# Driving bridle question



## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

I'm looking at getting a new (or new to me) driving bridle since the one I have now feels like cardboard and the blinders push into their eyes. The straps that push the blinder out {winker stays or blinder stays I think they're called) where they meet pushes into the forehead, so it's time to get another one. Most of what I've found are $200+. I would like to keep it under $100. I've only found like 2 in my price rang.The first one looks like the same one that I have now, so that makes it an automatic no. The second one looks more promising. Do you think this will work? I'm not in a huge rush to get something since I also have a half blinder hood I just put over their regular bridle.

The bridle in question:
BLIND BRIDLE SYNTHETIC-Big Dee's Tack & Vet Supply


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I don't like it at all. It doesn't have a full noseband and it has an overcheck. BLAH! You will be unhappy with it.

Try this one. Zilco Synthetic Drving Bridle - Driving Essentials, Inc.

You can save $10 by not getting the flash noseband, but I would get the Gullet Strap for $10 instead, it is a good safety feature. 

Or try Carriage Driving Classifieds on Facebook, You can advertise for a bridle in your price range and see what anyone has.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

ThunderingHooves said:


> I'm looking at getting a new (or new to me) driving bridle since the one I have now feels like cardboard and the blinders push into their eyes. The straps that push the blinder out {winker stays or blinder stays I think they're called) where they meet pushes into the forehead, so it's time to get another one. Most of what I've found are $200+. I would like to keep it under $100. I've only found like 2 in my price rang.The first one looks like the same one that I have now, so that makes it an automatic no. The second one looks more promising. Do you think this will work? I'm not in a huge rush to get something since I also have a half blinder hood I just put over their regular bridle.
> 
> The bridle in question:
> BLIND BRIDLE SYNTHETIC-Big Dee's Tack & Vet Supply


 Not sure synthetic would be much different. Have you tried bending your stays out?
I would spend the extra and get a nice one.


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

Taffy Clayton said:


> I don't like it at all. It doesn't have a full noseband and it has an overcheck. BLAH! You will be unhappy with it. QUOTE]
> 
> Couldn't I take the over check rein off? Also why is the full nose band so important? Not trying to sound rude or anything, just curious.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

You can't take the over check off without taking what little noseband you have off.
The noseband and overcheck are one piece.
There are better bridles out there.

The main reason you have a noseband on a driving bridle is to keep the bridle from gaping at the cheek pieces and allowing a horse to see behind them. With a half noseband it defeats that purpose and the bridle can gap, poking out the blinkers.

But on that facebook page people quite often have harness bridles for sale and they will measure their bridle to ensure you have a good fit.


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## Idrivetrotters (Jan 5, 2013)

I have owned that Big D bridle and yes, you can take the overcheck off but you only have a 1/2 nose band so if you want a complete nose band, there is a cavesson is the way to go.

CAVESON BETA SINGLE ADJUST-Big Dee's Tack & Vet Supply

I always find closed bridles but finding open bridles is always my issue. My OTSTB trotter I drive cannot with blinders on, he loses his mind. He has to see or he gets really anxious, he is just too smart. I end up using my racing tack for pleasure driving. I want to eventually do competitions but I was told only closed bridles are legal for competition, so that leaves us out.


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

I'm still pretty new to driving and all that.. what is the difference between closed and open bridles? Is it how far the blinders are away from the face? 
Also if I added a cavesson to the bridle I listed would it prevent the blinders from gaping away from their face? And is that bridle any good? I know it wouldn't be the best quality out there, but would it last a little while for just general, driving for fun?
Another thing.. what are the double rings on the cavesson for? I've never seen one like that before.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

We have side checks on our draft harness, but we keep them "loose" and it was there when we bought the harness. We have gotten some flack about how loose we keep it but, our team of Percheron mare's know where to keep their heads, they don't drop them down to graze or eat, and when I showed, they were there. 

I do agree with Taffy, I don't personally like an over check myself. If tightened up too tight, it will inhibit the horse from dropping their head, using their neck and body to turn into or go around things, and they may even have trouble pulling going up a hill, depending on the grade and how steep it is.


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## Idrivetrotters (Jan 5, 2013)

A closed bridle is a bridle with blinkers an open bridle is a bridle with no blinkers, a lot of racing Standardbreds race open or just with very small "can't see back" side cheek pieces to help keep them focused forward but still see another horse trying to pass.

A cavesson is just a piece of head gear that goes under the bridle, we use them on every horse on the track. It does NOT keep their mouths closed like a hunter cavesson, it is mostly to help stabilize the bridle especially if you use head poles (what those rings on the side are for). That particular bridle is a decent bridle as it is geared towards racing, so it will hold up fairly well. I've used this type myself with good results and long life. 

If you do remove the overcheck the bridle will be just fine, and the wires in the blinkers hold up OK for adjusting (ie opening up the blinkers or pushing the blinkers closer to the face depending on the horse just do not adjust daily from more open to close as that wire won't hold up to constant adjustments)

My horse goes with no blinkers at all, so he can see all around him. He has never spooked at the cart, even though it is much heavier and bigger than his jog cart from the track. He is a thinking horse and wants to see what is going on around him.

