About Yourself

I am an amateur rider based on a small livery yard in North Yorkshire. I juggle my three horses and two fox terrier around my full time secondary school teaching career. I have competed and judged at county level showing for many years, with success at Horse of the Year Show on more than one occasion. In recent years, I switched disciplines, and I now compete at British Showjumping and British Dressage. Recently, I competed at the Winter British Dressage National Championships and I aim to qualify for the Summer Nationals 2023 too, following collecting qualifying scores at Prelim and Novice Freestyle levels. I am also training to be a BD judge at present. With regards to BS, my current horse has scooped a number of wins and qualifications jumping on my local circuit. Additionally, I write for national equestrian magazines and in my spare time I do some equestrian micro influencer and equestrian modelling work, particularly from my page @‌samanthaosborneequestrian. I am fortunate to represent a range of brands as a sponsored rider and brand ambassador; companies include: Blue Chip Feed, Harry Hall Equestrian, Synovium Supplements, Richmond Equestrian Centre, Couronee Equestrian, Treehouse Sporting Colours and Pine Vet Physiotherapy, to name a few.

How did you find the bridle?

I really liked the bridle and will be sticking with it for BS shows as well as training at home. The leather was soft, supple and easy to assemble from first use. The full size fitted my 16.3hh ISH perfectly. In the past, I have had issue with tight throat lashes on the same bridle that has gaping browbands. Overall, this bridle was a fair fit. Furthermore, it was interesting to read what the bridle had to offer on the labelling and packaging it arrived with. For example, I learned that the adjustable noseband with padded rings is designed to reduce pressure on the molars and facial nerves. My showjumper has quite poor dental structure and so this feature will really benefit him in comparison to the grackle noseband I previously used.

Have you tried an anatomical bridle before?

Yes, I have tried a few different bridles. I really like the concept of the cut away headpieces so that the horse has a full range of ear movement. This bridle boasts double padding on the headpiece, which is an additional feature. Most of the bridles that I had used in the past have only had the shaped headpiece. This Collegiate ergonomical noseband design is something unique in my bridlecollection. My horse was happy and travelled forward with his ears pricked - at no point has he showed any evasion or reluctancy to this bridle. The noseband is designed to reduce pressure on the upper jaw. I used it for hacking and showjumping and was really pleased not only with how it looked but also how well the horse worked in it. I think the padding under the cheek piece rings to provide comfort around facial nerves is a fantastic idea.

What were your first impressions?

100%! Coming from a showing background, I really appreciate the beautiful appearance of brown leather handmade double bridles and traditional showing tack. To order an anatomical, black bridle with a totally new shape and appearance was very much outside of my comfort zone. Despite my initial anxieties about how the bridle would look on the horse, I was really pleasantly surprised at how much it flattered his face. It was easy to fit and did not rub him anywhere when used for the first few times, which has been a problem with some brand new tack I have used before.

How did you go about testing the bridle?

I fitted it in the yard and then went for a hack out in it. The next day, I used it to school my horse in. By day three, I was so happy with the bridle that I put it to use at a British Showjumping show and Bertie jumped super in it! We managed every jump off turn to be in the ribbons on a double clear! It didn't move or go wonky in use and so I came home from the show with pretty jumping photos of my new bridle! Furthermore the leather did not stretch, crack or mark significantly around the buckles in the first week of use.

How was the fit?

A genuine full size bridle. It is a balanced fit and has plenty of room for adjustment to fit different types.

Is it good value for money and did it meet everything you look for in a bridle?

I believe it is good value for money. I do like to buy bridles with matching reins usually and so would love to see reins available with this product in the future. My horse came with a black saddle, which is why I opted for the black bridle this time but brown in generally my preference. I do like a darker colour brown leather.

Would you recommend it?

Yes! For fit, practicality, function and affordability, it is a good buy.