PLAIN, Wide Noseband Bridles?

[JenEM]

I’m on the hunt for a new bridle for the upcoming show year, as we look to move up to do the Adults at some C/B shows in the area. My mare has had a square-raised Crosby forever, and while it looks fine, it sort of vanishes into her face. Her dressage bridle has a somewhat wider (and padded, which I don’t love) noseband, and to my eye, suits her face much better in size. So I think a wide noseband bridle is in order for us.

Given all the white on her face, I’d really like a plain raised wide noseband. From what I can turn up from searches on here, and poking around various stores online, there are quite a few wide noseband bridles out there, but they all seem to be padded and/or fancy stitched. The only one I can turn up that can be ordered plain and unpadded is New Cavalry, which isn’t out of the question price-wise, but with reins, it’s definitely a budget stretch. I like the look and price of the Wellfleet from Smartpak, but it’s fancy stitched, and I’m not sure how that would look on her.

Any advice on other bridles to look at? I’d like to keep the bridle itself under $300. I’m also on the fence on size, as she’s a bit at the small end of horse sized but I fear a cob would be way too short in places on her, so comment on sizing is helpful too TIA!

[BAC]

Have you tried Edgewood? They have a wide unpadded noseband and all of their other nosebands are offered in both plain and fancy stitched so hopefully this one is too. Hadfields offers wide unpadded without fancy stitching but that would be a lot more expensive. Or contact Country Saddler about their custom bridles, I have no idea what their price range is.

[jhg140]

I just acquired a used Ovation wide noseband bridle - this particular one is padded, but I believe they make the same model, unpadded. I believe it retails for under $200? And it really is quite nice; I was very impressed when I received it. Highly recommend.

[JenEM]

[QUOTE=BAC;7940238]
Have you tried Edgewood? They have a wide unpadded noseband and all of their other nosebands are offered in both plain and fancy stitched so hopefully this one is too. Hadfields offers wide unpadded without fancy stitching but that would be a lot more expensive. Or contact Country Saddler about their custom bridles, I have no idea what their price range is.[/QUOTE]

I tried to look at Edgewood, but I get a 404 error message both at home and here at work when I try to look at their “Bridles” page So I’d only considered the one on Smartpak’s site, which was both fancy stitched and padded. The Hadfields are a good bit above what I’m looking to spend.

[ToTheNines]

I really like the wide noseband on the Smartpak wide noseband bridles. It is not padded, nice and flat, darkens perfectly, and the stitching very subtle. I am not a fan of fancy stitching either. I have not found any other noseband I like as much. I only show in the hunters.

However, be advised that the cheekpieces on that bridle are 5/8" not the thinner 1/2". So IMO, the bridle looks a bit clunky on a smaller headed horse.

That said, my absolute favorite show bridles now are a combination of a Smartpak wide noseband, with a crownpiece and cheekpieces from another bridle.

[Bristol_Bay]

If you really want to go flat and wide but stay on a budget, have you considered a hunt bridle?

http://www.marystack.com/ovation-flat-hunt-bridle.html

[greysfordays]

I like the plain raised too. There’s a gorgeous bridle on ebay right now that’s padded but not in a gross way

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CUSTOM-Made-Hunter-Bridle-Raised-Padded-Wide-Noseband-w-Reins-Horse-Full-500-/161547705679?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item259cfe5d4f

And then for the Edgewood, Saddler’s Row has the unpadded wide nosed bridle. It is fancy stitched, but it’s on the small and discrete side. I feel like even with your horse’s lovely white markings, it could be an option.

http://www.saddlersrow.com/edgewood-wide-fancy-raised-bridle/

Also, Brad at Equus Sports makes bridles that are quite beautiful. He may be able to make something simple for you and you can buy some plain raised edgewood reins on ebay to match?

https://www.equusport.com/

Someone in our barn has a wide plain raised bridle and it is a dream. He can make you something in a few days!

[pattnic]

+1 Edgewood - basically any of the retailers who sell Edgewood can mix and match and special order, but the Farmhouse is particularly good to work with.

(My wide noseband is a plain raised padded Edgewood).

[ToTheNines]

pattnic, picture of your bridle, pretty please?

