Dressage Bridle Recommendations?

[Joquar]

What brand of dressage bridle do you have the you absolutely LOVE? I’d like to keep it around $250 or under, but if there is something out there for more that you swear by, let me know! I’ve been using the Smartpak Harwich bridle for schooling, but I bought it used and it already had some dings so I want to invest in a quality piece for showing. If my desired specifications are a mono crown and a 1 1/8"- 1 1/4" padded noseband (crank or traditional, prefer no flash but ok if it has one), what are some bridles you would recommend? Can anyone weigh in on the pros/cons of a mono crown? Has it seemed to make a difference to your horse?

I have my eye on the Schockemohle Paris Bridle from Divoza (https://www.divoza.com/nl/schockemohle-paris-hoofdstel). It’s not a mono crown but does thread the noseband up and over the poll. I like the look quite a bit- anyone have this bridle? Do you like it?

[MysticOakRanch]

I just got an Albion bridle for my pony, and love it. It has a cut back, nicely padded crown, then the noseband threads over the top. The .person I bought from has good prices AND can swap out parts so I could custom size it - pony has a cob sized bridle with pony cheeks. I don’t like cheap leather - I tried a “lesser” brand and hated it, then got the Albion.

My mare wears a Dobert, also nicely padded crown with the noseband that threads through. It is a really nice bridle - although there aren’t a lot of US vendors that carry the brand. It is really popular in Europe, found in most tack shops. I don’t actually like a true mono crown because you can’t adjust things - but I am liking these more padded crowns with the threaded noseband.

The Schockemohle is a high quality brand - I don’t think you could go wrong buying any high quality bridle like that.

[Joquar]

Mystic, does the person you bought the Albion from sell online? I’d love to take a look at their items if they do

[suzyq]

I really like my kieffer bridle.

[atr]

Dobert fan here, too. My horse has shown a marked preference for anything but a monocrown, oddly enough. He has a bit of a pointy head and I think it just put too much pressure in one spot, so we are using a Dobert raised split crown which he much prefers, and which looks very clean and finished and is lovely quality, even though it is rather ancient. It even has raised-front reins. We do have a Passier noseband on it, because we liked the cut back around the bit.

I also just found a site in England that sells them, and can order me a replacement browband, which has been a problem sourcing for the split crown. Oberon Equestrian.

[Forte]

I love my Stubben and Otto Schumacher bridles. Albion is also excellent. Bridles I purchased and regretted . . . PS of Sweden and BR.

[Guyot]

I personally do not like monocrown bridles. The bits never seem to lay evenly in the mouth. In a snaffle it’s not to horrible. I find that the bit is uneven but if I put the bit even the crown (if cut out for the ears) really lie awkwardly.

The double bridles I really hate the monocrown as seemly the curb sits lopsided and the snaffle is pulled funny the opposite way. We even bought new cheek pieces and it doesn’t help. Had to make a special order to get non-monocrown in my new double.

[Joquar]

@Forte

Bridles I purchased and regretted . . . PS of Sweden and BR.

Thanks I will steer away from those!

Also thanks for the input from others on the monocrowns- It sounds like I would be better off with the threaded noseband. That’s good to know.

Are there certain brands that people have found disappointing in quality even with a high price tag? Or certain brands where you end up paying more for the name than quality?

[MysticOakRanch]

@Joquar

Mystic, does the person you bought the Albion from sell online? I’d love to take a look at their items if they do

Shedrick Saddlery, yes, she does sell on line, I found her on a FB sales group. She has great prices, and a ton of Keiffer and Albion bridles! I was totally pleased with the service, and the shipping was fast. Oh, and did I mention the prices?

[Gloria]

Jerry’s Harness is my favorite. Lovely leather. Gorgeous.

[LilyandBaron]

I have Otto Schumacher and have had Devoucoux, and a few other well-regarded brands, and I’m in LOVE with my Schneider’s Saddlery Joseph Sterling petite dressage bridle. It’s truly just lovely, lovely leather. And at a great price. A good local trainer (has done GP) told a friend of mine she liked their Pinnacle line as well, but I’ve not personally seen those.

[piedmontfields]

I think Kieffers are quite nice for the price point. I am plotting to get a KL bridle next…

[SendenHorse]

Pinnacle is nice as well, i don’t have it but for that price point it is really awesome.

My “buy it forever” bridle is going to be Jerry’s harness.

[Mondo]

Another vote for Jerry’s and also a shout out for Bobby’s!

[Drsgqn]

I love my PS of Sweden snaffle so much I bought a double. Great quality and i love the detail in the noseband and crown.

[Joquar]

Awesome! Thank you everyone!! Time to do some shopping :lol:

[Farys]

I purchased a lovely lovely double bridle from Belle Equestrian in Australia. The quality is phenomenal and the price point is spot on. I picked the “Noble” double bridle. Beautiful rolled leather with patent accents. The bridle is very nicely padded. I was looking for a brown double bridle for years before I came across this company and I am over the moon with my purchase. They have some really nice options to choose from and at a good price for the exceptional quality.

http://www.belleequestrian.com.au/snaffle-bridles

[theresak]

I have tried a lot of bridles over the past few years - not too many super high end ones. I have a horse that’s a complete OS in some brands and between a FS and OS in others, so that influences me a bit…

And I keep coming back to the SmartPak Wellfleet double raised bridle. I swap out the reins with Bobby’s or Horze flat reins. I also like how the HDR bridles fit my particular horse and know that I’m going to have to replace it in 4+ years because it’s a lower end bridle but at the price point, it’s reasonable.

Right now I’ve got a frankenstein SP Wellfleet cavesson and cheeks with a KL Select Signature headstall and the edges and overall feel of the leather is nicer on the Wellfleet. I expected the KL Select ($300+ bridle) to be better quality than the Wellfleet and it really isn’t. Some of the design and style features are a bit better but it’s about a wash when you add in the quality.

I’ve owned and ridden in and ended of moving on from: Dobert, Vespucci, Gold Medal rolled, Micklem, the eBay FSS/Heritage bridle…and I’ve looked at and passed on Kieffer and BR in person. I feel like there are a few more but I can’t think of them now.

I do have a Thinline double bridle that I really like but it gets very little use. Having had a thinline girth and some half pads, I’m not sure how long the thinline material would hold up on a bridle if you used it daily.

[Keg-A-Bacchus]

Flexible Fit bridles are my new favorites. So customizable since my ponies odd shaped head always needs different sized pieces. Love all the options and quality has been great so far!

[pattnic]

I have a Dobert and a SmartPak Nantucket (no longer available, but it was the “step up” from Wellfleet, back when Wellfleet was not a monocrown) and quite like both of them. Dobert started doing a version of the monocrown/padded crown before it was cool.

Others I would consider would be Jerry’s. I also like Vespucci for a dressage bridle, but that’s mostly because they fit my gelding really, really well.

ETA - As for ThinLine, I have a few pairs of ThinLine reins. Based on how they wear, the material would not be my first choice for use on a bridle. I found the material to get stiff and slick over time, even with being careful about cleaning them.