He has a lovely soft eye!
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I’m interested in how a bridle, as “basic” of a design as that one can make a horse be heavy in the connection and tight/stilted. I’m not being facetious, just curious.
My horse is quite sensitive in many aspects, but he’s pretty much the same in any bridle, with or without noseband (had to remove it when he had a lump on his face that’s now gone). He feels a bit different in his sidepull vs snaffle vs double, but not in any negative way. He seems to have a bit preference (single jointed), but that’s about it.
I suppose with some horses the smallest things can make a difference when it comes to bridles, it’s quite interesting.
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I was surprised too. The noseband is still a bit stiff and wanting to hold more of a “round” shape, so I think it may be putting pressure on his nasal bone? If that’s the issue I would expect it to improve with oil and break-in.
He’s always been the same in every bit and bridle before this, except that he goes better without a flash (more open in the throatlatch and with less tendency to curl).
I do hope it’s the bridle and not something going on with him! He felt normal jumping (in his jump bridle) this week though. My plan is to ride him in his Passier today and see how he feels. Or maybe start in one bridle and switch to the other.
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Thanks for posting the photo. I bought the Ivana bridle in a full size and I think it is too big for my 15.1 hh horse. The cavesson sits below the bit hanger. Yours looks like it fits correctly. I guess I will sell it and go back to one of my other bridles.
I have a horse with the most sensitive mouth in the world and I have been trying different bits and bridles. The Ivana seemed to make an improvement despite not fitting correctly. Still experimenting.
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I just rode my TB in his usual bridle and the connection was like night and day. I can’t explain it and I still think the Ivonne is really very nice, but apparently he does not agree and I will let him have the final say. I’m just glad he’s okay because I was a bit worried the meh rides might be him and not the bridle!
Belated thank you, @Ghazzu! He is a one-in-a-million horse.
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How do you find the Starlight fits? I’m about to pull the trigger on a dressage saddle, which of course is black, and the rest of my tack is brown. I’ve definitely noticed that anatomic bridles make a big difference for my horse (totally gets rid of headshaking, as he doesn’t like anything impinging on his ears), but he has a short, wide head, which often rides the cusp between Cob and Horse size.
So, I’m bridle shopping.
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It never ceases to amaze me what some horses find objectionable. I would object to the whole bitting rigamarole as is, so I don’t blame them.
I had a horse once flat out refuse to move in a figure 8 bridle. Wouldn’t even walk off of the mounting block without a pony-club kick, which is very unlike this horse who is forward and sensitive. When I picked up contact it was like holding hands with a cinderblock. Put him back in his regular caveson and he was back to being light and forward.
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Mine is offended by my Mattes pad/sheepskin pads. Even if his saddle is adjusted to fit one properly. He just sucks back a bit and doesn’t give you his back fully. I put the pad right on his back and a thin square pad over it. Nope. Not for him. I’ve tried this a few times over the years (a few different saddles too) and still nope. So yes, it is interesting as to what some horses find objectionable.
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Oh wow! Night and day from my dude, who loves his fleecies and even makes a point to whuff on them before I put it over his back. He has a lot of ‘special’ tack because he is particular.
The filly on the other hand, cannot stand his mohair girth. Mid-ride she will slam on the brakes and angrily rub right where the girth is. I got the hint after the second time I nearly went teakettle over her neck. 
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i can understand that. We probably seem wobbly to them when there is a thick pad which isunderneath the saddle only.
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Except mine seems to love the sheepskin pads…But he dislikes a sheepskin half pad (which I think IS too bulky because it is over a regular saddle pad). Anyhoo, I am making an investment in sheepskin…
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I still don’t have the starlight, but I’ve now found out my Henry James is now apparently not legal under USEF rules. It’s supposed to arrive in the next few days, I hope it fits.
That’s news to me too! Do you know why it’s not legal?
I didn’t find that exact bridle in the Annex, but several were disallowed because they extended too far back and others were disallowed due to the shape of the crownpiece.
I bought the Ivonne too!
Sorry, I meant to take a picture for you but mine fits the same as the ad picture and the picture above but with a flash. I would sell it on FB and state that it fits like an Oversized and someone will buy it . Then you can buy in the right size.
is an Oversize bridle kinda halfway between a Horse and a Draft?
The Passier Starlight bridle finally arrived from Hypostore yesterday. I really like the headpiece design, it’s nicely tapered around the ears, but they seem to have sent the wrong noseband, although I’m going to try it anyway. They did free shipping and also included a free pair of Passier leather reins, and the noseband is very nice, it just looks like they included the Marcus Ehning 2 anatomical noseband instead of the tapered patent noseband. The website clearly says patent noseband, but the Marcus noseband is also very nice, and I really need a new bridle now with all the new rule changes and a show coming up next week. The leather quality doesn’t seem quite the same as the leather on a Passier Fortuna that I have for my older mare that I bought a few years ago, but I’m hoping it will soften up with some oiling. It’s not bad and the stitching quality and appearance is good, but it doesn’t have quite the same feel as the older ones. I will post a longer review and photos after the first ride. Overall the prices and service at Hypostore have been excellent, it took about 3 1/2 weeks to get here but I also ordered a back on track turnout blanket that they had to wait for, a bucas power light blanket, and a back on track helmet, and all four items worked out to be around $660 with free shipping. The Bucas blankets are $400 here and they had the Starlight bridle for less than any of the other vendors I saw.
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Can I just briefly kvetch about rule changes mid-season, and the different rules for USDF and USEA dressage (I do both)? My mare loves her Neue Schule turtle top Baucher, and it’s now disallowed for USEA as of Feb. Luckily the loose ring with the same mouthpiece is still ok, but it’s a pain.
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Thank you for the review! I’m waffling between the Starlight and the Kavalkade Ivana for Mr. ShortandWideHead.
I have a Bucas power coming from Hypostore too (eventually!), and some riding boots. Their prices are great, and when I had questions, the service was fantastic too.
