Take this all with a pinch of salt as I’m a random person on social media, but the buckles on the cheek piece etc should sit level with the end of the horses eye, flat on the cheek. The browband looks a little bit tight to me but what concerns me most is the “anatomical” crownpiece looks to be very close to the base of the ears. It is a common problem, according to my saddler, as the fit has to be precisely right for the shape of the horse and far too many anatomical bridles aren’t.
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I don’t like how that sits either. It looks like the browband needs to move up at least an inch. If the loop/leather doesn’t allow that, maybe a different browband with a bigger loop could be attached higher. I don’t love the contour for the ears either.
I have always been taught this as well. Lately I’ve been on a second bridle fitting journey with my mare and the most aggravating thing with every bridle I have tried is I can get either the noseband buckles to line up, or the cheek piece buckles - but not both at the same time! #OCDthings
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I’ll add a +1 for the Antares Precision Y. The leather is lovely, it fits well, and my gelding goes really nicely in it. I love it doesn’t have any metal rings on the noseband pieces like some in that style do. I’m going to need a second one in black at some point and the price tag is the only thing I’m dreading.
I DO desperately wish I could find that same noseband with the gorgeous custom padding and crystal detailing as some of the dressage cavessons like the Otto Schumachers… I mean drool.
Yeah, I’ve got it jammed as high as possible, unfortunately.
I do think the perceived tightness of the browband is an optical illusion… I can basically fit my entire fist under it! It does curve down softly. Maybe more visible here? https://photos.app.goo.gl/vLNcpmZKQtJ8esuS7
How do we feel about Collegiate? I have one of their monocrowns for when we pretend to be hunters, but I’m thinking about Collegiate ComFiTec Vogue Anatomical Bridle
I’ve had good luck with PS of Sweden (High Jump) but $$$. The High Jump is a Cob, too, whereas the Passier and the Collegiate are both Fulls, fwiw.
It doesn’t look tight, just low. When it sits too low, the loop itself presses on that bone. When it sits up in the hollow below the ear, no such concern. I looked at all your pictures, and it looks like your horse really needs the cob size crown piece. The PS of Sweden crown has the contour ending in the right spot, and allows the browband to sit where it should. The others all place it varying degrees of too low.
PS of Sweden sells pieces separately, so if compatible and well fitting, you can just buy a smaller crown and swap the rest of the pieces from your current bridle over. If you are considering Colleagiate new, Kavalkade also makes a nice, reasonably priced bridle.
You could also try a browband with a larger loop - so you can attach it to the bridle higher up on the crown piece itself.
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Anyone experience the Stübben Freedom?
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Gen 1 or 2?
I know you know one doesn’t have to fasten the noseband or the flash tightly. I wish they hadn’t called it a crank. I have them on both my bridles, and neither gets “cranked” tight. I like the padding under the chin.
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The reason it is called a “crank” is because it is designed to provide sufficient leverage to easily tighten it severely.
I am aware that it can be worn otherwise.
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I was on a bit website recently and was horrified that in the accessory section they had balms for bit rubs and I’m wondering why on Earth would you want your Bits to be associated with rubs??
ETA: ‘Horrified’ is an exaggeration
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Rubs sometimes happen. It’s good to have a salve to help heal them. My mare was being squirrely at a schooling show once, and she ended up with a rub at the corner of her mouth. I had recently started using a loose ring Brandon with her.
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My reaction is to the bit company putting their own brand on it.
Anyone have thoughts on the TSF Better Bridle? @AllWeatherGal, did you end up trying one? I like the hinged noseband, the fully removable flash, and the combined strap for bit and noseband (vs two separate straps). I’m not totally sold on the shape of the crownpiece, as I like a little more tapering behind the ears. However, in the side-by-side photos of the regular vs better bridle, it does seem to naturally sit a bit farther back off the ears. At least the padding is continuous so it won’t run afoul of the weird new crownpiece rule.
Random jumper person responding, just because I recently got these for my two boys and I really like them. I got them because while I love the Schockemoehl Equitas bridles I have for my two, they aren’t made very well and keep breaking. The last straw was when my older guy stepped on his reins (being a jerk) and shredded the cheekpieces (the reins, those soft Thinline rubber ones, were fine!!), so I went looking for something new.
These bridles have almost exactly the same configuration for the noseband, and how the bit attaches, and then there is all of the extra hinging, so they are very movable. My older guy has an itchy nose and that type of noseband is the most comfortable for him, so I figured I’d give it a whirl.
Aside from the nose thing, neither of mine are at all picky about their bridles so they don’t particularly care about the anatomical aspects, but I do really like the TSF ones- they fit my WB blockheads nicely, and are made well, with good-quality leather. You can also just unattach the flash (neither of mine need one), move the throatlatch around (which is good because they are a bit short for the aforementioned blockheads), and so on. I’m very happy with them, and they actually fit my guys a bit better than the Schockemoehls.
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