Bridle for mare inspection

[endlessclimb]

Ok. I know it’s early in the season, but I am a hyper prepared person.

I plan on taking my young mare to a couple inspections this year. She will have to wear a bridle for them.

I would like to put her in one of my really nice bridles. I have a Passier Atlas snaffle bridle, and I have a Halter Ego patent bridle. I’m partial to the Atlas, as I think the patent is too distracting for something like a mare inspection. Both bridles fit her well.

However, both bridles have the aggravating and distracting flash strap, which I don’t use. She doesn’t need a flash, so I don’t ride her in one.

Do I just put her in a flash for the inspection? Or - does anyone have a lead on a high-quality monocrown wide crank cavesson that does not have a flash? Or, do I (gulp, these bridles were not cheap) cut the flash tab off?

I have a Passier cavesson without the flash, but it’s not a monocrown, which is on a cheapie kavalkade bridle. I could use this bridle if needed, but it’s clearly not the quality of the other two. Gah!

[hoopoe]

Is the flash sewn on or does a strap run through a loop. If it runs through, simply show without the strap

[Displaced_Yankee]

I have found Kieffer bridles hit the mark on price and quality. I had the bridle below for a long time and regret selling it! It had your monocrown and cushy crank cavesson. The leather is quite good IMO. People often miss that the flash feeds through the noseband and can be removed (or but back on) easily with no little tab.

https://www.dressageextensions.com/kieffer-perseus-snaffle-bridle/p/X1-120383/

Here is my boy in it, sans flash:

[SusanO]

They are going to be looking at the horse and not the bridle. I would use something simple that flatters her head. I think you will see more regular nosebands than flash because they look better for accessing her head. Look to see what people use at breed shows. Cheap is fine as long as it is well oiled and clean.

If it is an inspection where they turn the horse loose to look at her gaits - an inexpensive pair of clip on reins will be useful.

[Heinz_57]

Flexible fit has a bunch of monocrown cranks with completely removable flashes, slightly lower price point than Halter Ego. I have no personal experience with them but people seem to like them.

[endlessclimb]

It’s a strap and loop. It’s the loop that I don’t like. I think it’s distracting. so many bridles only come with the flash and loop though.

I almost feel like buying a double bridle and then poaching the noseband, but $$

[eightpondfarm]

you can buy just nosebands.

I would look at what makes the mare look her best. color and style. My opinion is that many dressage nosebands are to clunky and thick for a nice elegant face. And black, though the most obvious choice doesn’t always set a head off to it’s best advantage.

Do they not use fancy halters as in halter classes?

[skydy]

No. They use bridles.

[ladyj79]

I promise no one is looking at the bridle at inspections unless it is terribly fitted. I would avoid the patent, I would add clips to the reins, beyond that it really doesn’t matter.

For sure I used a kavalkade at inspections before whatever is best fitting, clean it, and carry on.

[eightpondfarm]

Why don’t you post a nice pic of her head and let us all have some fun playing dressUp with her?

[skydy]

I too dislike the flash cavesson used without the strap, and having the loop there. Rather like having martingale stops on reins while a horse is sans martingale, but that’s picky and I doubt the inspectors will care. As long as the bridle flatters her head I wouldn’t worry too much.

I understand why it bothers you though.

[endlessclimb]

This is her in the patent Halter Ego. This bridle, though gorgeous and fitting her well, is a no for an inspection. Too distracting.

Plus. The God forsaken flash loop!!

[endlessclimb]

@eightpondfarm

you can buy just nosebands.

Find me a good quality monocrown anatomical cavesson with a crank, no patent, and no flash. I’m willing to pay good money for it.

[endlessclimb]

She doesn’t have an incredibly feminine head (IMO). Should I stick with wide noseband, or standard width?

[eightpondfarm]

Pretty!!! She a narrow face, with a blaze…which elongates and also narrows. Me, I would use a less wide noseband.

[soloudinhere]

Off the top of my head, Henry James makes one with the fully removable flash a la the PS of Sweden. You can’t see where it was when it’s taken off.

The Stubben switch is great quality, converts to a double, and the flash tab is completely removable and you can’t tell it was ever there when you do. Mine has never had the flash on. It doesn’t have a crank, the cavesson buckles to the chin pad on both sides.

[endlessclimb]

Oh I love these, exactly what I’m looking for with the plain browband etc. A little weird on the throatlatch but not over the top.

Any idea of their quality? I’ve never handled one before.

[soloudinhere]

They’re good English bridle leather. The Switch is a very nice bridle I would say similar to Passier. I got mine at Rideaway for around $350 I think.

[endlessclimb]

I like that the switch is hook and loop. Sometimes buckle closures end up being “too much”.

Thank you for the suggestions!

[JenEM]

@soloudinhere

The Stubben switch is great quality, converts to a double, and the flash tab is completely removable and you can’t tell it was ever there when you do. Mine has never had the flash on. It doesn’t have a crank, the cavesson buckles to the chin pad on both sides.

Not the Switch, but I have one of the non-monocrown Stubben’s (Waterford, I think) with the removable flash. I do love the look without the stupid loop tab, and you can’t tell it was ever there. But it did take a good bit of breaking in to get that way–it wanted to gap a bit for a while at the spot where the removable bit had come out. I’m not blown away at the leather quality, but I always feel like black leather never feels quite as nice and supple as brown leather at the same price point because of the dying–though I’d expect the leather on the Switch models to be nicer.