Synthetic Tack

Persephone

Persephone

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What do you consider to be the current thinking regarding synthetic tack?

I remember when the first webbing bridles came out there was a lot of talk about them having no breaking point in an emergency (ie horse gets leg through reins or hooked up and it wouldn't break)

The same for saddles, if it was synthetic you needed a weak point somewhere ie the girth.

Also how do you think say a Zilco bridle measures up compared to a good quality leather bridle comfort wise.

To my mind the headpiece, although soft is very narrow and as far as I can see the bridle doesn't fit as nicely as my leather one does. I suppose because I have had one made up out of different sizes to customise.

Basically a lady I am helping at the yard has a Zilco and I don't like it for all the reasons I have stated above. I need to know if I am simply biased against the synthetics for out of date reasons!

Thanks!
 
Can't speak for all, but a lot of the webbing reins (Libby's in particular) have velcro to join the two reins rather than a buckle (possible added to alleviate that concern), so I'd actually consider them safer in that regard!

As for fit, I think it depends on horse's head size/shape relative to the cut of the particular brand. Is the other liveries horse a WB/ cobby type for example? I think zilco make a lot of stuff for racehorses/ trotters, so it wouldn't surprise me if the proportions of the bridle are more suited to that sort of head. (obviously that idea massively fails if ned is a TB!)

It took me ages to find a leather look synthetic bridle that fitted my horse (cob too small, full too big, one particular part too small/big etc) nicely. I think fitting leather bridles can be just as tricky but people don't tend to notice it as much because there's a far greater range on offer to begin with, they're much easier to get hold of/ swap and if you buy a leather bridle that fits except for one piece its much easier to buy a seperate leather throatpiece for example than a synthetic one (which tend only to be sold by the bridle IYSWIM).
 
Lol, tbh I don't know much about endurance stuff at all. Tis a baptism of fire ;)

She is actually using leather reins with a snap hook, so that is breakable anyway. This Zilco thing just seems to hold the sweat right next to the mares face whereas would soak into rubber, and feels flimsy and nasty.

Lady in question has been advised before by an endurance rider. I'm going to get her into some proper stirrups tonight, nice flexi ones ;) I think she'll find them helpful for her position.
 
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