Product Review – Horze Novara Bridle
Some of you may have noticed last week that I was schooling Simon in a dressage bridle.
No, we’re not moving to the dark side… but we were reviewing a dressage bridle from Horze! I’ve actually never bought, borrowed or used a black bridle with a flash attachment, so this was a first for both me and my horse.
While I do think he looks quite handsome in the bridle, I had mixed feelings on the Horze Novara Bridle. Instead of my general review style, I think today I’ll switch back and forth between pros and cons of this bridle.
Horze Novara Bridle – Available in Black in sizes SH – XF. Retails $43.95 at Horze
Pro – Detachable Flash Strap
I know some dressage riders don’t like to ride with a flash on their bridles, and this is a good choice for those who want either option. The flash is detachable, and the noseband itself is really nice in my opinion. It’s thick, looks good on my horse’s head and has that chunky “dressagey” look (this may be the most hunter princess review of a dressage noseband ever… sorry!).
Con – Leather Quality
I admit I get pretty spoiled by my well used/oiled Red Barn bridle, but the leather quality on this leaves a bit to be desired. All of the straps are pretty thick, and there is some kind of coated treatment to the leather. They would probably soften up with use, but I don’t know how you’d oil it/deep clean it with the leather coating. While fitting the bridle to Simon, I had some sticky black residue on my hands and some of the buckles were really hard to buckle up.
Pros – Web Reins
I know what you’re thinking… web reins are a pro?!? But honestly, I loved these reins – and I’m a web rein hater usually! They were light in my hand, had an excellent drape, and not stiff at all. With the leather quality of the bridle, I would be concerned with leather reins… but these web ones were really nice.
Ambivalent – Fit
This bridle runs big, but the good news is that it’s big all over. Simon is towards the middle/top of his Red Barn full bridle, and the Horze Novara Bridle was a bit too big for him all over with every strap on the last hole. If you are even remotely inbetween sizes, size down. Plus side? I think their Extra Full would work really well for Draft Crosses and possibly draft horses.
Pros – Durable Bling
The bling browband is actually a little chain of sparkly silver squares strung together on a string. The way it’s designed, I don’t think you will risk losing any rhinestones that fall out of cheap “bling” browbands. As you can see from the under saddle pictures, it sparkles in the sun just as nicely as a rhinestone browband.
Overall Impressions
If you had to ask me if I would buy this bridle, I’d have to say no. I’d rather spend another $50 and get something with a lot nicer leather, but that’s me personally.
As bridles go, for under $45 you get a flash attachment, bling browband, and reins with the Horze Novara Bridle. I think its audience lies more with the pleasure rider who might want to go to an occasional dressage show, or match their black saddle with something pretty. It’s a pretty bridle, but the quality isn’t there in my opinion for someone who wants to put a lot of miles on it.
I do say Simon looks pretty smashing in it though… what do you think?
18 thoughts on “Product Review – Horze Novara Bridle”
It certainly doesn’t look like a $50 bridle. And I agree that Simon does look smashing in a dressage bridle.
It’s solid for the price, for sure.
It does look great on Simon
Looks great on him!
Is it monocrown?
For the record I love web reins lol
It is not monocrown, but I’m not a huge monocrown fan so honestly I wasn’t looking for that!
Simon makes a smashing dressage pony <3
All great points! Simon looks smashing in it, but he’d be smashing without it too 🙂
Aww, Simon is super cute as a dressage pony!
HAHAHA! That is definitely NOT a chunky noseband. Some of the bigger dressage bridles have nosebands more than two inches high and they’re THICK. :0)
Bridle model is sleepy… and adorable! 😉
I have a Red Barn bridle for Pip and I would be hard pressed to buy down after experiencing the awesomeness that is a well broken in (and maintained) Red Barn.
They are soooo nice. I do think the older ones are a bit nicer than the new ones, but my martingale really just needs a lot of oiling and I’ve not been doing a stand up job with that.
Do you have to give back the products you review? Or do you get to keep them?!
I keep them 🙂
You do a good, honest review, thank you. I personally feel you can see the lack of leather quality even from the pictures. However, it’s about what I would expect from that price point.
I’m going to have to come to the bridle’s defense because I own a different style same price range from horze and I loved it, especially for a kid on a budget in law school! I get compliments all the time on it. I do remember the first few times I handled it the black got everywhere. But you do clean and oil it like a regular bridle and it softens right up and stops shedding black.
Will I eventually replace it with a nicer bridle? Yeah someday when I have 300$ to spare. But until that day they are great bridles. I’m pretty jealous horze let’s you review their stuff!
Simon looks good in it 🙂
Dunking it overnight in neatsfoot oil is pretty much the only way to soften it up. I have owned three Horze bridles now and this worked well on all three.