showing advice bridle

[Queenbee]

Just a quick question, as I want everything to be spot on.

I am planning on entering ben into a county level in hand skewbald and piebald class.

Bearing in mind his build, he will be pulled and plaited etc...

Would the traditional hunter bridle with plain flat brow band be the most appropriate? I was thinking Jeffries, but looking at Sabre, I think the colour would suit him more? Please could I have some opinions on this from those of you more in the 'know'?

ben:

jeffries

Sabre

 

[mcnaughty]

Take a look at the following web sites for advice (picture evidence). These are top level showing photographers so if these guys don't know what they are doing then no one does!

ES Photography
Fred the Cat
Equinational

CHAPS Summer Champs 2012 ....

About level with "archives" on the right

http://www.equinational.co.uk/horse-shows/2012-horse-shows-2/

 

[mcnaughty]

Oh and sorry, it has to be Havana all the way!

 

[Queenbee]

Take a look at the following web sites for advice (picture evidence). These are top level showing photographers so if these guys don't know what they are doing then no one does!

ES Photography
Fred the Cat
Equinational

CHAPS Summer Champs 2012 ....

About level with "archives" on the right

http://www.equinational.co.uk/horse-shows/2012-horse-shows-2/

Oh and sorry, it has to be Havana all the way!

Thank you I will have a look when I'm back from the yard, yes when I looked at the Jefferies despite really liking it I did think the colour was too dark

 

[whisp&willow]

brown/havana tack, and with him I would stick to plain leather, as i think he has too much bone to be wearing a velvet browband.

Good luck and have fun, he's gorgeous.

 

[be positive]

I think that the Jeffries would suit his head more, the wider noseband will flatter him where the thinner one on the sabre will look rather lost.
Have a look on www.fyldesaddleryltd.com they specialise in showing offering a choice of thicknesses to suit and are not silly prices for the quality.

 

[Queenbee]

I think that the Jeffries would suit his head more, the wider noseband will flatter him where the thinner one on the sabre will look rather lost.
Have a look on www.fyldesaddleryltd.com they specialise in showing offering a choice of thicknesses to suit and are not silly prices for the quality.

See this is the quandary I am in, I love the choice of thickness of noseband by Jeffries, I too think the thicker noseband is more suited to him and that a thinner one will look very silly. But I do prefer by far the colour of the sabre, I think, that I may contact sabre as I see they do a bespoke range but can't see flat nose bands in there, I will contact and see if they could possibly do a wide one for him. If not there is a very good local saddler but if I go down the truly bespoke route, we are talking fixtures and fittings etc... Do I go for brass fixing or silver looking.... It's all way beyond me

I don't dislike fylde, but if I was going for that colour I'd probably go for the Jeffries, its still very dark . Grrr, why on earth does it have to be so bleeding difficult?!

 

[Crackerz]

Silver fittings!

The Sabre is a horrible colour imo, you need good old fashioned dark brown.

Fylde provide an amazing service and the quality is second to none.

 

[twobearsarthur]

The Jeffries or fylde or have you looked at the "real" Heritage saddlery Matty Marlows range very traditional and he will make to your specifications. Just make sure you get his website (he's in Stockport) and not the copycat site his bridles are £75+ the copies £30.
And your bow is absolutely stunning wow

 

[Queenbee]

Ive just searched for heritage saddlery... I have a heritage bridle but not hunter style.... but all I can see are saddles... is this the wrong site?

http://www.heritagesaddlery.co.uk

 

[Meowy Catkin]

The ebay shop has bridles.
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Heritage-C...=5757236&_sid=165909080&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

 

[Moomin1]

I would definately go for the Jeffries, but with a narrower width of bridle/noseband etc, as he has quite a fine head for a wide hunter bridle.

Good luck.

 

[Queenbee]

The ebay shop has bridles.
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Heritage-C...=5757236&_sid=165909080&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

Ohh thank you!

I would definately go for the Jeffries, but with a narrower width of bridle/noseband etc, as he has quite a fine head for a wide hunter bridle.

Good luck.