[Soaponarope]

Your horse is darling! I just bought a wide-noseband bridle from Smartpak, it’s Pessoa and has a flat noseband with some stitching. Your saddle looks reddish so I think it might go well with it. But if you can’t stand stitching at all, what about Dover’s hunt bridle with wide noseband? It’s on sale. Just make sure it comes in Oakbark or Havana to go with your saddle. Good luck and hope you find something cute!

[asterix]

Jerry’s harness? They do really nice work and can customize.

[JenEM]

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone! pattnic, I’d really like to see a picture of your Edgewood noseband–now that I know they make one, I may consider having a local retailer order me one, if I like the look. I’m guessing I’d definitely want a cob in Edgewood, if they still stretch quite a bit?

While I actually do like the look of the wide, flat hunt bridles, and would happily buy one if just eventing, I really don’t know if I want to go that different when specifically buying for the rated show ring. We’re only doing small stuff this year, but may consider some A stuff next year (or even later this year) if it goes well, and I’m not sure I want to stand out that much. I realize it’s perfectly acceptable and traditional, but is is different, and I’m not sure I’m ready to be that different, yet

[pattnic]

If only you guys knew how much stuff I had to drag out to do this for you! (My bridles are currently in storage, and as I live in a very small apartment, that storage is very strategic!) It turned out to be a good thing, however, as it made me finally put the cheek pieces (which had been repaired) back on the bridle!

Anyhow, here you go!

Entire bridle (no camera flash): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=695007029569&set=a.575938803249.2039308.138800916&type=3&theater

Noseband only: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=695007009609&set=a.575938803249.2039308.138800916&type=3&theater

Entire bridle (with camera flash): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=695006964699&set=a.575938803249.2039308.138800916&type=3&theater

I purchased my cavesson as a special order from Just Bridles, but I’ve also purchased from Farmhouse Tack. Both companies are fantastic to work with, but Just Bridles is currently closed, so I guess that’s a bit of a moot point.

I don’t tend to super-oil my stuff, and I’ve not found it to stretch at all. My gelding is basically perfectly between cob and horse size in Edgewood; when I first bought his bridle for him, I ordered cob, thinking it would stretch. It never did stretch, so when I bought the wide noseband, I bought horse size.

[BAC]

Pattnic, your Edgewood is beautiful, in fact it looks identical to mine only I had the regular size noseband. And like you, I had no noticeable stretching although I was careful not to over-oil it.

[Bristol_Bay]

If you email justbridles, she will respond and sell you whatever she has in stock.

[JenEM]

Thank you so much for the pictures! I didn’t mean to send you through the trouble of digging it out, I was assuming you’d have a picture of it on a horse somewhere!

I guess I’ll have to see what my tax refund looks like next month, and then go out to Middleburg and see what they have out there. I know the Tack Box carries Edgewood, I’m guessing they could order me one if that’s what I like.

[ToTheNines]

Yes, thank you pattnic (since I asked too). It really is a beautiful bridle.

[pattnic]

[QUOTE=Bristol Bay;7943661]
If you email justbridles, she will respond and sell you whatever she has in stock.[/QUOTE]

That’s actually really great to hear - that thought hadn’t occurred to me! Thanks for the info.

@JenEM;7944964

Thank you so much for the pictures! I didn’t mean to send you through the trouble of digging it out, I was assuming you’d have a picture of it on a horse somewhere!

Aw, no worries. It actually was a really good thing I pulled it out, so thanks for giving me the kick in the butt to do so. There are a couple pictures of it on a horse, but you can’t really see the bridle very well, so they wouldn’t have suited the purpose. In all honesty, the wide noseband is not my favorite style, so I use this particular noseband very infrequently (only at shows on one particular horse). Usually I have a narrower noseband on that bridle… so BAC, it probably does usually look exactly the same as yours!

Thanks for the compliments, all!

PS - For darkening, Blue Ribbon Oil or Walsh’s Oil is the way to go!

[pattnic]

One more picture! (On the pony)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=696790031419&set=a.550663340479.2035671.138800916&type=3&theater

[MuddyHalter]

I needed the same thing several years ago. I found a brown Passier snaffle bridle that suited perfectly. It had a flash attachment, which I had a cobbler remove, stitching the noseband closed. I wish I could remember the style name. But that might be something to hunt for.