The droopy or V-shaped browband trend - flattering or not?

[Dr_Doolittle]

Back in the day :lol:, browbands were pretty ordinary - no bling, straight across the forehead, etc. (the most exciting thing you would see would be the occasional clincher browband, gold or silver) - but now there are a variety of “browband options” (and I have used the blingy ones in the past), but the droopy V look?

That’s relatively new, or at least seems to have gained popularity in the last 5-10 years or so.

What are the pros (I assume they are mostly aesthetic), and what types of heads does this “flatter”? I’m curious because I’m considering using a blingy one on my 5 year old WB mare who has a pretty (but plain black) head; I would like to dress it up a bit. (She has a shortish pony head with a wide cheek and forehead.) Would the V-shape look good on her?

Discuss

[Showbizz]

I can’t say personally I’ve ever seen a head it didn’t flatter…

[netg]

I think you need to show a picture!

My mare has a pretty head which is just a tiny bit longer than ideal in the nose. I use a wider noseband and a moderate droopy browband. I think it emphasizes her feminine eyes and overall shortens the look of her whole face.

[dotneko]

I don’t like them myself and don’t think they are flattering. Not a fan of non-traditional things. The horse is beautiful on his own.

[SendenHorse]

I don’t generally like them either.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Interesting perspectives!

[Fairview_Horse_Cente]

I also don’t like the look at all. You have to choose what you like.

[alibi_18]

I think it depends on each individual and your taste.

I don’t particularly like V browband so I don’t have one, but my friend does on her gray and it looks “ok” to me.

I have a dropping loop one that looks stunning on my mare. I prefer that to straight ones.

It really has to follow the shape of their eyes/forehead.

[poltroon]

I really hate the look of droopy ones. To me they usually look like the bridle doesn’t fit or wasn’t put on properly.

I do appreciate the concept of making them fit less tightly.

[Dr_Doolittle]

The drooping ones always make me immediately think “that brow band is way too big for the horse!”

Probably a need jerk reaction from my pony club days…

[ThreeFigs]

The V-shapes ones will accentuate the horse’s head carriage – so if your horse tends to tilt to the left or right, it’s like a spotlight on this fault. I’d go for the “droopy” look before the V shape. Says the person with a pair of very blingy but straight People on Horses browbands…

[Draftmare]

I use a slightly dipped browband, and I love it on my mare. It helps her rather broad forehead not look quite so broad.

https://imgur.com/9GnA4J8

[RPM]

@dotneko

I don’t like them myself and don’t think they are flattering. Not a fan of non-traditional things. The horse is beautiful on his own.

I agree.

I do like the padded browbands/cavessons on dark-colored horses – for dressage, the black ones with white lining. I don’t think they’re in style anymore but I still like the look of them. I also love the look of a solid black bridle on a black horse.

[RPM]

@Draftmare

I use a slightly dipped browband, and I love it on my mare. It helps her rather broad forehead not look quite so broad.

https://imgur.com/9GnA4J8

I love the brown bridle with her coloring! But with any parti-colored horse I think a solid-color browband looks best. Too “busy” otherwise.

[BAY_WITH_CHROME]

I like the droopy because it’s usually longer than the average browband, which means my Tyra-Banks fivehead of a horse can fit in them, and it definitely makes his yuge forehead look less massive…

Other than that I can’t say I ever thought a droopy browband didn’t look nice.

The other thing is, you break in your bridle enough, your browband will eventually droop - that was the hallmark of a well-worn and cared for bridle for me growing up!

[TMares]

The droopy ones just look ill-fitted to me. And I don’t like the V at all. Both give me the illusion of having slipped down. I like horse’s heads in all shapes and sizes, I don’t see either as improving a horse’s appearance. I will make an exception for a plain, mildly drooped one, but some are just plain noodly they are so long!

[SendenHorse]

@RPM

I agree.

I do like the padded browbands/cavessons on dark-colored horses – for dressage, the black ones with white lining. I don’t think they’re in style anymore but I still like the look of them. I also love the look of a solid black bridle on a black horse.

they are coming back now, I’ve seen a lot of brands giving padding color options.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Of course my mare wears a Micklem, so much for the white trim on the noseband!

[Halt_Near_X]

I’m another one that thinks the droopy browbands look ill-fitted rather than flattering. I like the v-shape better, although it has to be the right v-shape (size, depth) for the horse’s head or else it looks like someone drew cartoon raised eyebrows on the horse.

I think the same thing about fly bonnet shapes–I prefer the ones that are a little more blocky to ones that are really round.

I think I just prefer straighter lines to rounder ones. For me, the accentuate the bones in the horse’s head better and work with the facial structure rather than disguising it.

[Ghazzu]

Hate the droopy ones.
The v-shaped, meh.