Bridle options for Arab type head?

[Nova2000]

I’ve had my new boy for a few months now, and am struggling to find a bridle that fits him properly. Most of the cob stuff is just a little too big, some will work on the smallest hole. I had discovered the website The Collected Pony which carried the Kavalkade bridles in a large pony size. The drop noseband dressage bridle I ordered fits him well, so I ordered the figure 8 in the same brand and size, and alas the straps don’t reach under his chin all the way. I am about to give up and just learn to sew my own :lol: He is ½ Welsh Section B, ¼ TB, ¼ Hanoverian. Ridiculously adorable. At 15.1 hands, I am guessing he was bred to be a large pony, and just grew too big.

Looking for suggestions on bridle brands for him. Most likely anything that works well for an Arab would work well for him. In a perfect world I would bring him along with me shopping to a big venue with lots of vendors and just have him try on bridles

[FlamingoRider]

My Arab does indeed have similar fit issues. Look for places that offer custom sizing, or that let you mix and match parts in different sizes. My boy’s XC bridle is cob, with a horse browband, pony cheeks, and full size reins. HorseByHorse (.com) has some really nice options. Stephanie, the owner, is very helpful with figuring out sizing.

[Montanas_Girl]

Mixing and matching parts is a necessary evil of owning pretty-headed horses. My old 3/4 Arab hunter (15.1 hands) wore a cob sized Beval bridle with a horse sized browband. My purebred Arab mare (14 hands) wore the same bridle, but with the original cob sized browband and a pony sized cavesson. My current Half Arab yearling (12.3 hands) is “practicing” wearing a borrowed headstall that a friend used with a gag bit.

[Nova2000]

Thanks for the tip on HorsebyHorse! Any thoughts on breastplates? I’m borrowing a Cob size now, but I could really stand to punch another hole in it, because it’s still a touch loose. Is there a huge size jump down to a pony?

[enjoytheride]

I have a Tory breastplate that fits my arabs.

https://www.statelinetack.com/item/tory-leather-breastplate-with-brass-snaps/E016928%20HRS%20OAK/?srccode=GPSLT&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsvrpBRCsARIsAKBR_0JgBnTyN5jEMVlK7PjqmgIgDaGc5MYnELQTS8cweFG2KX6ZCZuilpYaAs4kEALw_wcB

As for the bridle, I’d buy a bridle that will fit him in the nose and then order a custom browband with your favorite bling to measure. It’s a great excuse.

[equinelibrium]

I feel your pain! My mare has a very dainty nose and a large forehead. She’s the same “hony” size at 14.3. Her dressage bridle has a cob noseband, horse crown/browband, and pony cheek pieces. I ordered it from KL Select and they were really good about letting me mix and match.

Her jumping bridle is from Lund Saddlery and the straight cob works perfectly for her! Although I just tried to lookup their website and it’s gone, so I’m not sure you can get them anymore.

[Shagyas_Rock]

Red Barn makes a nice cob sized bridle also - I have a little Arab/WB cross mare with a very petite, feminine head. .
and this has worked nicely for her.

[FlamingoRider]

Breastplate sizing varies too much between brands to give a blanket recommendation. My 14h Arab has an elastic 3 point that’s horse size, and a 5 point that’s cob size. Both fit on middle holes, with the bottom strap run up as short as it goes. The best thing about tack trailers at events is being able to try stuff on!

[slp2]

Check out Delfina bridles. You can build one out of different sized “parts”. I have a horse that has a freakishly small head. And she has an Arab shaped head too (despite no Arab in her breeding). Anyway—-you can order horse, pony, and cob parts to build a custom bridal. I have cob sized head stall and noseband, pony cheek pieces, horse sized browband. The bridles are reasonably priced too. I really like mine and I like that they have an option to by a cavasson without a flash (she doesn’t like or need a flash noseband). Delfinasaddlery.com.