New bridle!

Everyone knows I hate my current western bridle.  The leather is cheap and poorly dyed, the stitching was already popped on the browband when it arrived, and it's just ugly.  But when riding western, draft sized tack is not exactly easy to come by.  Yes, I'm a tack snob, but the fit and leather was just hard to live with.  Why have such a pretty saddle and such a meh bridle?

Ugh, why is it so awful???

Enter Buckaroo Leather and their custom bridles.  After ordering my custom chinks I decided to email John with my bridle wish list.  He replied with a seriously reasonable price tag and I took the plunge on a custom western bridle.  After five weeks, it arrived!

There are no words for the sounds I made when I opened the box and pulled this beauty out.

I really need to replace my kitchen floor

The leather is so nice!  I expect zero break in.  The conchos match my chinks and the wild rose tooling looks fantastic with my floral tooled saddle.  Also note the lovely rawhide detail on the browband.

Love, love, love this bridle

I decided on loop reins since I keep dropping my split reins at awkward moments, like after the judge has rung the bell for me to start my test.  Theo has learned to turn his head and let mom grab the dropped rein but loop reins still seemed a wise choice.  I got a 10' loop rolled rein that was designed specifically for cowboy dressage.  The leather quality is wonderful and the buckles match my bridle.  I love the way they feel in my hands.  Hubby was impressed with these since it's apparently a lot of work to get leather burnished and finished like this.

Cameo appearance by my turtle tattoo and my kitchen wall that is under construction

Theo's got a big head so this vintage style bridle will suit him very well.  I can't wait to show it off!  A pity I missed all of the second half of the western dressage season with my health issues, but I should have one more schooling show this year.  I also have 2020 and our Level 3 debut to look forward to.

Chap leather lining

Can't recommend John at Buckaroo Leather enough.  Communication is great and it really is whatever you want., sky is the limit! For the cost of my PS of Sweden headstall, I got a bridle made to Theo's measurements, a set of reins, and a curb strap.  It's all hand tooled and the bridle is lined in chap leather.  The leather quality is wonderful and I expect it will serve me for many years.  No, it's not the crazy padded anatomical beast that is my PS of Sweden headstall (which I still love and would totally buy again), but it is a high quality, beautiful bridle I will be proud to take on the road.

I've already got the hackamore set I want all picked out, just need to wait for all this moving nonsense to be done so I know what my budget looks like.  If I'm going to be the weirdo western rider in a barn, I will be a very fashionable weirdo.  I finally found someone to buy my spare western saddle off of me AND sold some spare tack at the consignment shop so I have space for some new gear.

Does this make me a tack ho?