What bridle to show a 3yr old in?

Kallibear

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This is Roo, proper Irish Sport Horse (IDxTB).

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He's eventually going to be a hunter but currently looks like a weedy TB with big knees :eek: Apart the depth of his barrel he is very TB right now: all spindly long legs and weedy neck. He's just measured at 16.1hh but only takes a cob sized bridle as his face is still very babyish and in real life, quite dainty looking.

We're off on a daytrip next weekend to a local show. We're only doing younstock class and maybe Handsomest Gelding but want him in the correct togs.

Choices can include stitched inhand bridle (the bog standard one everyone has), the one shown, bling one or a hunter one (and which thickness noseband as have various). Or could I finally have a horse I can get away with dressing up in pretty velvety browbands??
 
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Kallibear

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Bump as do need to go and clean tack depending on what's required. Natives are easy but I'm not sure what he'd class as at the moment. Not particularly 'Hunter'y at the moment.
 

be positive

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Although he needs to furnish up to look like a hunter he has plenty of bone and I think he would look wrong turned out as a riding horse, so I would go for the hunter bridle with wide flat noseband.
 

Zebedee

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I would say full 2in one, with a nice flat wide browband to match :) Don't forget if showing in a snaffle (my preference though some do put 3yr olds in double bridles) to use a chain which clips to both sides of the bit, and a long leather lead rein attached to the centre of that. When you trot him up try and let the lead stay loose so that you're not restricting his forward motion / action.
Good luck - let us know how you get on :)
 

windand rain

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Either a bog standard in hand bridle with a chain and lead rein or a hunter bridle with the reins over his head never ever combine a lead rein with a riding bridle or reins on an in hand bridle it looks silly and very unprofessional
Sorry but it is a pet hate of mine when I am judging
 
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Queenbee

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Either a bog standard in hand bridle with a chain and lead rein or a hunter bridle with the reins over his head never ever combine a lead rein with a riding bridle or reins on an in hand bridle it looks silly and very unprofessional
Sorry but it is a pet hate of mine when I am judging

One thing I've learned over the run up to showing Ben is under fours are shown with a lead rein and not reins over the head.
 

windand rain

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Yes there are in hand hunter bridles and if you must use a lead rein use an in hand bridle. I agree though that under fours should be in an in hand bridle but some do show in a mish mash of styles and it does look very unprofessional. So I stick with if you must use a snaffle bridle then reins over the head. Most over four in hand Hunters usually brood or yeld mares are shown in doubles with the reins over the head
 

Tnavas

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As he is only 3 and in an in-hand class the correct bridle for him is an In-hand bridle - not a riding bridle.

He should perferably have an In;hand bit as well - a black nylon un-jointed mouthpiece with brass rings.

Leading in a jointed bit upsets the angle of use of the bit and is one of the reason that some horses faf about with their heads in the air - the pressure goes from up and back, to down increasing the pressure on the bars and pushing the joint into the roof of the mouth

An inhand bridle looks far smarter too as all the straps are reduced in number
 

Kallibear

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Thanks all, although my decision is now harder!

A hunter inhand is one bridle I don't have. And though one wouldbbe nice I'm not rushing off to buy one just for a couple of shows (looked into them for my young cob and they're expensive!)

But will a normal stitched inhand suit him? The one I have is quite fine.

This is his in it last year:
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(he has no bit as he wasn't yet bitted: I'd only had him a month or so from an unhandled terrified waif so thought learning to catch, groom, feet, rug, load, lead etc etc etc etc AND bit him was a bit too much!)

Would he be better in a hunter bridle even if it's less 'correct'?
 

windand rain

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yes that one is great if you can fit a bit to it but it looks like a filly slip to me which may make it difficult to do and as a he it is unlikely to suit the judge but it is better than a bridle with a lead rein on

this is a three year old bitted in hand bridle

Do you know anyone who could lend you one
 

Tnavas

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No her bridle is a proper In-hand bridle but the OP has the noseband threaded through the bit loops - something I've done before when the horse is too young to be bitted.

This is a filly slip - note no buckle at the lower end of the cheek piece and an In-Hand Bridle

FillySlip.jpg
In-HandBridle.jpg
 
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Kallibear

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Good detective work Tnavanas! Yep, it's an inhand bridle with the noseband nosed down to the bit loops. I have a full sized and a cob so will def have one that fits. The bit might be more of an issue and may have to boot polish the edges of his happymouth black!
 
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