Fairfax bridles

eventerbabe

eventerbabe

Well-Known Member
Dec 16, 2004
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i knew this would happen!! Was at a talk by a local saddler who has a fairfax demo bridle. It was stunning and I get the research behind them. I'm half tempted to book a trial and see what his nibs thinks of it. But £500 for a bridle?? Is it really justifiable? I know you can buy bits at a time and don't have to go the whole hog but I'm an all or nothing kinda person!! Any NR-ers got one or tried one? And if you bought one was it worth it??
 
I don't think I could justify a bridle that price, what exact difference could it possibly make to justify that?
 
Yup! The drop version with a pearl browband that we got to have a nosey at retails at £500. Beautiful quality and I understand this bridle has been scientifically tested but it's a hefty price tag!
 
I have a fairfax saddle and girth and to be honest if the bridle was not quite so chunky I would have brought it for ginger as well.

They are lovely the quality is gorgeous. I settled for an KB comfort bridle made to measure as I need the 20mm the fairfax is just to big for my boy. That came in at £350.

I was told by loads of people to buy the prolite girth that is based on the fairfax. Put then next to each other and the difference is huge in quality. I would rather save and have the fairfax which is what I did and what I will do again now I need a brown girth for his new jump saddle.
 
I don't know anything about them, but, seriously £500 for a bridle? I understand the importance of quality, but surely that would have to be some unique kind of leather/stitching etc to justify £500. I'm not suggesting the quality isn't excellent I just think that's taking the pee a bit personally.
Each to their own, I guess if moneys not a problem and you like it why not. :)
 
With fairfax it's not the quality, it's the research behind a reduced pressure design. All the bumf is on their website. The headpiece is very wide and lined with prolite. There are prolite blocks to lift the head stall away from by the ears. The nose and buckles both sides so there is nothing adding to pressure over the head. I get the wonderful proven science behind it, I'm just not sure on the price tag! Even their head collars are nearly £200 a pop.

Prolite and fairfax are owned by the same company so apparently there is little difference in the girths? That's what the saddler said anyway. I use a leather atherstone and stubben cord girth so not really investigated these new girths as what I have does us fine.
 
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@eventerbabe yes they are made by the same company but put them next to each other and there is a big difference (IMO) but hey I paid £260 for my fairfax girth to me it was worth every penny.

They do spend a lot of money on research and again I will always buy the absolute best I can afford for the boys.

Its different courses for different horses. If you came to my house you will quickly see that my money goes on one or two very nice things other than lots of nice stuff the same with the boys. I don't have a great deal of money so I save and save to buy the best and generally it last a lot longer. But that could also be because I know how much I have spent on something I am so anal about looking after it!!!!
 
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More money than sense? :p No I'm joking but until I win the lottery I couldn't justify that on a bridle.
 
Lissie said:
More money than sense? :p No I'm joking but until I win the lottery I couldn't justify that on a bridle.
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Some people love hand bags and shoes I like the best for my ponies . I would never pay more than £100 on a pair of shoes to me thats a waste. I use my tack every day
 
OwnedbyChanter said:
Some people love hand bags and shoes I like the best for my ponies . I would never pay more than £100 on a pair of shoes to me thats a waste. I use my tack every day
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I'm the same I don't think twice about spending money on the horses but shopping for myself I'm not really interested. I meant no offence was only joking. If I could afford to buy a £500 bridle and wanted it I would but I'm not in that position and could not justify that cost when my horses go just as well in their work bridles at home as they do in their £150 show bridles.
 
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Lissie said:
I'm the same I don't think twice about spending money on the horses but shopping for myself I'm not really interested. I meant no offence was only joking. If I could afford to buy a £500 bridle and wanted it I would but I'm not in that position and could not justify that cost when my horses go just as well in their work bridles at home as they do in their £150 show bridles.
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Me too lol I don't pay much for fashion items etc. I guess if santa wanted to bring me a really posh bridle one day I wouldn't turn it down tho.......:D
 
My OH spends that kind of money on cycle helmets/ cycling shoes. The cost is in the R&D and as far as he is concerned a few seconds gained here or there are invaluable. If a sensitive horse really does go much better in a bridle designed to avoid the nerves running down the face, then it could be worth it. I assume that the ideas and the basic design will get copied eventually and the price will drop.
 
my horses have always gone lovely in their fairly inexpensive bridles. Different if their bridles were causing them issues I would have to invest.
 
If you really like it, don't have to scrimp and save or do without something else in order to buy it, then get it!
You work hard for your money, you can't take it with you, and if you save for 'old age' then you won't get as much pleasure out of it then as you will now. Life's too short to not make the most of what you have today.
 
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