In Gate bridles

[fivestrideline]

I would, personally and in this one hunter amateur’s opinion, disagree that this bridle isn’t pulling in this picture either.

I actually think it confirms that the browband is too short for this face, as well as the crownpiece. The throatlatch is still curved when it should lay straight and flush to the horse’s cheek. It is curved in both pics because the browband is pulling it forward (and is connecting to the cheek/throat pieces, rather than the crown).

I’m not trying to start a fight or anything. My opinion is worth what you pay for it, but if I were shopping for a very expensive bridle right now, these are the things I’d be looking at. Real life pics are so so valuable for this! FWIW, I don’t love the fit of vxf111’s model either, though it’s a gorgeous piece on a gorgeous horse, if I was spending the money I’d want a better/different fit.

I think the chart of measurements is SO valuable, considering I’ve consistently had cob bridles on very “normal” looking horses, and had to buy pony cheeks and/or oversize browbands to go on them. I think Dover and Smartpak’s BuildABridle programs are very smart - and I wish high end manufacturers would do something similar!

[beowulf]

Maybe that photo is not a good advertisement of the fit if you’re positive it fits in person. In that photo the cheekstraps to the bit and the cheekstraps to the noseband appear to be two totally different angles (they are supposed to run parallel to one another) — and neither angle matches the line from the crown piece down. It’s all “broken lines” for a lack of a better word, with the browband pulling the whole cavesson forward to create that bend in the line. The cheek straps should all lie flat and not be a bending line, and the splits and throat latch should also lie flush with the face.

Forgive my very rudimentary cell phone plumb lines to demonstrate what I’m seeing:

[fivestrideline]

I started trying to draw these exact figures and gave up… I’m impressed with your skills!

[endlessclimb]

The picture is at an angle… I don’t think we can say anything concrete using the pictures given.

[beowulf]

It is, which is why I mentioned it may just be a photo that is not the best endorsement of its fit — but there is a picture up thread that is not at an angle that shows identical fit. I’m not generally someone who draws up lines on photos since so much of it is dependent on the accuracy of the person behind the drawing, but I thought this rudimentary example would help conceptualize the broken lines I’m seeing.

[vxf111]

That’s my mare. She will tell you with no hesitation if things are not to her liking. She’s not shy.

Maybe it’s just the way it appears in the photo but it’s plenty loose (any bigger and it would be too easy to pull it right over her head) and it fits roughly like every bridle I’ve ever had from every brand.

Picking random photos from COTH this week I guess everyone in hunterland is doing their bridles wrong and they’re too tight?

[lcw579]

I’m not posting more photos. The ones of our horse were all at an angle. I’m a bad photographer. I snap a picture when his ears are up. All I can say is the bridle fits. There is plenty of room everywhere and nothing is pulling. If he didn’t like it we would know.

[fivestrideline]

That’s all fine. I’m not saying “everyone” is putting ill-fitting bridles on. I’m saying I think it’s VERY common to see imperfect fit, and it appears The In Gate bridles specifically (what this thread is about) have weirdly short browbands and maybe not the easiest cut to fit a normal faced horse.

Again, in the grand scheme of things, this doesn’t matter all that much. But I would hope, for high to well above “average” prices, TIG bridles would fit a bit better, or at least have some better options