Best bridles these days?

[soloudinhere]

Have a new little TB nugget and all my bridles are eventing/jumper bridles. He can school in one of these but since this is my first potential big-time hunter in over 10 years, I don’t know what’s in vogue. I’ve been eventing since 2006.

I am looking for something of the quality of an Edgewood circa 15 years ago. I bought this horse a Schneider’s Pinnacle wide noseband bridle in full size and it fits him pretty well/on the larger side and the wider noseband looks nice. I could just go with the Joseph Sterling version but I’m hoping there’s something “perfect” out there. If not, I’m happy to spend the $150 on that and call it good.

So, options? I see a new Edgewood would run me about $460 w/reins. Let’s call that the budget. Are they as good as always or do they suck now?

I also see that KL Select has the Red Barn Icon in the unfashionable orange color on clearance for $180. These used to be good, are they still? The local tack shop recommended the Red Barn Tryon or Synergy bridles as well as the aforementioned clearance.

Anyone have one of the Ann Hubbards RC bridles? Or the AKH if it’s in my price range?

Looking for something that will be soft and obviously high quality when oiled/broken in. Was not impressed with anything I saw at Smartpak on a recent visit to the store.

[HJdaydream]

Wow, uploading that pic kind of killed the quality- check out my blog post about the Ariat Marquis Show shirt to see the Edgewood if you’re interested in seeing more pics of it- it really is gorgeous!

www.hunkyhanoverian.com

[LovesHorses]

At that price point get an ADT. The new Edgewood’s stretch out and the stitching comes apart.

[RileysMom]

The ADT is awful. Had two of them fall apart in my hands and Smartpak said they were filing a quality control complaint (or whatever it is they do, can’t remember the exact term) because they were breaking with gentle manipulation (i.e., even slightly bending the leather). Do a search on here—there are a number of us who have had issues with the more recent ADT bridles (seems like older versions were better).

[SueL]

We bought a Huntley for our gelding with a very refined head. The owner of the saddlery we purchased it from was able to swap out parts to fit it correctly at no additional charge. It’s beautiful, broke in nicely and is very well-made. The customer service with getting the fit right was great. I love the bridle. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f…6&l=633907d4c0 (the link is public, so anyone with the link can can view.)

[Southern_Belle]

I love the Huntley Bridles. Top of the line Sedgwick English leather. The leather is a lighter color because they are made from high quality hides. The hides with imperfections are used to make the darker colored strap goods because the dye covers up the flaws in the hide. I have fitted several top hunters with these bridles and they look stunning. They oil to a rich brown and have a one year manufacture’s warranty against defects. Please message me with any questions you may have.

[Southern_Belle]

Ps. Shoreline Saddlery in Moyock, NC custom fits them and they come oiled with a name plate of your choice.

[soloudinhere]

I have to admit the number of posts from people with very few posts relating to the Huntley bridles is off-putting. Dewey, have you seen one in person? Any fellow card-carrying bridle hoarders who can speak to these?

I do like my Huntley half chaps.

[Dewey]

@soloudinhere

I have to admit the number of posts from people with very few posts relating to the Huntley bridles is off-putting. Dewey, have you seen one in person? Any fellow card-carrying bridle hoarders who can speak to these?

I do like my Huntley half chaps.

I have only seen them new, once or twice–at a show tack trailer, I believe? They are gorgeous. I saw the link someone provided in a bridle thread several years ago and have always wanted one since. I can’t justify buying one because I have a perfectly nice show bridle that was more modestly priced, and and a new one isn’t in my budget right now. So I cannot speak to how it would break in or stretch, etc., from personal experience.

But since it is in the OP’s price range, I told her the truth: this is the one I would get were I shopping for a show bridle with her budget.

[greysfordays]

My barnmate had a Huntley bridle I recommended for her. I did a bunch of research and at that price point, it looked like her best bet. It’s held up beautifully and she uses it as schooling and show bridle. She’s had it for over 2 years and it still looks new.

If you want something even more special, I have a Bennet bridle. The stitching and leather quality are superb. I also bought a Horse | Man bridle, which has even more intricate stitching with stunning leather. You’ll see both of them on horses at indoors. They were both over $800 new but they will last forever. Just the smell of both of them is the smell of leather from the old days, high quality and substantial.

[Fiona_785]

Bridle shopping can be nightmarish for me. I used to lust after Edgewoods but I have no idea about their quality these days.

I LOVE the Aramas bridles. I was going to get one a few years back for showing (I would have but my horse had other ideas about showing at the time- he strained a ligament). They’re soft and don’t feel cheap or stiff, just nice. Antares also makes extremely nice bridles but they are more expensive.

Totally not into the new leather they use for some of the cheaper bridles these days. It reminds me of pleather! It’s waxy and feels like rubber to me… doesn’t take up oil whatsoever and just doesn’t have the same nice luster of a nicer leather bridle does. I have one of the Ovation bridles (they go for about $180 but I got it at a Dover tent sale for $45) and I feel like it practically repels water. Oil also does not soak in.

Curious about the Huntley bridles. I’ve never heard of these.

[soloudinhere]

I have an Antares bridle from my last horse. I am going to be consigning it as it is the Precision bridle with the funky crown and it doesn’t make sense at all to have a $$$$ bridle that I can’t show in. I’d rather put the funds from it towards a new bridle, whatever it might be.

I’m actually not opposed to spending the $800 or whatever on a Bennett’s, couldn’t find anything about the Horse | Man bridles, but I would like to be able to have it fitted for that price and this horse won’t be going to any shows where they’re likely to be this year.