If you are looking for just a nice everyday type of bridle then the racing bridle from Big D will work for you. Just take the overcheck off and get the cavesson for under the bridle and you should be just fine.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

ThunderingHooves said:


> I'm still pretty new to driving and all that.. what is the difference between closed and open bridles? Is it how far the blinders are away from the face?
> Also if I added a cavesson to the bridle I listed would it prevent the blinders from gaping away from their face? And is that bridle any good? I know it wouldn't be the best quality out there, but would it last a little while for just general, driving for fun?
> Another thing.. what are the double rings on the cavesson for? I've never seen one like that before.



A closed bridle has blinkers, and an open bridle does not.

If you get that bridle you can remove the overcheck and half noseband. A regular cavasason doesn't work because it goes under the bridle and under the cheek pieces, therefore not holding the bridle tight against the horses face. You can however use just a noseband and put it through the cheek piece on the side of the face, ( where it goes down to the bit, then back up again). Put it between those two pieces of leather, then you will need two keepers one above the noseband and one below, on each side, to keep the noseband in place.

If you need to make all those changes and essentially dump half the bridle and then buy more, it it worth it?

What size horse do you have?

This bridle has that kind of set up. It has unique keepers that hold the noseband in place and the cheekpieces closed. I wonder if I can find some more of those?


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## CaliforniaDreaming (May 8, 2011)

I know the ComfyFit has a special keeper for the noseband to go into. It's essentially the front of the noseband with two straps on the end that slide into the special slot on the cheekpieces that you then buckle the back part of the noseband with two buckles onto

If there's one thing I learned in driving, harness (_*good*_ harness) sure ain't cheap. You could think of it like a good investment if you went for something like a Zilco or ComfyFit bridle. Costly, yeah, but if you ever plan to upgrade, it's a place to start bit by bit.


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

Taffy Clayton said:


> A closed bridle has blinkers, and an open bridle does not.
> 
> If you get that bridle you can remove the overcheck and half noseband. A regular cavasason doesn't work because it goes under the bridle and under the cheek pieces, therefore not holding the bridle tight against the horses face. You can however use just a noseband and put it through the cheek piece on the side of the face, ( where it goes down to the bit, then back up again). Put it between those two pieces of leather, then you will need two keepers one above the noseband and one below, on each side, to keep the noseband in place.
> 
> ...


The open and closed blinders, that makes sense now.

As for the nose band with the unique keepers, the bridle I have that I'm trying to replace has those keepers so if need be I could use those. 

I get what you mean about getting rid of half the bridle and then still having to buy another piece. I'll probably end up looking at that zilco you posted earlier. Although I don't suppose they have anything with brass hardware do they?

The horse I'm planning on driving the most would be Angel. She is 15.2 hand paint. And my other horse I'm working with to start driving is a 14.1 (ish) quarter horse.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

One of the reasons I like the Zilco, is because you can buy the harness a piece at a time and it is the same price as buying the entire harness. Only thing is they usually give you a harness bag if you buy the whole harness at once. 

So this year if you get the bridle, next year the saddle, then the breast collar etc. You don't pay a whole bunch extra piecing it out. You can even put little pieces on your Christmas wish list if you want. 

I am pretty sure they don't have brass, but you can get colored piping around the saddle and the breast collar and they have fancy colored browbands,


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

Taffy Clayton said:


> One of the reasons I like the Zilco, is because you can buy the harness a piece at a time and it is the same price as buying the entire harness. Only thing is they usually give you a harness bag if you buy the whole harness at once.
> 
> So this year if you get the bridle, next year the saddle, then the breast collar etc. You don't pay a whole bunch extra piecing it out. You can even put little pieces on your Christmas wish list if you want.
> 
> I am pretty sure they don't have brass, but you can get colored piping around the saddle and the breast collar and they have fancy colored browbands,


I'm not really looking to buy a new harness or anything. I have a nice leather harness that works. I'm just needing a new bridle. I'll probably have to wait to get the bridle though, since I don't have a lot of extra to spend right now (who does?)


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## CaliforniaDreaming (May 8, 2011)

Taffy Clayton said:


> One of the reasons I like the Zilco, is because you can buy the harness a piece at a time and it is the same price as buying the entire harness. Only thing is they usually give you a harness bag if you buy the whole harness at once.
> 
> So this year if you get the bridle, next year the saddle, then the breast collar etc. You don't pay a whole bunch extra piecing it out. You can even put little pieces on your Christmas wish list if you want.
> 
> I am pretty sure they don't have brass, but you can get colored piping around the saddle and the breast collar and they have fancy colored browbands,



I was totally going to do that with the Comfy Fit (which I like a tad bit better than Zilco, personal preference). I had a nice nylon harness and was going to buy parts at a time, but then I got a nice Christmas present in money and chose to buy the whole thing at once.


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## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

I, personally, like the Comfy Fit bridle the best. It has a curved crown and no flash, but other than that is quite similar in design to the Zilco. A good bridle is worth it to your horse's comfort


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