# 5 Point Breastplate Recommendations



## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

So my lovely OH bought me a Jaguar 5 point breastplate for Christmas. It matches my jumping bridle, so I could be matchy-matchy, all be it in an understated, eventer-in-brown-tack kind of a way. I was pleased....until I put it on the horse this morning, when it became apparent it had been designed for some kind of odd creature not resembling a horse at all  

The straps to the girth were ridiculously long, whilst the bit round his neck, to the d-rings and between the front legs were so short they would not do up without garotting him. Now whilst in the past I may have wanted to throttle the poor creature, he is currently doing quite a good job of winning me posies, so I don't want to kill him just yet! 

So can anyone recommend a 5 point breastplate that will fit a 16.1ish TB horse, in brown, for around the £100 mark please? If there was a bridle which matched with a grackle noseband I'd be even more pleased after the duff customer service I got from Jaguar over the bridle.....then I can buy one to go with the breastplate!


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## Bubbles (6 January 2012)

Ahh gutted! I got my jeffries one off ebay for just over £100 ish, it was on with a trade seller and I brazenly asked for a better price...worth a try. It's all about the haggle for 2012


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## KatB (6 January 2012)

Evison Equine? Know Kirsty has one on Mally, who has quite a decent front, and I am very pleased with their bridle... it's also in nice understated brown, instead of any brightly coloured elastic


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

Brown elastic is one of the key things I liked about the Jaguar one! Thanks KatB - is the Evison Equine stuff decent quality? I am sick of having bargain basement £30 bridles and want nice stuff these days!


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## ace87 (6 January 2012)

I love my Mark Todd one - no idea how much it is nowadays but it fits my 15.1 Connie in cob size, unlike every other one I've had before!


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## KatB (6 January 2012)

I'm really pleased with it. It's fab for the price, and I am picky about leather quality! It's very soft, and the shaped headpiece is fab too. It's madam's jumping bridle, and it looks very smart IMO.


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

I've just looked and I hate how massive the sheepskin pads are on it  

This is very disappointing. Suspect will say to OH send breastplate back, do not purchase replacement one. The Sabre one is nice - but doesn't come with a martingale attachment so it is £140 then another £35 for the martingale! I am prepared to stump up a bit of cash, but that's an extra £75, which is nuts.


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## meardsall_millie (6 January 2012)

I have an Evison 5-point.  As KatB says it's decent quality however I have it on Pops who is the skinniest minny you could ever meet.  I'm sure it's a FS and whilst there is room for adjustment, there isn't tons (it wouldn't fit Bally).

I'll check it later SC and fb you to let you know the size.


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

Thanks MM - do the massive sheepskin pads come off?! I really do not like the look of them! I just had to take scissors to the jaguar bridle as the sheepskin under the nose pad looked ridiculous and needed a good trim!!

I didn't think B was a strange shape at all - shows what I know!

I know I am stupidly fussy


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## Thistle (6 January 2012)

Hec has a full size Sue Carson one that I got on ebay for £60 new. He has a decent front.


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## birchave0 (6 January 2012)

Frank Baines??? Do matching bridles too!


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## WellyBaggins (6 January 2012)

What about the passier auriga BP? I have one and love it


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

Thistle said:



			Hec has a full size Sue Carson one that I got on ebay for £60 new. He has a decent front.
		
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I had a sue carson bridle (which I sold with the cute beige one) which really did not wear well and looked extremely tatty quite fast. Disappointing for the money. 

I appreciate I am being a total pain and do not deserve any help!


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## meardsall_millie (6 January 2012)

SpottedCat said:



			Thanks MM - do the massive sheepskin pads come off?! I really do not like the look of them! I just had to take scissors to the jaguar bridle as the sheepskin under the nose pad looked ridiculous and needed a good trim!!

I didn't think B was a strange shape at all - shows what I know!

I know I am stupidly fussy 

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Yes they do come off but it leaves one side of the velcro attachment.

I agree - they are a bit big and was one of the things that put me off but it was 'needs must' at the time.


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

meardsall_millie said:



			Yes they do come off but it leaves one side of the velcro attachment.

I agree - they are a bit big and was one of the things that put me off but it was 'needs must' at the time.
		
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The soft side or the spikey side?!


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

Welly Christmas said:



			What about the passier auriga BP? I have one and love it 

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That I like a lot. Almost enough to stump up the extra £55....hmmm....thanks!


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## ihatework (6 January 2012)

Does Jaguar do a bigger size?

