Wellfleet bridles on sale at Smartpak

[vxf111]

[QUOTE=inca;7702751]
Have you gotten a SmartPak bridle recently? I ordered one maybe 2 years ago and LOVED it. Ordered 3 in the past year and 2 of them are really not that great. The other 1 had decent leather but a horrible color. Took about 5 coats of oil to make it halfway decent and then it left marks on the grey horse.

I really, really like the original/first SmartPak bridle I got. The other 3, not so much.[/QUOTE]

I got one just now with the $60 sale price. It’s lovely quality. The color is lighter than in the past, that is true. But I’m not at all displeased with the leather quality.

I also don’t judge it 100% right out of the bag because it needs breaking in and oiling. Most bridles do. All my past purchases started out this way and broke in really nicely, I use some as show bridles.

I do have one Harwich where the keepers were sewn on all sorts of screwy-- but aside from that, I’d got Plymouth, Harwich, Wellfleet, and Nantuckets that are all different ages and they’re all really nice. Especially once broken in.

[maddiehorse]

Y’all are scaring me. Does it darken pretty well?

[vxf111]

Honestly, what $300 price point bridles have you guys tried that you think are nicer? No, these bridles wouldn’t pass for a Hadfield-- but they also not $600?!

[vxf111]

This is a Wellfleet bought about a year ago…

http://s5.photobucket.com/user/vxf111/media/Devon%202014/FrankieandShellyatDevon.jpg.html

http://s5.photobucket.com/user/vxf111/media/Devon%202014/Walkingout.jpg.html

[maddiehorse]

Thanks vxf111, that’s about the color I need. I probably oil it later today after I try it on and will let y’all know how it goes.

[hj0519]

[QUOTE=maddiehorse;7702773]
Y’all are scaring me. Does it darken pretty well?[/QUOTE]

Mine turned very, very dark within one oiling. It was a bit stiff at first, but now that it’s broken in, it’s nice and supple.

[ToTheNines]

I just oiled a new one yesterday with Hydrophane Leather Darkening oiil. Darkened beautifully. I put about an 1" in the bottom of a small plastic tub and run the pieces through it very slowly. Maybe more than once. I am pretty liberal my first time oiling. Hate reddish tack!

[pickupthepace]

[QUOTE=maddiehorse;7702773]
Y’all are scaring me. Does it darken pretty well?[/QUOTE]

I posted a photo on the first page that has my first Wellfleet bridle… It is almost black. Mine got super dark with only a little oil and I didn’t find it stiff at all. Maybe a little stiff in the box, but I think every bridle is before it is oiled.

[abrant]

Mine is pretty much exactly like my Edgewood. My Edgewood had sat unoiled for who knows how long (I got a killer deal on it at a used tack swap) but it came around eventually. I’m sure these have been sitting in a warehouse and may need some extra TLC.

Can someone who got a cob martingale measure theirs for me? Mine looks suspiciously pony sized and it’s not stamped.

[luckeys71]

[QUOTE=lindsay.anne;7701528]
Not to thread hijack BUT man did SmartPak screw me over this time. Did you know that even if you put in your credit card information, get a confirmation code, AND a confirmation email- if you have it shipped with your SmartPaks a few days later you’re not guaranteed your bridle!? AND no email canceling order, confirming not available, etc. Found this out after I was upset that my friend who ordered the same bridle (size, style, etc) AFTER me received hers today yet mine is “sold out”.

I had NO idea that this was a now or never type of situation. Even with my confirmation code, “my” bridle was sold because I wanted it shipped with my $200+ worth of Smartpaks and dog food that comes to my house every month not right away because it wasnt needed the next day.

Smartpak tried their best to fix the situation- but I’m still not satisfied. I bought the Wellfleet raised fancy stitched hunter bridle (at sale price), and they gave me a figure 8 caveson that (hopefully better) matches for a decent price (for more than the entire figure 8 bridle sale price). I still spend more on a bridle and a half then I would have for the two bridles. And have no rubber reins =(

Anyone have a horse or O/S figure 8 bridle that doesnt fit, let me know- it will make my day![/QUOTE]

My trainer just got 2 today and might be sending them back, if the dressage riders at my barn don’t want them.

[luckeys71]

[QUOTE=maddiehorse;7701593]
I ordered the same bridle,same size. How big is the browband?[/QUOTE]

Sorry guys mine fit! I still say the crown is horse size, as the throatlatch goes all the way up on my horse, just like my other full size bridles. The cheek pieces go up almost midway in the holes. The side pieces on the caveson are on either the bottom hole or one up and the noseband can tighten to the second or third hole. Once it is broken in, it will probably go up a bit more. The browband is a tad smaller than my full size bridles, but fit my horse fine. It was a bit stiff and I didn’t love the color, but I schooled at a show this morning fresh from the box and slapped a few coats of oil on it afterwards and it is darkening right up. I showed in it and won both my over fences classes! I think it fits my horse more closely to “properly” than either of my full size bridles. The buckles nearly line up with her eye, rather than being up nearly to the browband. I expected the reins to be heavier at this (original) price point, but am very satisfied at $65. I should have snapped a photo with it on (and the Champion ribbon ). Here’s to my 16.2+hh cob!

