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Dressage bridles should fit perfectly, ensuring comfort for your horse during rides. The best bridles are anatomical bridles and bridles with broad bands which equally distribute pressure avoiding potential discomfort. Below are some of the highest quality bridles made out of soft and elastic leather with the classiest designs, suitable for curb bits as well as all other types of bits used in your dressage training.
Best Dressage Bridles of 2021
- Editor’s Choice – Busse Massa Bridle
- Runner-Up – Mark Todd Patent Bridle
- Third Place – Busse Solibel Luxury Double Bridle
- Fourth Place – Shires Aviemore Diamante Dressage Bridle
- Fifth Place – Equipride Padded Comfort Bridle
Breakdown of the Best Dressage Bridles
Busse Massa Bridle
This classy and comfortable bridle provides the detailed feedback you need for even the most complicated dressage movements.
Very classy and expensive looking anatomical bridle. The material is a black vegetable leather of the finest Italian quality, very soft and nice in touch. The noseband, browband and headpiece are all additionally padded to make sure your horse is comfortable. The nosepiece is very broad and thick assuring a perfect distribution of pressure. Same goes with the headpiece, which is broad and purposely shaped in a way that no nerves are pinched or blood flow is disturbed. The browband is narrow and flashy, decorated with sparkling crystals, perfectly finishing the look. All metal elements are made out of stainless steel. Available in COB and FULL size. The reins or the bit are not included. To everyone using a curb bit: this bridle is also available as a double bridle.
Mark Todd Patent Bridle
Stand out from the competition in this stunning patent bridle, it has just enough bling to compliment your horse's features without being overly flashy.
Very pretty and classy looking bridle. Comes only in black lacquered leather. The design is simple but the bridle is very practical for everyday training. The leather is of a high quality, the noseband and headband are additionally padded for your horses comfort. Buckles and metal elements are made out of stainless steel and should last you for years. Half rubber reins are included with the bridle. Available in sizes COB and FULL.
Busse Solibel Luxury Double Bridle
This modern, high quality double bridle from Busse is an ideal choice for great fit, effectiveness and design at a very fair price.
Busse Solibel Bridle is a double bridle suitable for a curb bit. The leather is a fancy, glossy, dark chocolate or black color with a white padding. The fastening of the glossy noseband is cranked to avoid rubbing and discormort. The broadness of the noseband optimises the equal distribution of the pressure. The curved browband is engraved with faux crystals giving you the extra blink for the show ring. The fittings are made of stainless steel and all bands are adjustable. Busse Solibel double bridle comes with a set of two reins making it a really good value for money. Available in COB and FULL size but highly adjustable.
Shires Aviemore Diamante Bridle
This super smart dressage bridle from Shires has a row of large diamante studs along an elegantly curved browband. It has a wide, raised, generously padded flash noseband with a patent finish.
Perfect bridle for both everyday training and the show ring. The noseband has a lacquered flash attachment than can be taken off for everyday rides. The nosepiece and headpiece is soft and padded. The bridle comes with a pair of high quality rubber reins that provide an excellent grip. The headband is curve shaped and engraved with diamond like stones. This bridle comes in black leather and is available in sizes COB and FULL.
Equipride Padded Comfort Bridle
A colorful, padded dressage bridle with contrasting stitching for extra flare
This bridle is a pick for people bored with black or typical brown leather. It is made out of a super soft and high quality calf leather. The noseband and headpiece are padded for your horses comfort. The headband is decorated with black rhinestones throughout its whole length, giving the bridle an extra flash. It is surely an original and pretty bridle. Comes in all sizes from pony to extra full. Does not come with a pair of reins.
What to Look for in a Dressage Bridle
When searching for a dressage bridle look for a good quality leather. Ideal leather should be soft in touch and somewhat elastic to prevent scratches and ensure a proper blood flow. For most horses, anatomic bridles are the best option. The bands of the anatomic bridles are typically thicker and thus redistribute the pressure of the bridle more evenly. In addition most anatomic bridles have bands that aren’t straight but rather designed in a way to avoid pressure on nerves and blood vessels, thus their interesting designs.
The color of the leather and the decorative aspect of the bridle is of your own choice and really makes no difference to the horse. Most trendy and popular bridles among dressage riders however, are the lacquered ones, that provide the look with some extra gloss.
Lastly, bare in mind that if you are riding with a curb bit, which is very common in dressage, you need a special type of bridle known as a double bridle. This is necessary in order to properly attach the curb bit.
How to Care for a Dressage Bridle?
Good quality bridles can be quite expensive. To make sure you make the most out of your purchase, regularly condition and clean your tack. Leather bridles should be treated with soap or glycerin suitable for leather materials, to clean off the dirt and dust. Once the dust and dirt is gone, apply a grease or conditioner (also dedicated to leather) and let the leather absorb it. Excess grease should be then removed a few hours after the cleaning. Ideally this should be done on a weekly basis.