If you went up a size and then had the girth straps shortened by a saddler would that work?


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## WellyBaggins (6 January 2012)

SpottedCat said:



			That I like a lot. Almost enough to stump up the extra £55....hmmm....thanks!
		
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It is worth it


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## meardsall_millie (6 January 2012)

SpottedCat said:



			The soft side or the spikey side?! 

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Spikey.  You could use it as an instrument of torture when he p's you off!


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

ihatework said:



			Does Jaguar do a bigger size?

If you went up a size and then had the girth straps shortened by a saddler would that work?
		
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They do do a bigger size - but the girth straps were so much too long you'd lose most of the elastic on the current size, so have a feeling it would not work? At the very least I'd need to measure one to work it out.


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

meardsall_millie said:



			Spikey.  You could use it as an instrument of torture when he p's you off! 

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I don't think there's anything in the rule book about that, is there?! Could help with falling out through the shoulders issue in dressage 

(I wonder if people actually do that - bet they do!!)


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## kirstyhen (6 January 2012)

Mines not Evison Equine as I hated the huge fluffy pads too. Mine is kentaur one and I had a similar problem with how it fitted until I realised I needed to pull the elastic through to alter the sizing 
Now it fits beautifully!


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

birchave0 said:



			Frank Baines??? Do matching bridles too! 

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Good shout - like it and in the right price range! Again rather more dead sheep than I would personally choose, but looks pretty good I think!


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

kirstyhen said:



			Mines not Evison Equine as I hated the huge fluffy pads too. Mine is kentaur one and I had a similar problem with how it fitted until I realised I needed to pull the elastic through to alter the sizing 
Now it fits beautifully! 

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Just did have an 'am I incredibly stupid' moment then. But (almost unfortunately!) no I am not. The Jaguar is a different design to a lot of them and the elastic is fixed, see: http://www.thermatex.co.uk/thermatex/Five_Point_Breast_Plate.html


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## kirstyhen (6 January 2012)

Oh, yes totally different, I was incredibly stupid with mine though! Couldn't work out what kind of shaped horse it had been designed for!


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## NR99 (6 January 2012)

We have an Albion one, I bought it at a BE event last summer and it was about £130.  Little bit more than you want to spend but it is lovely


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

NR99 said:



			We have an Albion one, I bought it at a BE event last summer and it was about £130.  Little bit more than you want to spend but it is lovely 

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It's not about what do *I* want to spend though, it's *what can I persuade OH is a reasonable upgrade and if he says no is it an amount of money I would be prepared to put in myself*  £30 is fine!!


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## kirstyhen (6 January 2012)

Not sure how much these are, but this is like mine, but without the sheepskin. I liked it for the plain elastic more than anything, not a fan of green/blue/yellow striped elastic! 
http://www.kentaur.cz/index.php?opt...9-parnas&catid=23:poprsniky&Itemid=48&lang=en


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## Luci07 (6 January 2012)

I can't work out the differences but what if you tried the XF version... Would that work?

Still I can beat you...had forked out for a new jeffries breastplate... A week before deciding I had to sell Billy. Here's hoping it fits the next one!


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

kirstyhen said:



			Not sure how much these are, but this is like mine, but without the sheepskin. I liked it for the plain elastic more than anything, not a fan of green/blue/yellow striped elastic! 
http://www.kentaur.cz/index.php?opt...9-parnas&catid=23:poprsniky&Itemid=48&lang=en

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Is yours this one KH?
http://www.kentaur.cz/index.php?opt...-palermo&catid=23:poprsniky&Itemid=48&lang=cs

And if yes, does the sheepskin come off?!


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

Luci07 said:



			I can't work out the differences but what if you tried the XF version... Would that work?

Still I can beat you...had forked out for a new jeffries breastplate... A week before deciding I had to sell Billy. Here's hoping it fits the next one!
		
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See above - I don't think it would as the girth straps are so much too long you'd already lose most of the elastic in them to make it fit now - assuming any of the rest of it fitted. So if I went up a size, I'd lose the elasticity, so I might as well buy a bog standard hunting breastplate.


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## Gamebird (6 January 2012)

I have this one which I love because it's as understated as could possibly be:

http://www.passier.com/index.php?id=225&L=1

I have the brown which comes with brass fittings (soooooo much classier ) and looks good with any brown/brass bridle. All the bits adjust - I initially thought it didn't fit at all but slid the elastic around and now it's perfect.


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## kirstyhen (6 January 2012)

Sheepskin doesn't come off unfortunately. The one in my link is pretty much identical though, but without dead sheep.


