I’ve been looking at synthetics as an easy care option for trails. What are your experiences with them? Do they really clean that much easier than leather? Is the lifespan of a synthetic just as long as a leather bridle? Does anybody know of synthetic bridles that are easy break-away? I’m a big safety nut, and every nylon halter I have has a leather safety piece. Right now my leather bridle is holding up fine, but after 10 years of use and care, the noseband started cracking and I’m trying to save my show bridle for lessons and shows. I would love to hear some reviews and opinions on other tack options.
i LOVE my Beta-thane Bridle. brown- looks like leather, but wipe it down with a damp cloth and it’s clean. No conditioning necessary. i have had it for a long time, about 6 yrs? maybe? i forget. The company that made it was Tack-a-tack. i think they might be out of business now.
I like the Bio-thane halter/bridles also, mine is from Running Bear Tack. I do CTR and LDs and love the h/b for ease in removing the bit during vet checks and breaks and putting the bit back in for next loop, without having to completely change. They’re great for convenience on the ride and yes, they do clean up easy. You can plunk the whole thing in a bucket of water and let it soak, then hang up to dry, which it does quickly. I also like mine for short trailer trips to ride: get there, slip the bit in, ride, take the bit off, trailer home. Mine is the kind where the bit clips onto rings on the side of the halter (not the kind that goes over the head separately); so I can just clip the bit onto a saddle D-ring and don’t have to worry about losing track of it.
As for the breakaway, I don’t use the h/b halter as a traditional halter for prolonged periods like when my horse is in a corral or tied to Hi-Tie overnight - I change into a regular nylon halter for that because they are softer and have the breakaway option. The bio-thane h/b is stiffer and wouldn’t be as comfortable for laying down in. I learned that when I forgot to change it overnight and saw some rubs the next morning. My horse never gets rubs during the rides so I figure he laid down and scratched his head back and forth on the ground. Also, practically speaking, I’d rather replace a $15 halter than my synthetic h/b if he gets into some mischief when I’m not looking!
I have a beta biothane halter/bridle that I love. It is softer than regular biothane, and never rubs my sensitive skinned TBx. It is easy to care for (just hose it off once in a while) and has held up wonderfully. It still looks brand new, and my horse rubs her face into trees when we stop for lunch- and there’s no scratches on the bridle at all. I got it from Maple Grove Saddlery, it was only $50.
http://stores.ebay.com/mgtackandrepair
As for safety breakaway, I don’t think so. Biothane is known for being very strong… you could always add a “fuse” to tie to, like a loop of baling twine or something to clip the lead rope to when tied up.
I have a biothane halter/ bridle made by Sportack. I’ve had it for almost 17 years now and it’s still in great shape- the only thing I’ve replaced is the reins since the rubber grip wore through. It is much easier to clean than leather- when I hose the horse at the end of the ride, I just lay the bridle and breastplate over the fence and hose them too. Maybe once or twice a year, I give it a bit of a scrub with dish soap- that’s it.
As for breakaway- you’d probably want to make some modifications with that. Biothane is pretty tough stuff although it cuts easily with a knife. Personally one of the reasons that I use biothane is that it doesn’t break as easy as leather
I have a biothane bridle and love it. Very easy to care for.
I have an adorable and functional one from Taylored Tack. It is the headstall that attaches to a halter. As for reins, I just ordered some Tekna reins as the price was very reasonable. Curious to see how I like them…
I have a Running Bear sidepull bridle. I mostly use it as a sidepull, but also have bit hangers for it so I can use a bit if my guy is being particularly squirrley one day. Mine is also for endurance so its OBNOXIOUS bright blue and yellow, but you can get any color you want including traditional looking brown. The brown beta looks like leather from a distance.
Running Bear uses brass hardware that would break if he got caught up in something somehow, but the beta itself wouldn’t likely break.
I really like the beta. Drop it in a bucket after a ride, dry with a towel and it looks brand new. Zero effort. I don’t put anything in the water and I often use the same bucket to sponge him off with.
The Running Bear ones are a little pricey, but they’re well made and the owner is awesome.
thumbs up for Techna!
I’m just wild about the Techna tack for trail riding. Biothane is usually shiny plastic. Beta is the flat finish version over nylon. Techna is the best of Beta type tack and is the most in-expensive! I adore it!
Got mine at the Galloping Grape here in Warrenton, Va. Seen it at other tack shops. The regular horse size even fits my draft crosses. Let out all the way of course!! :winkgrin:
I have a beta-biothane halter-bridle as well - love the material, very easy to keep clean and has the look and flexibility of supple, genuine leather.
