OMyG … Am I glad I had my time in the sun long ago… those prices.
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Happy to let you return one from my shop if you aren’t happy with it 
I try to keep my shipping costs as low as possible ($9-14) depending on distance from PA so not a huge risk.
I use Sedgwick leather from one of the oldest tanneries in the UK for all my strap goods. It’s the highest quality leather available in today’s market in my opinion. I do sidesaddle restorations and would rather pay to import Sedgwick than use Wickett and Craig which is a very popular option on todays market even though there is a distributor 20 mins from my home 
Sedgwick starts off a little stiff but with a good initial oiling (I suggest 3 thin coats over a 24 hour period) it soon is like your favorite pair of jeans. Nice and soft but wears like iron. After the initial oiling Sedgwick rarely needs oiling again and stays soft and supple with just regular cleaning and occasional conditioning.
Please ask if you have any questions at all. Do your homework and let me know if you would like me to send one your way. I rarely get returns, but it is always available to my customers.
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And I apologize- I should have introduced myself, I am the owner of Black Diamond Designs
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Both the In Gate and Black Diamond are made from Sedgewick leather, so the quality of the leather is similar in softness, I have had some glue seepage on my In Gate martingale which I can’t seem to resolve but other than that, the bridle is very nice.
My Black Diamond bridle is really beautiful and I have had no issues with the quality. Amy is absolutely fantastic to work with, I made the mistake of taking it to a local leather repair to move the buckle on the noseband and they made a mess of it. Amy very graciously took it back to try repair it but when it couldn’t be fixed, replaced it with some additional customization (our horse is very hard to fit properly) at no additional charge. I cannot speak highly enough of her customer service, for that alone, Black Diamond would get my business every time!
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I love my BD bridle! It’s a daily user and has fallen victim to Baby Horse Teeth, but still is soft as butter and pretty enough for the show ring. It barely shows the teeth scratches! I followed Amy’s instructions with oiling and now I just wipe it off with a damp cloth or sponge after riding.
Ordering was a breeze and I had one custom built for my odd-shaped horse - Amy was very communicative and walked me through all her options so patiently even when I was waffling between colors 
. I got the rubber lined reins and they’ve broken in perfectly.
I’d buy another in a heartbeat!
The In Gate is pretty but I’ve seen a lot of them not fitting right - NOT the seller’s fault, I think a lot of horses need Franken-bridles to fit perfectly. Which Amy does for a nominal fee. Black Diamond is the same leather and I can honestly say the two brands feel and look almost identical. I only personally have experience with Black Diamond though - I do not own an In Gate bridle.
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LeMieux has a stitched hunter bridle that is absolutely drool-worthy in person. Strong thick leather but oh so soft to the touch.
It’s funny to see you mention that about the In Gate sizing, because I’ve found the opposite. Overall I’ve found TIG bridles to fit most horses beautifully— the sizing on them is slightly more “refined” than most other brands, which seems to work better for the horses I’ve tried them on. It seems like for most bridles, full size is just slightly large for an average warmblood in the range of 16-16.3ish. Not significantly, but buckles on the top or near top holes, so still usable. BUT— imo there is nothing better than a really well fitting bridle, that fits on the middle holes, it just takes it to that next level of flattering. And that’s how I find the In Gate full sized bridles fit average horses.
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Interesting! I have found their browbands to look short on pretty much every horse I’ve seen them on. This is a super common gripe I have with a lot of brands though, of all price points. I hate when the bridle is pulled up against the ears even slightly.
YMMV, as always! I like brands that will franken-bridle one for you based on measurements, or at least sells pieces. I’ve had several bridle fitters compliment my Black Diamond bridle on fitting so well despite not being a crazy ergonomic monstrosity (am I too much a a traditional hunter princess? ). It’s all in the measurements and finding what works for each horse!
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Are you doing the jumpers or the hunters? There are great bridlemakers for both, but I’d say probably preferred brands in each genre. Would be helpful to know what your selected ring would be? I’m a sucker for a good Devoucoux bridle for my hunters, and I’ve liked Red Barn and CWD for their schooling/training gear. The CWD clip bridle is a game-changer for ease of changing bits and cleaning tack.
I liked the quality of both. I found the BD to be a smidge stiffer, even oiled, which is odd if they’re made of the same materials. Maybe it’s a batch by batch thing (though I have 2 BD and 2 TIG bought at different times)?
I ended up buying a BD with flash, then shortly after bought another sans flash! I really like the quality. Mine aren’t in daily use, more like once/week (most of the time I am doing dressage) but I am very pleased with the leather and the look.
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