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

kirstyhen said:



			Sheepskin doesn't come off unfortunately. The one in my link is pretty much identical though, but without dead sheep.
		
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I can't see how the elastic moves on the one you linked?! 

See, I should not be allowed one of these, clearly clueless!


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

Gamebird said:



			I have this one which I love because it's as understated as could possibly be:

http://www.passier.com/index.php?id=225&L=1

I have the brown which comes with brass fittings (soooooo much classier ) and looks good with any brown/brass bridle. All the bits adjust - I initially thought it didn't fit at all but slid the elastic around and now it's perfect.
		
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That I like too. And it is the right price. Gamebird wins!! 

Of course my bridle is brown and stainless steel not brass - so that means I'll have to buy a passier bridle to match. Doesn't it?


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## Ludi-doodi (6 January 2012)

SpottedCat said:



			That I like too. And it is the right price. Gamebird wins!! 

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Damn it!  I've just spent the last 10 mins looking for the post Gamebird did about that breastplate - the "bleurgh" jacket she also commented upon in that original thread is still burning my eyes 

Here it is at Dressage Deluxe:
http://www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk/Shop.asp?viewmode=vp&pid=411


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## WellyBaggins (6 January 2012)

SC, can I have second for suggesting Passier


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

Welly Christmas said:



			SC, can I have second for suggesting Passier 

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Yes, yes you can! I am still lusting after a Passier Aquarius bridle for dressage, but cannot justify the price tag, so I am relieved to note Passier do not do any grackle bridles and I will have to find one with brass fittings elsewhere....


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## BeckyD (6 January 2012)

I had the same problem - and found the nearest fit was a Frank Baines, but I had to have extra holes put in the between the legs girth loop to make it longer, extra holes put in the saddle D straps to make them longer, and I have to wrap the side straps to the girth round the girth twice as they are too long, and extra holes put in the martingale straps to shorten them too!  The full size only just fits my 16hh chunky IDx around the neck.  The Sabre one was lovely but very expensive.


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## BeckyD (6 January 2012)

SpottedCat said:



			Yes, yes you can! I am still lusting after a Passier Aquarius bridle for dressage, but cannot justify the price tag, so I am relieved to note Passier do not do any grackle bridles and I will have to find one with brass fittings elsewhere....
		
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Sabre do a Mexican grackle with brass buckles, in the Cordoba range (lovely padded headpiece).  I have two Cordoba bridles (one with German Silver and one with stainless steel buckles) and think they are fabulous quality (although not recently as good as they used to be, but still good).


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## Gamebird (6 January 2012)

SpottedCat said:



			That I like too. And it is the right price. Gamebird wins!! 

Of course my bridle is brown and stainless steel not brass - so that means I'll have to buy a passier bridle to match. Doesn't it?
		
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Cool. What do I win? 

Kate Negus bridles are brown and brass, though the colour is slightly different. I use the combination though and it looks v smart . I still think you should splurge on a Passier one though....


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

Gamebird said:



			Cool. What do I win? 

Kate Negus bridles are brown and brass, though the colour is slightly different. I use the combination though and it looks v smart . I still think you should splurge on a Passier one though....
		
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Hadn't thought that far ahead. I drank all the raspberry gin over Xmas/new year. 

Passier thankfully don't do brass and brown grackles. Sabre do, and I nearly had a very expensive visit to their website - did you know if you go through the order process then don't pay, it tells them and they email you about it?!  The only other website I know which does this is the National Trust cottage booking one, where a friend managed to book her wedding before she'd been proposed to!!


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## LEC (6 January 2012)

This is what I am currently lusting after.

http://www.saddlery.biz/prestige-elasticated-collar-breastplate.html

With a nice brown martingale.


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

LEC said:



			This is what I am currently lusting after.

http://www.saddlery.biz/prestige-elasticated-collar-breastplate.html

With a nice brown martingale.
		
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I am amazed you have not mentioned my bridle-habit!!

OH has said I am not allowed to get a different bridle, but I may have the passier breastplate instead. Well what he actually said was 'I think you're putting it on wrong, shall I come and have a look for you?'


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## dieseldog (6 January 2012)

SpottedCat said:



			Yes, yes you can! I am still lusting after a Passier Aquarius bridle for dressage, but cannot justify the price tag, so I am relieved to note Passier do not do any grackle bridles and I will have to find one with brass fittings elsewhere....
		
