Passier. gorgeous quality, will outlast us all, tons of options.
Ha, I just conditioned my still unused Edgewood pony bridle from back in the day when they had the big sale…AND IT STILL IS BLEEDING RED DYE EVERYWHERE!! Hasn’t it been about 10 years?? Insane. Should have traded it in when they made the offer.
The nicest I have is a tie, and I’ll tell you why. I picked up both used, under $40…
A beautiful Stubben 3000 bridle that I picked up because I needed something for schooling that could take some serious abuse and be left down in the unheated shed in our arctic winter… It looks nothing like the picture; it is rich, dark, has a wonderful patina and fits very well. The best part about it is how ADJUSTABLE it is – it can fit my oversize-head TB & my barely-cob QH in the same day, super easy to adjust… and I just love the split crown - it actually has very, very little poll pressure. The thing I love about it is how easily it cleans up; it almost never seems to look dingy (even if I slack in cleaning it) and when I wipe it down with a rag it looks like a million bucks. I am incredibly happy with that purchase. It’s not really in vogue in the hunter ring though.
The second is a french cavesson Courbette – another ‘not-in vogue’ bridle that has proven it was worth at least four times what I paid for… it is extremely resilient… it isn’t as adjustable as the Stubben in terms of fitting all horses but the leather is pliable but strong and it looks very nice on my TB. It’s a little slender, it has a smaller noseband and cheek straps and I think it definitely makes his head look much less coarse – he really has a noble head.
I use both almost daily… which is funny and sad because he has a $400 Otto Schumacher Munchen style bridle AND a $280 (originally $350) Passier Ingrid Klimke - I save them for the big shows but they are just not as well made or comfortable as the Stubben or the Courbette, IMHO. The Passier is miles better than the OS and I get a lot of compliments on it, but I don’t think it’s got the same die-hard resilience the Stubben has… but if I was going for a high end name I’d probably purchase a Passier again… I do love how it looks on my guy.
My 10 yr old Hadfield is still drool worthy. The newer ones? I wouldn’t pay that price point for them anymore. They are not made the same quality now imo.
I did buy a lovely Arc de Triomphe about 5 years ago, but it was destroyed a couple years later, so I can’t say how it would have held up if it had not been ruined in an unfortunate tacking mishap. I have not seen any current day, so I can’t comment on if the quality is still the same.
If I had to buy a new one now I would go for Dy’on or Edgewood. Good leather, quality craftsmanship, weathers well.
Forgot about Antares! I got a figure-8 to add to a different snaffle bridle from them 2 yrs ago and it is very soft and supple, yet has held up very nicely. I would also consider them.
I would not go with D’yon. I worked closely with them; stitching tends to fray quickly and the thing that really chaps my hide about D’yon is the fact they use cheapo-nickle hook/studs and latches on their $500 brass hardware bridles… you’d think if you were paying that kind of money for the headstall only that they’d make the entire hardware brass, not just the hardware you can see… I don’t get it.
Jimmy’s or Edgewood. Some people also like CWD, although I tend to think those can get a bit flashy.
I bought an Aramas just for sizing but it was too beautiful to return. It’s now my jumping and show bridle. I get compliments on it and both of my trainers have spontaneously commented how nice it is. At my first show last November, my HJ trainer said to make sure I kept my eye on the bridle and took it carefully home rather than leaving it in our tack stall overnight. It is very supple and I love how it fits my boy.
Hadfields are the nicest that you can still get in close to “original quality.” I also have a HG that has a lot of really nice details. That’s my new favorite but I haven’t used it long enough to comment on durability. I think the quality of the CWD and Antares is good but the styling/details don’t bowl me over. Agree that the heyday for a LOT of bridles has passed 
Sadly, the time to buy your last bridle was probably ten years ago.
I keep wanting to find something I like better than Edgewood, but given the combination of several conditions (funny sized horses, pieces need to match, quality, and price), I keep coming back to Edgewood. Maybe someday I can do the same with Hadfield’s instead.
I have liked the Herve Godignon tack I’ve seen.
I maintain, however, that if you really want a good bridle, get an old Beval… a Heritage from about ten years ago, a not-funny colored New Canaan*, or maybe a Newport. Or find an older New Cavalry.
