Good Quality Hunt Bridle-Need Advise...

[SLW]

[QUOTE=AilleXWest;2980494]
This has to be some of the BEST tack I have ever seen. They make a full size flat hunting bridle just like the one from Horse Contry but for less then 1/3 of the price!! They also make the “made in the USA” tack for Bit of Briten.

I just love there stuff and I can not say enought good stuff about there stuff and how great they are to work with.[/QUOTE]

Do any of you have photos you could post of one of these bridles?? I would love to see it.

As a sidenote, I have two wooden carts from this gentlemen for my driving mini’s. Both are fabulous carts.

[AilleXWest]

[QUOTE=SLW;2988152]
Do any of you have photos you could post of one of these bridles?? I would love to see it.

As a sidenote, I have two wooden carts from this gentlemen for my driving mini’s. Both are fabulous carts.[/QUOTE]
Sorry I do not have any photo’s. Right now I only have the fig.8 noseband. I have used all the stuff at work but the person that has them have moved.

[jsc]

Painted Wings- Bartville Harness makes cob sized bridles, AND oversized and Draft. Best selction of sizes for flat, hunt bridles available aywhere, IMO. And if you need something they dont have in stock, they will make it for you.
They also make a sandwich case (minus the flask an
d tin) for under $100- I paid $48 for mine about 6 years aog, but I think the price is up to about $65-70now. BUt side-by-side- with my S&A antique case- you cant distinguish betoween the two.

[jsc]

[QUOTE=SLW;2988152]
Do any of you have photos you could post of one of these bridles?? I would love to see it.

Go to Competitvehorse.com horse talk forum, click on “the hunts” and go to Windy Willow’s thread about “Lady Seminole’s…” she has a picture of her horse wearing one style of the hunt bridle ( there are several styles of flat hunt bridles available from Bartville!), their hunting breastplate, and the sandwich case.

[jsc]

Go to Competitvehorse.com horse talk forum, click on “the hunts” and go to Windy Willow’s thread about “Lady Seminole’s…”

that should be: Competitivehorse.com

[SLW]

Thank you so much! That is very correct and nice looking equipment!!

[Painted_Wings]

I called and left a message on the Bartville answering machine telling them I wanted a catalog and giving them my mailing address. Can’t wait to see it. I looked at the Smuckers site and couldn’t believe how much harnesses had gone up.

[SLW]

LOL Paintedwings, after looking at the yummy tack on the Georgia Hunter on the website where jlc directed me I too left a message at Bartville this a.m. I had a few questions and left them. I was tickled when Eli himself phoned back a few hours later and answered my questions. My mare is a “tweener”, cob size bridles are too large in a few places and large pony size bridles are too small!! It appears that Bartville will be able to make her one which will fit her right from the get go!

He said his new catalog will be coming out at the end of the month! Oh gee, just what I didn’t need to hear, a really cool place to spend $$ has a new catalog coming out. And Eli has a to die for accent!! I would love to be across a kitchen table drinking coffee with him and hearing him tell tales.

[Painted_Wings]

Yeah, I heard his accent on the answering machine. My poor Hony is wearing a pony bridle and even that is too big in most places. It’s not a nice flat hunt bridle either. Plus it’s old and falling apart. I guess it will be a while before I get my catalog. That’s probably a good thing.

[Trot_Left]

I got my hunt bridle off of Ebay… It is a no-name and I took a risk not knowing what the quality would bring me. It turned out to be the nicest bridle, soft suplle, web reins, thick padded nose and brow and I get more compliments on this bridle then I do my $200 bridle! I have the sellers name if your interested.

[scpezold]

oh do tell…

[QUOTE=Trot Left;2993431]
I got my hunt bridle off of Ebay… It is a no-name and I took a risk not knowing what the quality would bring me. It turned out to be the nicest bridle, soft suplle, web reins, thick padded nose and brow and I get more compliments on this bridle then I do my $200 bridle! I have the sellers name if your interested.[/QUOTE]

It is a gamble when you buy no name on ebay. I have looked on ebay but chickened out at not knowing quality vs high price when it came to no name. Please send info. If you can’t post (COTH rules-still kind of new to COTH BB and not sure what is ok and not ok) you can PM me. Thanks!

[Painted_Wings]

I found this while Googling for “flat hunt bridle pony”.

http://www.ponypal.co.uk/bridles_hunt.htm

Anyone have any opinions? I wonder if it is really free shipping to the US.

Does anyone know what color Australian Nut is?

