Jumper bridles?

[Lord_Helpus]

I am fed up with having to use a hoofpick in order to change the bit in a bridle. grrrrrrr. It seems that more bridles are coming with buckles on the cheek pieces and reins. I am VERY tempted to get one. Are they being used in the jumper world?

My young jumper goes in a regular noseband and a snaffle. I hate to get a bridle with a figure eight since he doesn’t need one now. But it seems that all jumper bridles have figure eight nosebands.

I noticed that Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum uses a Micklem on at least one of her jumpers. Are they accepted in the jumper ring now?

What about a “swoop” brow band and/or a browband with bling?

How thick a noseband for a horse with a medium sized head?

This horse is a sale horse and I do not have any other jumpers, so I would like to stay under $250 for a bridle for him.

Suggestions are appreciated.

[Denzel]

I’ve seen plenty of flash noseband bridles with the buckle end cheekpieces/reins. Would be pretty easy to unstitch the flash loop from the noseband. I think the totally removable flash loops tend to be featured on pricer bridles. Check typical European brands, they seem to favor the buckles to the hook stud, there’s lots that even have a snap bit attachment that is on the inside of a leather flap so it isn’t as obvious as a big exposed snap.

I personally would stay away from the swoop/bling browbands, those seem to be a dressage thing. I would go with a padded noseband, I really like the look of the 1" nosebands, depending on head shape and markings.

I would personally also stay away from the Micklem if the horse doesn’t need it, especially as a sale horse, it may give the impression that the horse is a bit funny in the mouth.

Vespucci quality is love or hate (I’m more on the hate side), but this is at least an example of what style I would go with.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/vespucci-fncy-rsd-flash-bridle/p/X1-12101/

Here’s a Nunn Finer option that is a bit above the price range with no flash, but I’m sure there’s likely cheaper options than Dover if you do some searching. No fancy stitching, but for the jumpers it really doesn’t matter.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/nunn-finer-event-bridle/p/X1-12896/

[Lord_Helpus]

Thanks, Denzel. That is the kind of information I was looking for. I like both bridles, but now I am wondering if I might be able to get by with one of my hunter bridles with a removable flash or buy a figure eight noseband if he needs one. And I guess that rubber reins are an automatic must.

But damn, if I do all that, I have almost bought a full bridle.

I totally agree with you about the Micklem – I had not thought of how it might look to prospective buyers.

[Sunflower]

I am with you on hating to have to swap out bit or reins on a bridle. I recently got a new bridle and reins, and let it all marinate over night in a good coating with Bates Leather Cream, and after the second time, voila, nothing could be easier to deal with.

[PNWjumper]

All of my jumpers go in regular hunter bridles, and none go in rubber reins.

I got a relatively cheap bridle for one of my youngsters a while back and it’s held up really well and looks nice. IIRC, it’s an HK Americana. I went in to a tack shop to buy an Edgewood and the gal suggested the cheaper bridle instead.

But none of mine have the buckles - though most are pretty easy to open/close (seems to be a brand thing).

I do think that figure 8s are pretty, but along the same llne of thought as the Micklem, I always wonder if the horse is strong or needs something special when they go in a figure 8 (and any other piece of additional tack).

[yellowbritches]

My horse just goes in a hunter bridle (with rubber…I hate anything else). I do have a figure eight for him, but a bit change last year made the figure eight obsolete. I’ve never had any issue getting bridle undone, as long as it is in good condition and not dry and stuff. Why are you changing bits so much? Do you have a flat bit and a jump bit?

[Justice]

Check ebay for a nice used one!

[BostonHJ]

Get the Nunn Finer if only for their amazing rubber reins. I didn’t know how much I could like rubber reins. They are trim like the Thinline ones only thinner, grippier and more supple than leather.

[foursocks]

The thin Nunn Finer rubber reins are fabulous- I won’t ride in anything but those or something like them now, and they are relatively inexpensive.

I have a couple of dressage bridles for daily use because they have buckles and a flash, and were cheap, but if I was looking for something in brown with buckles I’d go with Nunn Finer. This is one of the best deals right now on this one, and they have a 10% coupon: http://www.victorycanter.com/Nunn-Finer-Gianna-Flash-Bridle-nfgianna.html?gclid=CIS2ruGVvMUCFVMXHwod5V8A2Q

My show bridles are Five Star, but that is likely more than you want to spend.

[Arabiandressage]

Yes buckles are the trend, we sell a lot of figure 8 bridles right now and reins depend on preference. We carry Bobby’s (we have more that are not on the site so if I can help let me know), Northrun, ThinLine, Exselle, HDR, and some others so let me know if I can help. Most of the Bobby’s come in buckles in nickel or brass. My favorite non-buckle one is the HDR Monocrown Event Bridle, that is just one of the best values I have come across, padded, contoured, everything adjusts on both sides. Just a great bridle especially for the price but it doesn’t have buckles. If I can help… theconnectedrider.com

[Appsolute]

I have been VERY happy with this bridle I picked up from Dover about 5 years ago:

http://www.doversaddlery.com/crown-clincher-bridle/p/X1-1213/

And here it is on my horse - after several years of daily use (and the flash cut off)

Its soft and supple (with proper care and conditioning), feels much nicer than other bridles more than twice the price.

[Arabiandressage]

http://www.theconnectedrider.com/northrun-saddlery-english-padded-bridle/