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Dressage Bridles w/out Flash

My bridle came with web reins with leather stops. I received buckle ends even though I ordered hook ends. Didn’t care enough to return it. It is still a beautiful bridle.

I believe there is silver piping on it, I thought it was the padding too!

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I have a Vespucci, purchased second hand, that I love. Very adjustable, no crank but still has the padding under the chin, and no flash.

https://www.vtosaddlery.com/product/VCDB.htm I believe it’s this one. Lots of retailers carry them.

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Another vote for the Solo Simplicity, and it’s on sale this weekend. You can buy the full bridle or just the noseband https://www.soloequine.com/search?q=not+tag%3A__gift+and+simplicity*&type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage

I’m in love with my Joseph Sterling petite dressage bridles from Schneider’s tack - retractable flash loop truly disappears and love the leather. Not even “for the price” - love the leather, period!

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Any chance you’d be willing to share a photo? I’ve heard good things about the bridle over the years but have never seen one “in the wild”

On my refined TB mare:). The bridles come with nice reins but I had Thinlines I use sometimes because my hands cramp on the skinnier ones…

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Well I called Eponia twice and emailed three times. Only one reply. But with the return policy linked above I went ahead and ordered, and the Skye bridle came today. Very soft padding, nice enough leather, nice design and a suuuuuper bling browband! No silver piping though.

I asked for and received hook stud ends. And the smell of the bridle coming out of the box was perfect :slight_smile:

Update: for some reason I didn’t notice at first that they sent hook stud cheeks and buckle end reins. Gah. Will try to rectify.

2nd update: despite saying they had hook stud ends via pre order email communication, the reply is now that they don’t have them. So no recourse on the reins with buckle ends sent w bridle that had hook stud cheeks. As they’ve been very hit and miss (actually more miss) on communication I don’t think returning the whole bridle for a refund seems like a good risk so I’ll keep it. But be warned if you’re thinking of buying from Eponia.

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Can you post a picture of the noseband? You’re right, the colors are confusing lol

I use the Joseph Stirling Petite and like it a lot as well.

I also bought 2 used collegiates, and a used stubben from my coach (my jump tack is also black), and I am trying to figure out if they still make these particular models because I think they are absolutely lovely, and the collegiate looks fantastic on, especially at the price point.

This is the collegiate without a flash.

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Here you go! Plus Pix of the gigantic browband stones

image|375x500

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Oh man. I am really sorry to hear of that experience with them. It’s such a shame because I think their bridles are wonderful… but for sure, their communication leaves people cold…

The bridle in your picture looks gorgeous though. It would bother me too, having buckle end reins. Gah.

You know, for the $ it’s still a good bridle, the delicate princess likes it, and I’m keeping it! Just posting the downsides of dealing w them because for some people that wouldn’t work. :wink:

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Definitely. Makes me wonder if I should stop suggesting them in threads. I love my Eponia, but you’re not the first person I’ve heard have issues with them. It’s a shame when the service doesn’t quite measure up to the product. :frowning:

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yeah totally… I want to support a small business too! The website could have answered a lot of my questions as well, but didn’t. Ah well.

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Wouldn’t occur to me to ride without buckle end reins.

How is the Skye bridle holding up? I’m thinking of buying one for my mare as her dressage competition bridle but a little worried it’ll be a) too much bling and b) at risk of losing “stones” because they are so big.

Any pictures of your horse wearing it you can share??

I only use it for shows so it’s holding up great :joy: though my horse does seem to like it. So far the stones have stayed in great with low use, and people comment on the sparkle a bit so I do think it’s quite blingy. The near side throat latch keeper is extremely tight and thus far has resisted attempts to stretch it out so I undo from the off side throat latch buckle. And I haven’t yet replaced the buckle reins with hook stud but I’m kinda over that. I’ll get some pics at the show next week with mare wearing it.

PS the noseband is not patent as the pics on the site imply. I prefer that though!

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I don’t have the Skye but if it matters, I do have an Eponia Ginger. If memory serves I purchased it at Equine Affaire in 2015. It has been used regularly. I don’t have a climate controlled tack room, and it’s kept in a shed year round so gets temps from 100F+ to -5F. It’s been rained on, snowed on, sweated on, you name it. I used it for a while as my show bridle but now it’s mostly a training/spare bridle since I tend to like to swap them up and have a bridle problem.

It cleans up great. I still use it for shows sometimes, though it’s not as ‘anatomic’ as some of the new stuff out there on the market. I loved the reins that came with the Ginger, I swapped them off of the OG and put them on my XC bridle.

This is the first year the reins are showing their age. They are pebble/web reins and some of the pebbles you can rub off. For a $150 bridle and seven years of age, I’m totally okay with that.

Here are some not so good photos of it.



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