February 24, 2015

Figure 8 Fitting Session

You may have noticed Connor was wearing his new bridle in yesterday's post.  I did manage to get out and ride on Friday night before the storm hit, although it was only a few minutes of walking.  Multiple people told me I was crazy, but it was 20 degrees outside, heat wave!  Plus it was therapeutic just to sit on him after the weather keeping me from him all week.

The aftermath - 10" total.

The new figure 8 fit Connor a lot better than the Nunn Finer, but strangely.


He's on the second from the top hole for the cheekpieces (I moved it up after taking this photo, the bit is too low here) and middle strap, top hole for the noseband, second from the bottom hole on the "flash" strap and throatlatch.  I guess this means his head is short and wide?  Just like the NF, the cheekpieces once again have miles of excess:

Hard to see, taking pictures with cold hands is hard!  I'm holding the bottom of the cheekpiece excess.

That sheepskin disc really does cover his nose from one side to the other!:



I'm not sure what this means for future bridle shopping purposes - cob headstall with a pony noseband and cheekpieces?  But this one is definitely an improvement over the last one, size-wise, so it's staying.

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19 comments:

  1. AustenFebruary 24, 2015 at 7:25 AM

    I think you'll find it differs by manufacturer. For example, Pig is a cob size almost exactly in that old Somerset from you. He's a cob in Smartpak's bridles. He's a full size in Bobby's bridles headstalls, but a cob noseband. (Actually, he probably could pull off a full sized crown with cob cheeks and a cob noseband length over the top of his head and a full size of the nose portion on the caveson.) I think going with measurements is a pretty good idea. Find a bridle that fits really well and measure it.

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  2. sumikFebruary 24, 2015 at 9:23 AM

    "I guess this means his head is short and wide? "

    Almost the definition of cobby. ;-)

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    Replies
    1. JenFebruary 24, 2015 at 10:29 AM

      Which means the cob size should fit perfectly...right?

      Delete
  3. UnknownFebruary 24, 2015 at 9:35 AM

    ROFL that disc on his face is priceless. You could always ask a leather worker to cut down the excess ... or you could probably do it yourself!

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  4. SprinklerBanditFebruary 24, 2015 at 10:28 AM

    I'm surprised that there aren't more sites that allow/encourage you to custom order sizes, You're definitely not the only one with a strangely shaped horse.

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    1. JenFebruary 24, 2015 at 10:30 AM

      Yeah, like how they used to sell bikinis in sets and now it's pretty much all separates. I am definitely not the same size in top and bottom, and my horse has the same problem but with a bridle.

      Delete
    2. AustenFebruary 24, 2015 at 11:49 AM

      "Bridles. They're like horse bikinis." -- Jen.

      Delete
    3. Alli + DinoFebruary 24, 2015 at 4:00 PM

      This made me LOL

      Delete
  5. NicoleFebruary 24, 2015 at 10:32 AM

    I have the same problem with my Cobs. Roscoe's figure eight just barely fits him, but I have hope he will grow some more. My guys need horse size browbands and throat latches, but cob size nosebands and cheek pieces. I wish more places would sell bridle pieces for hard to fit heads. My Arab was hard to fit too, now that I think of it.
    I agree with Tracy, you could cut it done easily since it is brown. Black is tougher.

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    1. JenFebruary 27, 2015 at 10:22 AM

      I've always had trouble cutting leather. I think I'll take it to a pro though. Thanks!

      Delete
  6. emmaFebruary 24, 2015 at 12:06 PM

    that's definitely frustrating. i expected to have similar issues with my mare bc her face is so tiny - but actually standard cob sizes seem to work perfectly for her

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    1. JenFebruary 27, 2015 at 10:23 AM

      That's good! Always better to be a standard size than in between sizes.

      Delete
  7. Checkmark115February 24, 2015 at 1:03 PM

    LOVE BRIDLE, loveeeeeeeeee

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  8. jenjFebruary 24, 2015 at 1:22 PM

    Obviously Connor needs a custom bridle. Obviously. ;)

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  9. SheMovedtoTexasFebruary 24, 2015 at 4:42 PM

    I would cut down the excess and dye the ends with a little Tandy's leather dye. For what you paid for the bridle, a little DIY on the excess and the giant fleece would help polish up the fit. It looks really good on him.

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    Replies
    1. JenFebruary 27, 2015 at 10:24 AM

      I definitely agree with you, and am planning to do both.

      Delete

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