[BAC]

[QUOTE=pickupthepace;7702876]
I posted a photo on the first page that has my first Wellfleet bridle… It is almost black. Mine got super dark with only a little oil and I didn’t find it stiff at all. Maybe a little stiff in the box, but I think every bridle is before it is oiled.[/QUOTE]

A friend’s Wellfleet also looked almost black with only one light application of olive oil.

[LadyBug]

I bought a horse-sized Wellfleet Double Raised Padded Snaffle bridle (dressage), and a cob Nantucket Padded Monocrown Dressage. I have to say the Wellfleet seems to be a bit better quality. I haven’t tried them on my petite mare yet, but I’m 99.9% positive that I’m going to have to keep the cob/Nantucket. Anyone who missed out on the Wellfleet and is interested can PM me, otherwise I’ll be shipping whatever I’m not keeping back to SmartPak.

[RacetrackReject]

I’m shocked, but I think mine is going to work for my horse. I had it adjusted as small as it would go and had to drop about 3-4 holes to get it the way I like it to sit on his face. The browband is a tad big and I will have to trim the excess from the noseband, but I’m pretty sure it will work.

I still can’t believe that it’s going to work being that it’s horse sized and this horse has always worn cob bridles and yearling halters, but I’m fairly certain that it is. I still have to try it with a bit as I don’t own one anymore.

Long story short, a young trainer took on my horse when I was looking to find him a home. My other horse was sold on and I sold of all of my horse stuff. Fast forward and the young trainer sold my horse (he was supposed to stay as his personal horse), after he had starved him and let him go to hell in general- feet, skin, etc. Luckily, the people who bought him, basically to save him, called me and I bought my own horse back from them. He is gaining weight well, but I’m having to buy EVERYTHING for a horse again. I guess I will order a bit so that I can try the bridle on properly…lol.

[SendenHorse]

@lindsay.anne;7701528

Not to thread hijack BUT man did SmartPak screw me over this time. Did you know that even if you put in your credit card information, get a confirmation code, AND a confirmation email- if you have it shipped with your SmartPaks a few days later you’re not guaranteed your bridle!?

Yes, I had this happen with a sheet. Wanted barn shipping so I didn’t ship THAT DAY. Good thing I liked smart pak because this really rubbed me the wrong way.

I don’t understand how my order can be submitted yet not.

[lindsay.anne]

[QUOTE=maddiehorse;7702773]
Y’all are scaring me. Does it darken pretty well?[/QUOTE]

One swipe of Fieblings Neatsfoot Oil - not darkening oil, oil not heated up.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/Zip_My_Jeans/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps1b92311f.jpg

Definitely impressed with the leather so far! *Still on the lookout for a figure 8, my dear COTH friends =)

[maddiehorse]

Thanks everyone! It did end up fitting and with neatsfoot it turned a perfect chocolate brown. Sorry but I’m keeping it!

[CindyCRNA]

[QUOTE=pattnic;7697419]
OK, so I just caved and ordered the Nantucket dressage bridle… with SmartPerks pricing, it was $78. I had been casually looking for a cob size Vespucci dressage bridle (those are a perfect fit for my gelding), but I finally decided this price was just too good to pass up, even if the fit is not as perfect as Vespucci. Truth be had, I don’t love the Vespucci quality anyway…[/QUOTE]

I just ordered the last one of that also. I have been wanting a dressage bridle I can designate for show instead of painstakingly cleaning my only one. It was regularly $349 so I am hoping it looks like a $349 bridle! But Smartpak takes returns so why not!

[pattnic]

[QUOTE=CindyCRNA;7704790]
I just ordered the last one of that also. I have been wanting a dressage bridle I can designate for show instead of painstakingly cleaning my only one. It was regularly $349 so I am hoping it looks like a $349 bridle! But Smartpak takes returns so why not![/QUOTE]

Eh, I wouldn’t have paid $350 for it, but then again, there’s not a bridle out there I would pay $350 for!

I do like it.

[Indy]

I got my cob Wellfleet this morning and I think it’s going to work. It’s a bit of a frankenbridle, size-wise, though. The cheek pieces fit around the middle holes, the noseband is all the way at the bottom (it’s a little high on her head but not horribly so), and the throatlatch is all the way at the tippy top hole. If it stretches any or if I ever want to put it on a smaller horse, I"m going to need to get the throatlatch shortened. It’s not like my mare has a particularly thick head, she’s pretty standard for a small TB mare but damn that thing is long.

I’m happy with the leather quality. There was a scrape on the noseband, on the edge of the raised part, which I wouldn’t have been happy with had I paid full price for it but for $60-some-odd bucks I could care less. I have two coats of plain neatsfoot oil on it and now you can only see the scrape if you look hard for it. It is oiling up nicely too. I’m not sure whether this’ll be my schooling bridle or show bridle, but either way I’m happy with my purchase.