Oooooooh!! This one looks cool!
If you try it, do report back.
1 Like
I was doing some research and I don’t think this bridle would be legal to show in the US. They don’t allow metal snaps.
But while I was looking, I was surprised to see that they do accept some bridles without a throatlatch. Specifically listed is a PS of Sweden bridle.
1 Like
I think I am going to go with Fairfax but I need 2 
OOOF. Have there been any updated options or customizable upgrades with Fairfax recently? I don’t know about you, but it’d be a lot easier for me to stomach the $500+ price tag if the bridle came with 
pretty browbands or a little more customization than Funeral Black.
1 Like
I thought the PS of Sweden was only accepted WITH the throatlatch?
It’s hard to tell without more pictures, but the metal snap on the noseband could be removable, like they are on the PS of Sweden bridles.
I just got a Fairfax a few months ago, and pickings were pretty slim in the browband department compared to some of the other brands.
They updated it a year or two ago. Throatlatch no longer required as long as there’s a jowl strap, and there is.
Also, the snap on the BR bridle appears to be removable. The bridle looks like an exact copy of the PS of Sweden Pioneer at a very, very, very tempting price. I have the Pioneer and like it, but it’s getting a little shabby looking.
2 Likes
The picture of the PSoS in the Appendix shows no throatlatch and the caption says that it can be used with or without the throatlatch. I was surprised. There are other PSoS bridles that are NOT permitted, so be careful which model you choose.
If the metal clip can be removed, then that bridle could possibly be legal. I don’t know. The objections to various bridles in the Appendix appear to be related to metal parts, on the crown piece, in the noseband, etc.
@beowulf and @rcy I have a solution to your Fairfax browband problem! Amelia at Dark Jewel Designs worked with me to figure out how to customize the plain “pipped” Fairfax browband and it turned out amazing (photo below). I think I got it in August and it’s held up great, super happy with it. I shipped her the browband and she customized it and sent it back to me.
10 Likes
I have tried several (Equitus Delta, PSOS Paladin and Pioneer, Micklem, Comfitec, Kavalkade Ivy). My horse did not seem impressed with any of them, and went the same as he did in a plain cavesson.
Some barn friends have had horses love or hate them, though, so they seem to at least be amazing for some horses.
This is very good to know. It’s hard to make an investment when you don’t know if it will make any difference at all.
This is exactly what I was planning to do with mine as well. (Though I was going to send mine to someone local to have her jazz it up for me!) I’ve just been putting it off because of other, more important expenditures lately and because we won’t be going into the show ring until this summer, most likely. Probably time to get on the ball with this project, though!
I’m so glad to see how well yours turned out and it gives me hope for mine! 
I took the Logo piece off my Fairfax browband, and my shoemaker drilled holes in my fancy one and attached the Logo piece so it works on my Fairfax browband. And a boarder in our barn is blinging those Fairfax browbands that have the flat browbands. They look awesome!’
1 Like
I’m not sure this is the place to bring this up, but with looking at all these bridles got me thinking about it…
I was always taught to fit the noseband two fingerswidth below the cheekbones (for a regular cavesson). The barn where I’m at now, and in some of the pictures above, the big wide nosebands sit right against the cheekbones. This seems potentially uncomfortable.
When did this become a thing? And why? Maybe there’s a good reason for it!
5 Likes
I’m also very curious about this. I see some new bridles marketed as having cheekbone relief but then they’ll have a piece of leather that crosses directly over the cheekbone. Very odd
1 Like
@CobJockey how do you like the Fairfax bridle? Is it worth the price? Leather quality?
I like the plain looking browband so no problems for me there. I will have to order two from the UK to Canada and have not seen one in real life so I am hesitant.
Just to add to this very useful thread, it looks like Classic Saddlery has a couple “Italian Leather” bridles that are the same as the Lumiere models. One looks like the Mila, and is on sale for $110 - I think I paid $180ish from Lumiere. They have a double that looks tempting for $140. Can anyone confirm that these are the same bridles?
1 Like
I wouldn’t be surprised if they are. A lot of these items are made in the same factories.
1 Like
Just for fun, go to Alibaba and type in “dressage bridle”.
4 Likes
