New Bridle design

[arabiansrock]

Hi all, positing this because it came through my email this weekend and I caved and ordered it. Link is attached to read about it. Total Saddle Fit has designed a bridle! It has elements that can be found in other brands, plus a couple new elements, and they are all combined into one bridle. Single cheekpiece like Schockemohle Alpha, nose band bump to raise leather off tender sides of nose like Fairfax (but looks better), removable flash, a throatlatch that rotates instead of jutting forward under their jaw, plus the position can be adjusted up or down the cheekpiece, adjustable browband (great for cob size faces with braod foreheads).

Here’s hoping the leather quality is good and fit is good. I will report back when I receive it and get it tried on my horse. His head tends towards large cob/small horse. I bought the horse size hoping it will have enough adjustability to work. But they have a great return/exchange policy so I’m not worried.

Here is the link.
Better Bridle – Total Saddle Fit

[MsM]

Interesting! I like the explanations and it is one of the best looking of the “anatomical” bridles. I wonder if you could fit a regular (blingy!) browband on it.

[Mondo]

How is it different from a Micklem?

[Long_Time_Lurker]

Interesting! Do you know if it is USDF/USEF show legal?

[strangewings]

Why include a flash? Aren’t those “bad” from the anatomical pov?

[arabiansrock]

lots of “anatomical” bridles have a flash, most in fact. I am just graful this one is completely removeable. I suspect a regular brow band will work. I have several Montar snap on browbands. I strongly suspect those will slide thru the slit in the headstrap.

Not terribly similar to a micklem. Micklem has a jaw band not a throatlatch, but it does have anatomical contouring around the nose/jaw. But very similar in that the idea is to try and keep the horse as comfortable as possible. I am adopting increasing levels of anatomic tack when I personally feel that the change is significant enough to warrant arnother purchase. My boy currently has a Schockemohle Slimford bridle. Anatomic noseband (but diff shape than this one), no flash, cut out ears with nice soft padding, and a throatlatch that is cut in a way that allows it to lay more stratight down rather than slid forward ovver the jaw line. But I do like the single cheek strap, hinged noseband, and the rotating throatlatch. So I decided it had enough improvements to justify the upgrade. My boy doesn’t complain about his bridle other than wanting head scratches/rubs after taking it off but…

I doubt that it h as been reviewed yet, I did wonder that. the only part that cpould be a problem is the hinged noseband. Since I am not showing right now that isn’t a real concern for me yet, and hopefully that question is resolved before I am ready to hit the show circuit again.

[hallie2]

I have similar bridle made by quantum in uk. I really like the browband because it inserts thru, not under the cheekpiece so can’t rub. https://quantumbridle.com/products/competition-bridle-pre-order

[alicen]

Eek! The throatlatch on that bridle is adjusted way to tightly.

[Mallard]

I like the look of this Total Saddle fit. Looks like lots of places to adjust it, although all those little straps are a bit distracting.
I like that there are not two straps running down the face. Like the Micklem, the bit is connected directly to the crown.
I like there is no flash.
I like the noseband - it is not too thick. I have a small horse and the large/thick nosebands that have come into fashion are much too large for her small face.

I hope the leather is good. I had one of their girths a few years ago and it was horrid stiff leather.
Yes…they have the throatlatch too tight.

[alicen]

@Mallard

I hope the leather is good. I had one of their girths a few years ago and it was horrid stiff leather.

That bridle looks like stiff leather.

[BlueDrifter]

The pivoting noseband looks similar to the Passier Starlight (and maybe the SoloEquine Harmony)?

I like my Starlight a lot.

[yaya]

Why does the noseband pivot? The skull doesn’t bend. I would think it would make more sense to have the noseband connected to the crown, and have the bit strap pivot.

[Willesdon]

Looks like a lot is happening in the area of the trigeminal nerve. A shaped crown piece must fit the horse very precisely otherwise it does the opposite and applies pressure to the ears.

[eponacelt]

Just a note that the noseband which curves up like that may be a good fit for some horses, but not all. I have one who goes in that shape noseband and its wonderful and relieves pressure in the wrong places. However, on my other horse, the top of the curve just digs into the side of his face when the noseband is adjusted properly. So…not a solution for everyone.

[Larbear]

As another poster mentioned, the throatlatch design is different but also the noseband. With the Micklem the way the noseband is, it’s difficult to use it as a regular noseband unless you have the bridle altered and move the rings so it’s more in a position like the Total Saddle Fit.

[Larbear]

I like the design of it but wish the ends of the straps were pointing down instead of up…yeh, I know picky but me and my Virgo ways

[kaya842]

I think it’s a pretty cool design! Like a mix of the Schockemohel Equitus line with a few features pulled from the Fairfax (noseband padding and browband attachment) with some unique features of its own (pivoting noseband and throatlatch). I’d like to try one but not sure about the price tag considering their leather quality issues in the past. I don’t love the look of the buckles up near the eye (think they look bulky) but I don’t know if there is a better design to be had other than them pointing down vs up as another poster mentioned.

[Libby2563]

Intriguing design. I hate the appearance of the stud closure on the browband (especially right next to the pivot for the throatlatch, which personally has never seemed like a feature I wish I had) but it looks like the browband could be swapped out.

@Larbear

I like the design of it but wish the ends of the straps were pointing down instead of up…yeh, I know picky but me and my Virgo ways

Also seems like it should have a keeper for the upward-pointing cheekpiece straps just under the browband. As the leather breaks in, aren’t those going to curl/flop down?

[hallie2]

I have a similar bridle w the stud closure on browband. check tightness every ride- they get loose.

[Willesdon]

There is a lot to be said in favour of an old-fashioned basic bridle, correctly fitted…