Talk to me about webbing bridles

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Orson Cart

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Hi chaps

I'm currently shopping for a bridle for a 13.2 sec c ... very well behaved, no issues, rides in a snaffle bit so no control issues to deal with

I have come across these new-fangled (to me!) webbing bridles. Now, what's the deal with these? Obviously I am drawn by their much cheaper price - but whilst saving money is nice, I don't like to waste it either!

Have any of you chaps used them? Would you recommend them?

Thanks ever so much xx
 
I've just bought a tekna bridle from equestrian clearance. It was recomended to me on this forum. It's lovely and looks like leather. Ideal for everyday use but I would have a leather one for competition. The tekna ones are half price at the minute.
 
Tekna are not webbing though. personally do not like webbing as they tend to twist etc. they are easy though as you just bug them in a washing machine to clen, and they are light.
 
I love my range of coloured bridles. Performance Equestrian are fab. I have had some for over 15 years and they are still going strong. Plas Equestrian and Pioneer harness do some nice ones too.
 
I have a 5 year old Roma webbing bridle and love it. It is just starting to look a llittle faded but not unsafe just doesn't look as good as it did.

Love how it can get rained on, covered in wet sand or mud then it can just be shoved in the washing machine :)

Only thing I'm not struck on is how quickly the rubber version of the reins can perish.
 
If you're buying one, do yourself a favour and don't buy a Libby's one. They fade quickly, look awful, and they use these awful buckles which rust very quickly and make it really hard to adjust them. And if you're considering their "click" plastic-fastening ones, forget it; they'll either be so loose that they'll come undone before you look at them, OR so dammed stiff that even a builder with all his strength, couldn't undone one I bought!!!

Forget it: go onto one of the Endurance sites like Performance Equestrian (there are others, I can't remember them now, no doubt someone on here will know) - and have a good look at Biothane/synthetic bridles. These are used a lot by endurance people and look nice as well as being durable; you can buy "combination" bridles which are a combination of a headcollar and a bridle - very handy! I don't know how I managed before the ones I've got.

But do bear in mind the downsides of "plastic" tack: it will never soften, if its stiff and unyielding when you buy it, it will be stiff and unyielding 2 years down the line - and these plastic bridles can be the very devil to adjust to fit. But brilliant if you've gone out in the rain coz when you come back you don't have mucky tack to deal with you just chuck it in a bucket!!!

But personally I'd avoid anything made of webbing like the plague TBH.

OR (edited) - if you want a conventional-looking bridle, then Wintec do a very nice synthetic bridle. You wouldn't know its not leather unless you looked very closely. I've got one and its fab!
 
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I've got an old webbing one, its years old, think I got it in the 80's/early 90s maybe. Anyway, it's perfectly fine, it's lasted, I've had no problems at all with it. It was my work bridle for a decent length of time now it's a 'stick it on whatever if it fits and it's raining bridle'...it's ugly, but it's done the job and I've had my moneys worth out of it by now.
 
Ditto Libby's - the sizing is really odd, the buckles aren't very nice to use & (when I bought mine - might have changed) the throatlash & headpiece are separate & just threaded thru the browband, which doesn't look very smart, & they get intertwined with each other instead of sitting nicely. Can't be comfy for the horse. I had one for my old girl as she was ancient, got ridden infrequently & I cba looking after a leather bridle.

T x
 
Cottage Craft used to make a great one, headcollar and bridle in one,
Sadly not available any more,
I became a convert,and just kept leather for best.
 
Thanks chaps. Some interesting replies. I think I may get a leather one for now ... but may consider getting a webbing one to try later in the year when I have some luxury horse spends, rather than necessity ones! Thanks a lot for your feedback. Jolly useful. :D
 
like my webbing bridle but use leather reins with it in case of a`over-head-tangle-round-legs` type of mishap and the leather would break (hopefully)
 
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