Do you reckon? I was thinking thicker would suit him. He is actually quite substantial in the head in RL but then I am comparing to mrs 'fine pants' Ebony!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Remember to take the clippers down those legs

I think the thicker noseband would suit him personally Handsome boy

 

[Moomin1]

Ohh thank you!



Do you reckon? I was thinking thicker would suit him. He is actually quite substantial in the head in RL but then I am comparing to mrs 'fine pants' Ebony!

Sorry, I realised after that I hadn't been clear on what I meant.

You can order various widths of hunter nosebands/headpieces/browbands etc. I think the one in the pic is a bit too wide for his head, so one a bit narrower (I don't mean a narrow nose band, but one narrower than the wide hunter noseband in the pic). So prob one of about 1 and a half inches width. (The one in the pic may be misguiding - it may well be that, but it looks a lot chunkier ie for a heavyweight hunter to me).

 

[Queenbee]

Remember to take the clippers down those legs

I think the thicker noseband would suit him personally Handsome boy

bb: this is him this winter, legs a'clipped although it is day 1 of clip on winter coat so will look better when Im just clipping of summer fluff This was far more a practical clip.

excuse the dingle dangle... we are semi doped in the picture!

Sorry, I realised after that I hadn't been clear on what I meant.

You can order various widths of hunter nosebands/headpieces/browbands etc. I think the one in the pic is a bit too wide for his head, so one a bit narrower (I don't mean a narrow nose band, but one narrower than the wide hunter noseband in the pic). So prob one of about 1 and a half inches width. (The one in the pic may be misguiding - it may well be that, but it looks a lot chunkier ie for a heavyweight hunter to me).

Ah, get what you mean, and yes, the variety is why I liked jeffries so much... they have a big selection I was thinking 1 3/4 so not too far off, yes I see him as a MW hunter type too, although I understand that many people dont think coloureds and hunters mix lol

We will actually be entering this year:

Ridden Hunter, in hand and ridden coloured/skewbald piebald, novice riding horse. Primarily for experience. Next year planning on adding working hunter and jumping to the mix and doing so SJ (low level) and Dressage over winter)

 

[Moomin1]

bb: this is him this winter, legs a'clipped although it is day 1 of clip on winter coat so will look better when Im just clipping of summer fluff This was far more a practical clip.

excuse the dingle dangle... we are semi doped in the picture!

Ah, get what you mean, I was thinking 1 3/4 so not too far off, yes I see him as a MW hunter type too, although I understand that many people dont think coloureds and hunters mix lol

We will actually be entering this year:

Ridden Hunter, in hand and ridden coloured/skewbald piebald, novice riding horse. Primarily for experience. Next year planning on adding working hunter and jumping to the mix and doing so SJ (low level) and Dressage over winter)

I think a lot of coloureds really suit hunter classes. (And I don't like coloureds in general!!). There was one skewbald which entered the first hunter (and only one up to now) class I entered with my mare (just inhand) which I was convinced was going to win, and it did get pulled in first to start with. Got swapped to second at the end because it (I noticed on closer obs when walking around waiting for call in) was actually base narrow behind. Funny old class that was. First was a conformationally correct (as can be) grey which despite being conformationally correct, didn't look much like a hunter type at all, but more like a cob, second was the skewbald, stunning hunter type, but base narrow, third was myself - (biased though it may sound but my mare is a stunning hunter type looks wise, but she plaits slightly behind and was overweight also), and fourth was a branded hanoverian with fab bloodlines, but was also base narrow.

How subjective the showing world can be!

 

[Queenbee]

I think a lot of coloureds really suit hunter classes. I Agree!(And I don't like coloureds in general!!). I agree!! There was one skewbald which entered the first hunter (and only one up to now) class I entered with my mare (just inhand) which I was convinced was going to win, and it did get pulled in first to start with. Got swapped to second at the end because it (I noticed on closer obs when walking around waiting for call in) was actually base narrow behind. Funny old class that was. First was a conformationally correct (as can be) grey which despite being conformationally correct, didn't look much like a hunter type at all, but more like a cob, second was the skewbald, stunning hunter type, but base narrow, third was myself - (biased though it may sound but my mare is a stunning hunter type looks wise, but she plaits slightly behind and was overweight also), and fourth was a branded hanoverian with fab bloodlines, but was also base narrow.

