Bridle (noseband) for horse with wide/short face?

[fizzyfuzzybuzzy]

As I resign myself to the fact that my horse is just oddly shaped, I am on a quest to find a bridle that actually fits him! I’ve tried many brands but none are really quite right. I’ve done measurements and I think I found the issue - he’s got a wide/short face and most bridles aren’t designed for that type of face. He generally needs a full/horse length (ears to nose) but is wide in circumference and needs more warmblood size. I can easily add a warmblood browband so that’s not really the issue, it’s really the noseband.

He has a lot of length on the front side of the noseband if I want the straps that attach to the crownpiece to not pull forward onto his cheekbones and/or close to his eye. But the total circumference is not huge, so I end up with a too big noseband or too small noseband. Essentially I need a horse sized noseband where the straps attach further back than “normal”.

Anyone have this same issue and find a solution other than custom built?

[outerbanks77]

What about getting a large crank noseband and using a shorter crank strap?

[fizzyfuzzybuzzy]

That might work… For reference, I measured from just behind left cheekbone to just behind right cheekbone (where I’d want the straps to lay) and it’s 15 inches; total circumference of his face where the noseband should sit is 24 inches. I feel like a lot of the nosebands I’m looking at that is cob size! Caveat to that, most places don’t give the measurements of the noseband in those details. It’s only total circumference. I worry that if I buy a warmblood/xfull noseband the two ends will overlap! lol

[exvet]

I don’t have a ‘real’ solution but welcome to my world. I’ve dealt with this challenge in a number of my Welsh Cobs, especially my stallions. Many bridles I fashioned from pieces I’ve collected over the years from bridles that sort of fit but not quite. I just mix and match. I have also found some that have truly fit buying direct from England where a ‘cob’ size is much more likely to fit a true cob.

[Jackie_Cochran]

I did a combination of a Micklem Multibridle horse sized crownpiece/browband- head-piece with a PONY sized noseband section of the Micklem Multibridle.

This was for an elderly bay Arabian mare, probably Crabbet bloodlines.

She preferred this head piece to every other bridle I tried on her.

[fizzyfuzzybuzzy]

I’d be happy to mix and match but I’ve yet to find a noseband that actually has the correct measurements. Most places don’t even have those measurements available! I’m already tired of emailing places for measurements and not getting the correct information…

[CanteringCarrot]

I’ve had to mix and match or order piece by piece over the years with various Iberian horses. I will say that my Schockemöhle double bridle has quite the noseband on it. I’m not sure if their measurements are available.

Alternatively, consider a harness shop to make you something custom.

[alpine1]

I have the same issue and ended up removing the noseband from the bridle and riding without. A noseband doesn’t serve much purpose, it’s usually there just for looks.

[MadTrotter]

I feel your pain, having a very fine boned pony and dealing with the weird reality that all throat latches on pony bridles are 6 feet long.

I just put a couple tape marks and mail it to a leather worker who will cut and stitch it flawlessly for like $25 plus shipping.

[fizzyfuzzybuzzy]

I started looking on Etsy to see if I could just have someone make me a noseband with the appropriate measurements, but so far no luck. I may put a post on Facebook to see if there is anyone out there that can just make me one. I don’t know of a leatherworker locally, how did you find yours?

Thanks!

[MadTrotter]

She’s just known around the area! It all started when I had to fix a piece of a harness and the driving community seems to be more inclined to fix/alter a good piece of leather vs just buy a replacement. Not sure what region you’re in but I have shipped small pieces of tack to her, like halters to restitch. https://www.ploughmansbelts.com/

[CanteringCarrot]

I found a harness shop through word of mouth eons ago. Do you have any Amish near you? They typically have a harness shop or individual that can do nice leatherwork.

Some skilled saddlers still make tack, but I found that to be more common in Europe vs the USA. Generally people here are “fitters” more than anything.

Edit: when I Google, quite a few harness shops come up both locally and nationally. So you could just slog through those results and see if anyone is doing custom or alterations.

[Cowgirl]

One of my horses has this conformation (very similar to his Totilas sire side) and I like Bridles2Fit bridles. They have the measurements of the parts on their website and you buy each part separately. My horse has oversized crownpiece, chin strap and browband (the top half of his bridle); the cheek pieces and noseband and flash are horse sized. He is 16.2 but takes a 6" bit! Has a very pretty head though.

[fizzyfuzzybuzzy]

I did look into the Bridle2Fit bridles as I do like the flexibility, but their nosebands aren’t the right configuration for his weird face. I am talking to someone on Etsy that may have something that will work if we can make the total circumference work for him. Cross your fingers for me!

[theresak]

@fizzyfuzzybuzzy I’m in a similar situation where I need a noseband that’s wider between the two cheek pieces but not adding extra length to the crank strap. I have an X-Full Schockemöhle that is 14" between the cheekpieces and that’s the largest they go. If anyone knows other bridles that are 1" wider between the cheeks, I’d be interested in looking at those.

[fizzyfuzzybuzzy]

If I find one, I’ll let you know!

[Ziggy793]

I had this issue with my bigger guy and found that the more anatomically-shaped nosebands were a better fit. He’s currently in a Schockemoehle Equitus, the Passier Starlight/Marcus Ehning II were also on my radar.

https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/schockemoehle-equitas-delta-bridle--21354
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/passier-starlight-snaffle-bridle-24526

[eightpondfarm]

i went to Two Horse Tack and ordered a green leather bridle and reins/stainless hardware, for my wide foreheaded, big-cheeked regular-muzzle buckskin guy. The noseband was too big by conventional dressage standards, but i since i ride with a loose noseband anyway, it’s perfect.

[fizzyfuzzybuzzy]

I honestly don’t show or clinic much, I’ve been considering this or something similar - https://millbrookleathers.com/products/freedom-bridle

[Aaspen]

I have a tack shop and do leather work. I love doing custom alterations to items for my customers and do offer build a bridle options. Sometimes the horse needs the circumference of an OS but due to a shorter face they need noseband uprights that are more horse length. I have done that numerous times. I don’t have any dressage bridle in stock at the moment but awaiting a shipment at the end of the month. I carried them before and getting back into them since I have had a lot of requests. Here is my website you are welcome to check out. Feel free to email me with any questions. I have a great customer base because there are actually a lot of folks out there with this problem and most tack shops can’t do leather work so they can’t do the alterations. I love doing these things and love getting photos of happy horses and riders
http://blackdiamonddesignsllc.com/