Last year Huntley did a black friday sale, so I’m going to wait for that, at least.

[comingback]

@soloudinhere, You can see information about Bennett’s here https://m.facebook.com/FineBridle/. It’s Jimmy Wiebe’s (of Jimmy’s Saddlery) son.

I considered buying one one from him as they are gorgeous, but the time to make it was too long fo me to wait and the price point was over twice what I paid for my Edgewood.

Maybe next bonus check…

[pattnic]

I have an Antares hunter bridle, and I’m planning on switching back to my Edgewood instead and selling the Antares.

I think the newer Edgewoods are not as nice as the older ones, but they are still better than most other bridlework (and this is in comparison to what I’ve seen from Devoucoux, CWD, Butet, Antares, Stubben, Prestige, and Vespucci). The ability to fairly easily buy replacement pieces (or swap out pieces when ordering) is another definite selling point that adds longevity to the useful life of the bridle (in terms of something breaking because your gelding freaks out at a calf, or getting a different horse that has bigger brains and needs a larger brow or crown). The biggest drawback (for me) about Edgewood is that the padded crown is not the same style as the Antares; it’s literally just a regular crown that has had padding added to it, with no cavesson crown integration or contouring for the ears.

I think ADT is WAY overpriced for the quality. And the quality of the newer Bevals is pretty crap, so I hoard old ones.

I haven’t seen a Bennett’s in person, but having seen Jimmy’s in the past, I have difficulty imagining that a Bennett’s is worth double the price of an Edgewood.

If I wanted something less expensive, I’d go with Aramas or SmartPak Wellfleet, but I think the sizing on those can be a bit wonky.

[BAC]

I agree with pattnic, at one time I owned a bunch of high end bridles including CWD, Antares, Hadfields, and although I loved all of them, I loved my Edgewood just as much. Not only can you buy new parts easily but they come in so many styles. I have never cared for ADT and agree they are overpriced, I can’t get excited about the SmartPak bridles either.

[TullyMars]

We LOVE the Edgewoods! We have the wide noseband ones and we are constantly getting complimented. They clean up well and last forever!

[Madison]

I ordered a Huntley but returned it - the particular one I received was defective, and they took it back no problem. It was a very pretty bridle. An issue for me was that they don’t offer an oversize martingale so I was going to have to find something to match. I ended up with a Nunn Finer Caterina bridle that I really like (paired with an Aramas o/s martingale), and my sister has a very similar Aramas that she loves, so both of those might be options as well. I would not do Beval or ADT due to quality control issues. Edgewood even if not as nice as old Edgewoods, are still nice and come in a variety of options, so you would be safe in sticking with Edgewood if that is what you like best.

[halt]

I think for your budget, Huntleys.

I am not impressed with Aramas, ADT, or Bennet’s when I compare the price to the quality… Edgewood and ADT leave me so lukewarm especially since the mark-up after cost is insane. Throw Antares, Prestige and Devoucoux in that category as well. Passier has great leather quality but so-so stitching quality. Stubben has some great bridle models but they are not popular… but Stubben is much more durable IMHO than all of the bridles mentioned so far.

Vespuccis will stretch forever as will ADT and CWD, I remember I had my own rag for Vespuccis and ADTs, since they bled so much when you clean them.

I would not ever buy a KL Select or Red Barn - too much bleeding and glue seepage, and stitching frays quickly.

That other bridle maker… D’yon… IMHO very similar to Antares in terms of quality.

Actually, if you really want my opinion I think that the popular bridle-makers are an absolute racket. I’ve held plenty of Edgewoods and their quality is on par with a bridle that is half the price. It’s the halo effect - it’s an expensive bridle therefore it must be high quality. Having an in-style bridle commands certain gravitas. I wont deny they are good quality, but they’re not infinitely better than other brands that have lower pricing. I used to do tack cleaning and mane braiding on the side, I’ve cleaned so many bridles as part of my job as a barn rat/working student and Edgewoods, Antares, Devocoux, Prestige, CWD, Vespucci… they’re all very similar quality and look at the price disparity between them.

If you want full custom and quality, try Otto Schumacher. OS is primarily a dressage bridle maker but I have seen several OS in brown that have been very nice.

The reason that “new bridles” don’t have the same feel isn’t because the quality of leather is different, or new leather. It’s because the way they tanned/processed bridles (any leather, really) in the 60s, 70s is now highly illegal in most countries. One thing that new bridles have that old bridles don’t is our stitching, glue & threads are far superior.

Anyway of all suggested I think you might be okay with Huntleys… but get your hands on one first so you know what to expect. Personally I don’t like leather that is floppy out of the bag, it doesn’t wear as well and it stretches – but I also don’t want to see waxy and stiff… It’s a fine line between the two.

[kashmere]

Stubben bridles forever. They are gorgeous quality leather, and will last a lifetime.

[halt]

@kashmere

Stubben bridles forever. They are gorgeous quality leather, and will last a lifetime.

I completely agree with this … unfortunately Stubben is not very trendy or in vogue with Hunters. Not sure why, but probably because Stubben is all about practicality and not about glitz.

I have 2 Stubben bridles, one is older than me and my horse’s age combined… It was given to me by a boarder who had it in her tackbox for about 20 years, and before that, it was her horse’s bridle in the 1970s. The other I found on consignment and is probably 10 years old. Both of them have better feel, stitching, and appearance than any of my other $$$$$$ bridles. I like to use them in the winter because they can tolerate extreme cold (I don’t have a heated tack room), snow/rain/sleet, and mud, and they always wipe clean and don’t show any of the abuse they endure.