How subjective the showing world can be!

Yes, it is a very subjective world! And down in cornwall I find they are particularly stuffy... less inclined to judge on what is in front of them and more so in what they think should be... and this is from someone who has to date pretty much just been an observer. That said, we entered our mare in ridden cob and she blitzed all the well known, respected show riders and I was very pleased with the judging which seemed non biased and genuine. I really want him to do well in hunter because my ex purchased him (ex is evil!) and ex's family donated local ridden hunter cup! It has always been my intention to win the cup with ben, and now, we shall we say it will be even sweeter

But I do think that he is a really nice hunter type, with work and build up would really look 'the business' and I cant wait to start his jumping education, from what I have seen he is so bold and fearless! For me it is exciting times, although very much ventures into a realm/level unknown. Lots and lots of work, unlike ebs though (whos temperament was not suited to showing until the end of her days) he is so conducive to this sort of thing, he has presence but is unflustered and rarely tense...

I do so hope, that the judges see him for the hunter type he is and not stop at his colour. I know that with the right judge, he will not be penalised for looking cow like

 

[Moomin1]

Yes, it is a very subjective world! And down in cornwall I find they are particularly stuffy... less inclined to judge on what is in front of them and more so in what they think should be... and this is from someone who has to date pretty much just been an observer. That said, we entered our mare in ridden cob and she blitzed all the well known, respected show riders and I was very pleased with the judging which seemed non biased and genuine. I really want him to do well in hunter because my ex purchased him (ex is evil!) and ex's family donated local ridden hunter cup! It has always been my intention to win the cup with ben, and now, we shall we say it will be even sweeter

But I do think that he is a really nice hunter type, with work and build up would really look 'the business' and I cant wait to start his jumping education, from what I have seen he is so bold and fearless! For me it is exciting times, although very much ventures into a realm/level unknown. Lots and lots of work, unlike ebs though (whos temperament was not suited to showing until the end of her days) he is so conducive to this sort of thing, he has presence but is unflustered and rarely tense...

I do so hope, that the judges see him for the hunter type he is and not stop at his colour. I know that with the right judge, he will not be penalised for looking cow like

I really hope he isn't penalised for it at all! He looks a lovely hunter type, which given a bit more topline, should do well. It's hard to tell from your pics on how he is conformationally in the sense that he isn't standing completely square and upright. From those pics he looks perhaps a little upright in the shoulder compared to his pasterns, but he isn't stood straight.

FWIW, I personally know a hunter judge who loves coloured hunter types and has one herself! She is highly regarded and very well suited to making judgement. She has one herself and also judges the CHAPS classes too.

 

[Queenbee]

I really hope he isn't penalised for it at all! He looks a lovely hunter type, which given a bit more topline, should do well. It's hard to tell from your pics on how he is conformationally in the sense that he isn't standing completely square and upright. From those pics he looks perhaps a little upright in the shoulder compared to his pasterns, but he isn't stood straight.

FWIW, I personally know a hunter judge who loves coloured hunter types and has one herself! She is highly regarded and very well suited to making judgement. She has one herself and also judges the CHAPS classes too.

Thank you for your kind words! He is so different to my old dainty girl but I do feel very lucky... I saw him at two weeks old and just had to have him! Yes, I believe he is slightly upright in the shoulder but it is not extreme, his withers look higher in the photo than they are... his mane adds to the effect! I agree, his topline needs work and will help with this. He looks really set back in the knee in this pic but is leaning forward... Infact this is something we really have to work on... because he has a tendency to 'lean' and I dont want him to look dodgey because of it!

I want to get the correct work pattern for him, to build his topline up, I made some great strides before his holiday and he naturally carries his head a lot lower now... is less tense and I have nailed the trick to get him 'driving' from behind... he is also now fed from a hay hutch which has hugely helped with his neck and we start in earnest next week after his pre season massage on sunday I can't tell you how scared I am but very excited too! I do kind of wish it was a colored class and not a skewbald/piebald class, in that i wish it was judged more on colour which I think he does really well, but saying that, I don't think he lets himself down awfully on the confo side... i just find it odd that a class called skewbald/piebald only judges 20% on colour lol!