I don’t particularly care for the style I bought - the kind where each cheekpiece attaches individually with a trigger-snap to a D-ring on each side of the halter when putting the bit on.
That, by itself, doesn’t bother me - but the way the cheekpieces are constructed requires that they be totally disassembled just to change bits. It can be a real PITA.
Not to mention they one I have is a bit bulky. The next time around, I will probably get the style where the bit fits on a headstall, which then attaches to the halter by a “snap” on each side where the browband connects.
But, on the material itself, no complaints at all. 
Jolly I think we have the same bridle. I hate that thing. Bulky, heavy, the cheek pieces of the halter are too long vs the bit hangar straps, so you get this wad of brass and biothane and the bit all together. GAH. I never use it.
I have a rope halter/bridle that Karen at www.sunsethalters.com made for me years ago. It’s fabulous. Dip it in a bucket or throw it in the washer to clean it. The rope is top quality, doesn’t stretch or fade, you can have any colours you want, infinitely adjustable, she’ll even build custom sizes. You can get haltermores, halter/bridles, sidepulls, bitless bridle, however you want!
I love having a halter/bridle. Mine is a Hought with the add-on headstall. http://www.hought.com/add.on.hs.html My horse isn’t the walk away type, but there’s security in not having to take the halter off when putting the bridle on. And as others have said, it’s much easier to clean. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to regular halters and bridles.
Re hassle of changing the bits out, Running Bear Tack sells extra bit-hangers for their h/bs and I imagine other h/b suppliers offer them too. A little more money, yes, but worth it to avoid the change-out headache.
The company that made it was Tack-a-tack. i think they might be out of business now.
Nezzy, there is hope! The owner of Tack a Tack has just taken a hiatus. We were out at Morningside Training Farm just last Saturday with Elghund and his horse was decked out in a Tack a Tack bridle and hunting breastplate. My little dog, Gretta, was sporting her royal blue Tack a Tack collar and leash and we were talking about our love for the product.
Trixie used our bridle when we went to the seashore a couple years ago. Great stuff!
[QUOTE=wildlifer;5990183]
I have a rope halter/bridle that Karen at www.sunsethalters.com made for me years ago. It’s fabulous. Dip it in a bucket or throw it in the washer to clean it. The rope is top quality, doesn’t stretch or fade, you can have any colours you want, infinitely adjustable, she’ll even build custom sizes. You can get haltermores, halter/bridles, sidepulls, bitless bridle, however you want![/QUOTE]
I’m looking into these now. I have a beta halter/bridle combo with bit hangers that I love for one bit, but doesn’t work so well with others so I want to get one of the regular non-strap combos. Plus as a rope halter I will have a little more control when he gets amped:)
[QUOTE=Everythingbutwings;5992367]
Nezzy, there is hope! The owner of Tack a Tack has just taken a hiatus. We were out at Morningside Training Farm just last Saturday with Elghund and his horse was decked out in a Tack a Tack bridle and hunting breastplate. My little dog, Gretta, was sporting her royal blue Tack a Tack collar and leash and we were talking about our love for the product.
Trixie used our bridle when we went to the seashore a couple years ago. Great stuff![/QUOTE]
I hope so. i might like to get spare.
[QUOTE=Malda;5991202]
I love having a halter/bridle. Mine is a Hought with the add-on headstall. http://www.hought.com/add.on.hs.html[/QUOTE]
I have this exact same setup and it works very well for us.
I can put on and take off the bridle part w/bit in seconds. Very convenient, especially at the vet checks when things have to go smoothly and quickly. Make sure you get the stainless steel hardware though!
shameless plug for Moss Rock Endurance
http://www.mossrockendurance.com/view_product.asp?category_ID=3&prod_ID=4
I have a screaming orange convertible beta headstall, a breastplate, and reins from them, also extra bit hangers, a noseband for a S hackamore, and a curb strap in the same fluorescent hue. Great for hunting season (deer not fox) and road visibility and looks stunning on my very dark bay horses. I love their stuff and want to get more in fluorescent lime green. But they have very sedate browns and black as well and many different styles and their dog collars cannot be beat. Brass hardware. With a bridle converter you could put it on a breakaway halter, perhaps to allay your fears.
I really love the reins and I hate almost all reins for feeling wrong in my hands. Some biothane is so slippy when wet you cant hold onto it but MR’s seems pretty grippy.
ETA I have a running bear headstall with chronic stitching failure and I dont like it nearly as well as I like the Moss Rock tack. Wont buy from RB again, Moss Rock has excellent pricing and personalized service too.
I LOVE my halter/bridle that I bought from Sportack about 12 years ago. I can’t find their website. Does anyone know if they are still around?
thanks.