*Interesting story… I was in Beval the other day and asked if they had an old catalog that would have the New Canaan line in it so I could see the original pricing. I was told they did not, and that if I were offered 75 bucks for a New Canaan to take it and run, as at the end they were practically giving them away and most people wouldn’t even know what a New Canaan was!!! :eek: Personal mission: collect all those $75 New Canaans! 
To the extent possible, I agree, you are better off buying something like a Hadfields or Jimmy’s that is older. All my bridle shopping is now done on ebay or premiere tack outlet.
Apart from an Hermes bridle (which are a scream of a deal in Europe right now for 590 euros), I just haven’t held a new bridle in my hands that really screamed quality. Oh wait, also Bennett’s bridles, Jimmy’s son. I have one that came new. Just the smell of it was completely intoxicating. But those are quite pricey and have a long wait.
I have two old Jimmy’s with the diamond pattern, and they are gorgeous. I sold all my other bridles (other than the Bennetts). I was nervous to use them every day and for show, but they’ve been perfect.
There’s actually a very nice cob sized Jimmy’s on ebay right now. It’s with the diamond pattern and has very detailed measurements.
My Edgewood finally stopped bleeding, it only took ten years. Thankfully I’ve never had a grey. I prefer the Vespucci. Softer, no bleeding, except some glue and compared to the dye from the Edgewood short lived. Agree no recently made drool worthy options, older Hadfields and really older Beval’s.
My Edgewood is 22 years old and still going strong. I can’t speak of the quality of their current models but mine certainly has lived a good life.
By far, my Piccadilly bridle by Five Star Tack. Nicest leather I have ever touched. I will probably ask to be buried with it :lol:
The first bridle I ever bought was Beval bridle 15 years ago. I don’t know if the exact one is carried anymore, but I believe it was in their “Ltd” line. It’s gorgeous, soft, supple, has held up through absolutely anything, and I can’t imagine finding nicer leather. It fits everything I’ve ever put it on, from medium-large ponies to a stout ISH. It was the type that came out of the package stiff and orange with the white patina on it but once it was oiled it was like butter!
That said, I believe Beval’s quality has substantially gone downhill over the years. I made a little extra cash about 2 years ago and bought their Hunterdon figure-8 bridle. Not only was the leather total garbage, their horse size didn’t fit around my mare’s head… She’s a cob size. Needless to say, I returned it as quickly as possible. Unless I happened to get a lemon, I don’t think I’d buy from them again.
I have four or five Five Stars and I really like them (obviously). They show off equally my older horse’s elegant TB head and my younger horse’s blocky WB head. They mostly cater to eventers and jumpers, but they do have some hunter stuff.
If you get them on sale it is a real bargain- the leather is very nice and they wear beautifully. You can also get things customized very easily and cheaply- the owner is wonderful to deal with, always.
My trainer has a 30 year old bridle made by Jim Wiebe (Bennet’s Hunter Bridles, https://www.facebook.com/FineBridle/?fref=ts) and it is still gorgeous.
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Five Star, definitely! And Jamie might mix/match different size pieces for you if you ask.
I had an Aramas–lovely, but didn’t hold up. Went right back to Five Star. These things last forever.
I quite like Bobby’s and Antares. I have to be the voice against Five Star Tack The bridles are absolutely stunning but unfortunately after dreaming about buying one for like 2 years and then finally being able to - I was disappointed. I had a lot of trouble with the leather peeling off.
Five Star Tack- I have the Ascot and the Wembley Hunter Bridle. (As well as a breastplate and martingale) Beautiful leather. The Ascot is more sturdy- I have some issues with leather peeling on my Wembley due to over-oiling on my part. However, 3 out of 4 isn’t horrible. Wembley is functional.
http://krseq.blogspot.com/2015/03/five-star-tack-review-ascot-figure-8.html
I’ve also used SmartPak Harwich and Aramas and liked them both, but Five Star Tack is my favorite by far.
I was another who snagged one of the older Edgewoods off of Ebay years back. I absolutely adore that bridle. I still have it, it’s my horse’s jumping/show bridle. I clean it after every ride and it still looks brand new.