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Sorry....

http://www.passier.com/index.php?id=129&L=1


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

dieseldog said:



			Sorry....

http://www.passier.com/index.php?id=129&L=1

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They don't seem to sell them in the UK - well except for via Oldecraig eek, or an online place I've never heard of!


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## Scarlett (6 January 2012)

Gamebird said:



			I have this one which I love because it's as understated as could possibly be:

http://www.passier.com/index.php?id=225&L=1

I have the brown which comes with brass fittings (soooooo much classier ) and looks good with any brown/brass bridle. All the bits adjust - I initially thought it didn't fit at all but slid the elastic around and now it's perfect.
		
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Oh my...! I think I may just have found my birthday present from OH. I love that, its just beautiful! Damn threads like this and all the tempting links to gorgeous things...!


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## kerilli (6 January 2012)

I'm coming late to the party, sorry, but i just don't get the 5-point mania, since 3-point was always good enough in the past, and i don't think horses have changed shape that much. well, apart from SC's grumpy one, who obv has the front of a centaur or something.
please can we not mention 'bridle collecting mania' as i was cleaning all mine yesterday and realised i have 13 bridles. for 3 horses. oh dear. ebay might need a visit.
fwiw Sabre leatherwork is fantastic, still looks as new after decades of use...


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

I just want one to fit in with the cool kids Kerilli. My hunting one is in need of replacement so I thought I'd get a 5 point one.


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## MrsMozart (6 January 2012)

I have the Jeffries (it's on most of my pictures of the Dizzy one). It's very good quality and puts up with not being looked after very well 

I have a large for the Dizz


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## Scarlett (6 January 2012)

I think the point of the 5 point is the extra adjustment for fitting. No 3 point I have found fits my mare, cob doesnt fit across her chest/shoulders and full is far too big between her front legs. The 5 point should, in theory, be more adjustable. I've put off getting one because of the dead sheep and contracting colour elastic on the ones I saw... however that Passier one just looks lovely, and why shouldn't we all have nice things even if we don't 'need' them...?


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## TheoryX1 (6 January 2012)

How about made to measure?  Can be expensive, but worth it.  I couldnt find a 5 point breastplate to fit Mini TX's horse, as she is petite and everything didnt fit.  Went to Pointings at Lansdowne and they make them to measure.  You can even adjust how much dead sheep you can have on it.  Bought hers 3 years ago, its a perfect fit, beautiful leather and looks great.  Cost about £180 and worth every penny.


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## Lyle (6 January 2012)

So this may or may not be helpful, as this saddler is on the other side of the world  but I can more than recommend Mal Byrne. I'm sure if you got in contact he would be able to help. His leather work is amazing, you can custom design what you want too. 

Scroll down to see the breastplate (And no dead sheep!)
http://www.malbyrne.com.au/eventing_jumping_gear.htm

And how about a matching bridle too? 
http://www.malbyrne.com.au/Bridles.htm 

I have a bridle from Mal, absolutely love it!


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## Gamebird (6 January 2012)

kerilli said:



			I'm coming late to the party, sorry, but i just don't get the 5-point mania, since 3-point was always good enough in the past, and i don't think horses have changed shape that much. well, apart from SC's grumpy one, who obv has the front of a centaur or something.
please can we not mention 'bridle collecting mania' as i was cleaning all mine yesterday and realised i have 13 bridles. for 3 horses. oh dear. ebay might need a visit.
fwiw Sabre leatherwork is fantastic, still looks as new after decades of use...
		
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I have two bridles for two horses (plus a double which I rarely use) - one work bridle which goes on both, and one competition bridle which goes on both. I spend my life putting cheekpieces up/down 3 holes . I do have sufficient bridle pieces to make up another 4 or 5 if I ever really needed to though.

ps. agree about the Sabre


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## kirstyhen (6 January 2012)

SpottedCat, once again I'm being dense! :I the one I linked to isn't adjustable in the elastic, but the one I have (in your link) is. 
I love the passier one, wish I'd seen it before I bought mine. Love the distinct un-dead sheep look!


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## SpottedCat (6 January 2012)

I too am in love with the passier one. Let's hope we can return the Jaguar one now....


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## star (6 January 2012)

i have an evision one and one of their bridles too and it all seems fairly good quality.  the sheepskin does come off so could be removed completely or trimmed down.  i find once it's on it doesn't look ridiculous though.  i tried a 3 point as didn't want to join the 5 point club but it just didn't fit him - he has a huge front for a 15.2hh and the full size practically choked him.  the 5 point fits much better.


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