SmartPak Monday Morning Feed

We review SmartPak’s Plymouth Raised Fancy Stitch Bridle.

SmartPak.com

If you’re like me and you live in a bit of an equestrian desert without a good tack shop within a few hours’ drive, then SmartPak‘s online shop is a godsend: I can browse barn supplies, horse care items, apparel and tack for multiple disciplines and then have everything shipped right to my door — whether you’re looking for name-brand items or budget-friendly, good quality gear.

The phrase “budget friendly” when describing tack might conjure up images of cheap and ill-fitting gear that doesn’t adjust properly, doesn’t fit well and doesn’t look good either. SmartPak’s own line of tack, however, comes at a price that’s friendly to the wallet while also providing the quality of big name brands — which, especially for the strictly-recreational rider like myself, is a great bonus.

And to put the cherry on top of this SmartPak sundae … SmartPak’s English bridles come in full draft horse sizes!

Photo by Kristen Kovatch.

Anyone else who rides a full draft understands how difficult it is to find nice tack that fits them well, but SmartPak’s Plymouth Raised Fancy Stitch Bridle not only fits Rocky just right with some room to spare, it also looks show-ring sharp at a great price.

The traditional details in the fancy stitching and raised details combined with beautifully-supple leather means that you could, feasibly, whip this bridle right out of the packaging and trot right into the show ring. (In case you’re wondering who would be crazy enough to do this, I did, actually — I took the reins out of the box, then wound up catch-riding a different draft horse at a small show a few days later before I had even used them and they were great!)

Since I’m only intending to use this bridle for ambling around the farm, I was pleased with the price point: $72.95 for the bridle and reins in beautiful riding-ready quality. The Plymouth line is the most economical of SmartPak’s bridle selection, which also includes the Harwich and Wellfleet lines.

SmartPak also carries more of your favorite brands, such as Arc de Triomphe, Horseware Ireland and Antares. Check out the full selection of hunter/jumper bridles here!