It should be no secret to anyone reading this blog in the past week or so that I’m pretty head over heels with my new bridle. Still, I thought it merited its own review post so anyone who wanted more information about a slightly less common bridle.

My original search for this bridle started at Dover, where I saw one for sale and thought it had a beautiful shape. I wanted a jumper looking bridle that was modern, but not super un-traditional like PS of Sweden (Sorry PS fans). My trainer has also requested that Simon go in a standing martingale currently, which means that figure 8 bridles are out. Plus, he doesn’t exactly need a figure 8 and I don’t like using tack meant to aid in training when I don’t need it.

With those needs in mind, I honed in on the Dyon. It has a monocrown headstall, but not a super thick one.  It’s maybe 2″-2’5″ at the widest point and is super padded. While the bridle has some modern features like the thick, padded monocrown and the shaped noseband and browband… it’s still very traditional. Also, I can use a standing martingale with the noseband.

Once I decided that I wanted to buy the bridle, it took the Euro shopping genius of Amanda to help me make the purchase. She pointed me to Reverdy, which sells this specific Dy’on bridle as well as several others. They have English as a site translation option, and they also ship to the US for around 30 Euro.

Since I jumped at the chance to purchase the bridle while the Euro was low, I was able to get headstall, rubber reins and shipping to the US for just under $300. To compare, Dover sells the headstall only for $450+.  Thank you struggling Euro economy!

Anyway, back to the bridle. It took about two weeks to get here, and I was most nervous about the fit. Simon takes a full in Red Barn bridles, but he’s a small full. I’ve ordered some bridles for him and their full size has swallowed him, so I was nervous to see how the Dy’on fit.

I shouldn’t have worried, because the fit is nearly perfect. He’s about dead in the middle of every buckle option, and the browband is just a tiny bit wide on him if I’m being picky. To compare to your horse, Simon has a long but narrow head… so he can be a little bit tricky. I was very pleased with the fit of the Dy’on.

Even though the Dy’on is a french brand, it’s made of English leather. To be super honest, I wasn’t blown away by the leather quality. Yes it’s nice, and yes it’s better quality than the most recent Red Barn product I’ve bought… but it’s certainly not butter soft out of the box. The leather is thirsty and is still soaking up oil like crazy two weeks later. I think it’s going to break in beautifully, but I’m not sure this is up to the quality standards of Antares.

The coloring is dark, and would probably go to chocolate if you were trying to darken it. I’ve kept my oiling to olive oil and Fieblings, so I’m trying to keep the color pretty true.

For me, the value of this bridle is in the construction. The stitching is beautiful and every part of the bridle is just made super, super well. I’m very picky about rubber reins, but the Dy’on ones I bought are just as soft and supple as well oiled laced leather reins… yet super grippy!

Finally, the look is really, really nice on my horse. He’s got a long face and not the world’s flashiest head, but I think the shape and construction of the bridle compliments him very well.

I’m super happy with this product for what I paid, but might be a bit underwhelmed if I paid the $450 headstall + $155 reins that Dover is asking. Then again, I don’t know if I could ever justify that much for a bridle!

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