Looks like it might fit my horse that needs a pony sized bridle

[Romany]

Australian Nut…

[QUOTE=Painted Wings;3027079]
I found this while Googling for “flat hunt bridle pony”.

http://www.ponypal.co.uk/bridles_hunt.htm

Anyone have any opinions? I wonder if it is really free shipping to the US.

Does anyone know what color Australian Nut is?

Looks like it might fit my horse that needs a pony sized bridle[/QUOTE]

Australian nut is a lovely rich reddish brown, sort of like a dark-ish chestnut horse. Search google images and a few saddlery pictures show it. It’s a popular h/j colour - look at all the French h/j saddles on Ebay!

Traditionally the lighter colours were better because they couldn’t hide blemishes in the hide the way they can under dark stains (havanna and black), but nowadays often the lighter colours are applied as a lacquer in cheaper saddlery (and often peel after being used).

That bridle is quite expensive IMHO for one that’s not made in England: if it were made in England, it would definitely say “made in England,” so it’s probably assembled in SE Asia from English leather.

It might be a good idea to get them to measure the cheekpieces, browband, noseband between its cheekpieces, etc, for you, at which point you can also ask them about the free postage (which does make it a much better deal - do get tracking/insurance on the postage, though).

[Painted_Wings]

I contacted her via email. The bridles are made in Walsall England. It comes with plain reins but you can get it with laced reins for the same price with a 10 day delay.

Seems like a good price to me for an English made bridle with reins.

Looks like they have some nice breeches on sale too.

I’m very tempted.

[Jaegermonster]

I recently ordered a flat bridle from Bobby’s. It came the other day and it’s gorgeous. It doesn’t appear to be that Indian buffalo crap leather either. It is very very nice and was very affordable. www.eqtack.com

[scpezold]

[QUOTE=Jaegermonster;3028377]
I recently ordered a flat bridle from Bobby’s. It came the other day and it’s gorgeous. It doesn’t appear to be that Indian buffalo crap leather either. It is very very nice and was very affordable. www.eqtack.com[/QUOTE]

Jaegermonster- as I mentioned earlier eqtack is where I purchased my Bobby’s leather. I puchased the drop noseband and breastplate with standard attachment (returned everything). I am wondering if their flat bridles, breastplates, etc are of different quality than the raised. I also wonder if it has to do with the dye used. The drop noseband I ordered was definately raised but can’t remember on the breastplate. I do remember the color selection was limited (one or two color choices available for what I ordered, more color selection on other bridles). Which color did you end up going with? I have heard great things about Bobby’s leather and even saw a bridle at a tack consignment store that was Bobby’s and of great quality (not at all what I received in the mail:no:). The consignment shop store had a color that more represented the color of a bay (is that considered havana?) The noseband and breastplate I received were very dark brown (almost black).

Thanks for the update!

[Beverley]

I’m pleased with the Smith Worthington flat bridle I got last week. Now maybe I need to binge and get that Bartville catalog…

[scpezold]

[QUOTE=Beverley;3028993]
I’m pleased with the Smith Worthington flat bridle I got last week. Now maybe I need to binge and get that Bartville catalog…[/QUOTE]

Ooh, where did you order the SW from? What color did you go with? I always get nervous when they don’t show the color or you give you a small picture to go by. Thanks for the update!

[Jaegermonster]

[QUOTE=scpezold;3028491]
Jaegermonster- as I mentioned earlier eqtack is where I purchased my Bobby’s leather. I puchased the drop noseband and breastplate with standard attachment (returned everything). I am wondering if their flat bridles, breastplates, etc are of different quality than the raised. I also wonder if it has to do with the dye used. The drop noseband I ordered was definately raised but can’t remember on the breastplate. I do remember the color selection was limited (one or two color choices available for what I ordered, more color selection on other bridles). Which color did you end up going with? I have heard great things about Bobby’s leather and even saw a bridle at a tack consignment store that was Bobby’s and of great quality (not at all what I received in the mail:no:). The consignment shop store had a color that more represented the color of a bay (is that considered havana?) The noseband and breastplate I received were very dark brown (almost black).

Thanks for the update![/QUOTE]

The bridle I got is totally flat, and is very dark havana brown, sort of a dark chocolate color. The only choices they had on that particular bridle were black and brown.
It is very nicely finished and appears to be very good quality leather. Of course it’s heavier leather than the pretty show bridles, but it has to be, it’s a hunt bridle. It looks a lot like some of the older Bobby’s tack that I have seen over the years. When I ordered it I decided if it was crappy I would just send it back, but I am thrilled with it, especially for what I paid for it.

[Jaegermonster]

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