I think it is v nice for the £. Decently made, nice styles and cleaned up and wore well. If you sign up to DH emails then they often have 20% off days etc, Equestrian Clearence also have them at a v good price.

I personally wouldn't go for a requiste one - not v good quality leather.

Your wallet will thank you for going for the best you can afford now and then look after it well. It will last you so much longer than going for something cheaper.

IIwy then I would look at Jefferies Wembly range, Flyde Saddlery or Collegiate, or English Heritage (NOT the heritage brand you get from online stores - not the same thing at all!) - you want it from here http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Heritage-C...=5757236&_sid=165909080&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322
Jefferies and Flyde would be my top pics though, the best quality for the money I think you will get.

For most of the bridles though if you don't want rubber reins then you will have to buy another set seperatly - it seems no flash and decent reins in a lowish budget and reasnoble quality is simply too much to ask!!!!
 
If you have a local saddler you can have the flash attachment bit taken off and restiched to form a cavesson - I had this done with my lovely stubben bridle and you cannot tell... although it helped that my 'local saddler' was also a friend. Still don't think it would cost very much if you found a bridle you really liked.
 
I have a John Whittaker bridle. It is double your budget but its a beautiful bridle and completely dectachable flash and loop. I like a bridle to be either cavesson or not! No bloody flash loops left behind!
Collegiate have really nice bridles too, comfort bridles that last without the ridiculas price tag :)
 
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