Hello! I’m currently bridle shopping for the first time in a decade or so and was wondering if anyone had any bridle brand recommendations that aren’t your typical $500+ bridles- I love Edgewood and like Arc De Triomphe. I have also used Butet, Dy’on, Antares, and Voltaire- most of which I didn’t love the leather quality or durability especially at the price point. I am looking for something a little more economical (~$300 or less) and preferably ergonomic but still with quality leather that takes oil. As far as more budget friendly bridles, I haven’t really owned or seen any I have great things to say about except maybe Ovation which seems to have nice quality leather and craftsmanship. As far as other more budget friendly brands of strap goods, I’ve tried Collegiate, Henri De Rivel, and Harwich by Smartpak but wasn’t impressed. I know I can’t compare a sub $200 bridle to one more than double the price but was curious if anyone has any recommendations of something in the middle of these two? Are there any newer or lesser known brands I should be checking out? Thank you!
My go to recommendation for that price point is “The In Gate.” They’re $350ish so right in that middle price point.
Or you can shop used for a good high in tack reseller.
Amy is awesome to work with to mix and match pieces, sizes and styles to meet your needs. I bought one as a schooling bridle but every time I used it on schooling days at shows, I got a ton of complements.
AJR Hunter bridle! Right under $300. Give it a good oil when you get it. The leather isn’t as nice as Edgewood but it’s nicer than most ‘economical’ options. It passes as a much higher end bridle and I get a ton of compliments on it.
Nunn Finer is more of an event brand but their bridles are quite nice IMO - https://nunnfiner.com/florence-Bridle/ - the price with the reins is very friendly. Their leather quality is really high; if you compare directly to an Edgewood/Hadfield/etc you will notice the fancy stitching isn’t as perfect, but it is definitely “good enough.” They do make a $200 dollar bridle but the leather on that is quite obviously not what you are looking for.
For that price range, Black Diamond would be my go-to. The bridles are very high-quality and Amy is super easy to work with.
If you wanted to spend a little more but not break the bank, The In Gate and Huntley also offer very nice bridles as well.
I have the LeMieux Kudos Competition Flash Bridle and love it. The flash piece is 100% removable, so I am able to use it in the hunters. If you have a larger boned horse, or one with a wider face, I would 100% recommend. The crownpiece has ear shaping, giving it a bit of an economical portion. It is a little over your budget ($339.95 from dover) but if you are a USEF member you can get your 10% off discount on it (comes down to $305.95). Unfortunately, it does not include reins, but it truly is a gorgeous bridle and manages to keep relatively clean and is super easy to clean when it does get dirty. I absolutely love mine, and can’t wait to use it on my new horse. The style is very specific, so if you have a fine boned horse like a TB, I would potentially stay away (although I used it on my old TB and it still looked pretty good, just better for a WB type), but if you have a gorgeous chunky warmblood, ugh this bridle is absolute perfection.
LeMieux® Kudos Competition Flash Bridle | Dover Saddlery
(the website doesn’t show a picture without the flash, but both the flash itself and the little piece in the bridle do come off, flash comes off like normal and the piece slides out through a hidden hole)
Triple this one. My horse is even a model in a couple of the photos. I have 2 bridles from her, and they are both used constantly and also used for shows and they look lovely.
Another vote for black diamond. I have probably 5 pairs of reins from her in my barn that are lovely, and unfortunately I’m not in the market for a bridle, but that’s where I go the next time I need one.
I just bought an Ovation and while yes, it’s nicer leather than my old Harwich and does take oil, I am disappointed in the quality of the leather. In several places the backside of the leather is really rough, especially the reins, which also feel…floppy?..and don’t have a good feel (to me). I replaced them with the reins off my Harwich bridle.
