New older horse has always gone in a flash bridle with snaffle for all phases, no big deal. I’ve been riding him in a spare black dressage bridle with flash since bringing him home but want to get him a second brown bridle so when we compete, he has the black bridle to match the dressage saddle and brown to match jump tack. Except I’m having a hard time finding brown flash bridles that I like in my price range- most are black for dressage or figure-8’s. One of my touchy TB’s has always preferred the figure-8 to a flash, but my question is, if a horse is already fine in a flash, will they also probably be fine in a figure-8? Horse is not very sensitive, easy going older fellow and doing low level eventing, but last owner said I do want to make sure I use the flash mouth strap part so I’m not going to use a plain caveson. I have not asked too much of him yet since we are just working on slow fitness right now. I could try him in my other horse’s figure-8 before ordering, but I’m not asking too much of him yet so not sure I’ll be getting the “full effect” and wanted to hear a general consensus. Thanks.
He likely will not care. I’ve not ever had one that cared between a flash and a figure 8…but have had some that a figure 8 worked better.
And I had one who hated the figure 8 so much she nearly took her own head off. The 2 nose bands touch different parts of their faces so while some horses would not care if you used a lunge cavesson with some grosgrain ribbon for a flash some care a lot.
Where have you looked for a brown flash? Bit of Britain? Smartpak? I got one from Strafford Saddlery several years ago that is very nice.
BOB, Smartpak, Ebay, Horze, Horseloverz, SStack, Dover, etc. I don’t want a very expensive one since we’re just doing lower levels and have a bunch of other bridles already (plus no other horses right now that really LOVE a flash that I can pass it on to when he retires). I liked Smartpak’s cheaper line of bridles because they do oil up nicely, but I don’t think they have any brown flash bridles. I’ll have to double check again. I just need something that’ll do the job and am fine with used, but haven’t seen much that I’ve liked either.
I’m sure there is the occasional horse that does care…in my experience with over 20 horses…most do not care. Including several very sensitive TB mares and a few diva geldings.
My one TB who crossed her jaw went better and was far more comfortable in a figure 8 so she went in one for dressage as well as jumping.
Of course I tend to not make either my flash or figure 8 tight.
from how the OP describes her gelding…he likely will not care at all.
Oh, I know, many don’t. Oddly this mare went best in a drop. She had a “wait one minute, I don’t know about this!” moment where she actually stopped, put her head down and chomped a couple of times. Then she went to work without a whimper and she stopped trying open her mouth. I know many love the figure 8 because it does seem to fit better and has different pressure points. Her reaction was bizarre. The OP should try one, in whatever color, and then decide if she needs the flash.
Some care to varying degrees. I notice a difference in Toby. Not huge, most people can tell, but I can. He’s actually best in a plain cavesson (wish I had figured that YEARS ago), but likes a loose flash to stabilize the bit. He can be a bit tense in the figure eight.
I’ve known horses who were EXTREMELY sensitive to poll pressure who HATED it figure eights. I’ve also known PLENTY who couldn’t care less about it.
I have a brown HDR comfort crown/monocrown with a flash that I like. It is dark havana and has held up well. It is about $90. I have had many compliments on it and most people think it is a higher quality brand than it is.
Have you checked out Lund Saddlery? They have some very nice flash and figure eight bridles for reasonable prices.
Definitely try a figure 8 before ordering… and if it were my horse, I’d probably try him in a plain cavesson also, just to see why previous owner said he must be ridden in a flash. But I’m a big fan of not using things you don’t need, and there are loads more choices for brown bridles in a plain cavesson. My horse largely despises figure 8’s, but doesn’t mind a flash or a lever/crescent noseband (which IIRC is not legal in eventing dressage, but would obviously be fine for jumping). They all hit at different points depending on the proportions of the head.
They aren’t super duper high end, but Horze makes quite a few reasonably priced flash bridles that come in brown. I have one in black and the leather is quite supple - It probably wouldn’t hold up to being ridden hard and put away wet daily, but I’ve had it for over a year and it still looks nice (and I certainly don’t clean my tack every ride).
Micklems aren’t super expensive and the chin strap acts as a flash. Some don’t like how it looks, but I do.
http://www.doversaddlery.com/micklem-competition-bridle/p/X1-12976/
I have one who is not a fan of the flash but is okay in the figure 8, which I think is fairly typical. The flash just hits his nostrils wrong and he already coughs a couple times when I first start working, so I don’t want to impede his breathing. Of course, the figure 8 has been rubbing a bit, so now I’m on the hunt for a figure 8 with a slide, which fits lower than a regular figure 8. And my new to me saddle is super dark brown, so I finding something in the right color of brown has been difficult. Sigh.
I actually ordered and received one for him from Horze before reading this. I somehow missed it or forgot they made brown flash bridles. I’m pleased with it- it’ll be just fine for what I need.
I do have a Micklem already for another horse, but it’s more than I want to spend for another bridle for this horse and I don’t want to switch out bits/do adjustments between every ride since I often ride both of them in the same evening.
I may end up switching out the reins on the Horze bridle- they’re leather, but kind of thin with “stops” throughout the whole length like webbed reins have. I’ll have to oil them and see if I end up liking them, but I can’t imagine I’d ever want to ride with them without gloves. We’ll see.
