GFS Bridles - Which one is right for your horse?
Who are GFS?
Fieldhouse Riding Equipment was established in 1983. Geoff Fieldhouse a Master Saddler by trade founded the company to supply quality saddles to the retail trade.
The GFS brand was the first to be introduced with a range of saddles, bridles and associated accessories.
In 1998 after successfully establishing the GFS brand in the market. Fieldhouse Riding Equipment became the UK distributors of the Pessoa range. Geoff Fieldhouse worked closely with Nelson and Rodrigo Pessoa to design and produce the world renowned Pessoa Brand of saddles, bridles and accessories. This relationship also led to another famous name coming on board, Blyth Tait. His cross country saddles were developed in conjunction with Pessoa and GFS. At the same time they worked with the late Dr Reiner Klimke Olympic dressage gold medalist to produce the very successful Klimke Dressage saddle.
The year 2000 saw the launch of a new product range, appropriately named the 2000 range offering a selection of high quality leather saddles, bridles and accessories.
2003 saw Fieldhouse Riding Equipment take on yet another brand name ANKY. Selling a range of dressage saddles developed by the worlds leading dressage rider, Olympic gold medallist and world champion Anky Van Grunsven.
In 2004 the product range increased once again with the launch of the GFS and Pessoa horse clothing.
What about GFS Bridles?
As a horse rider, one of the most important pieces of equipment you will need is a bridle. A bridle is an essential tool for controlling your horse and communicating with them while riding. With so many bridles on the market, it can be challenging to choose the right one for you and your horse. In this post, we will take a closer look at GFS bridles, their collection, and what makes them stand out.
GFS offer 3 ranges of bridles offering different nosebands and leather options with 3 different price points. Therefore, there is a GFS bridle to suit you and your horse.
The three ranges include the GFS Monarch, GFS standard and GFS Premier.
Here at The Saddle Bank we take pride in stocking high quality brands and GFS products are loved by the whole team.
What should you look for when buying a new bridle?
There are many factors involved when looking for a new bridle for you horse.
- Do you have any specific requirements for a bridle?
- Do you need to be able to use it as a cavesson or a flash bridle?
- Does your horse or pony cross their jaw?
- Are you wanting a bridle that is designed to reduce pressure on the teeth and facial nerves?
- Does it need to be legal for you to be able to use it competing?
- Are you looking for a bridle that has your horses comfort and well being at the forefront of its design?
- What type of shaped headpiece are you looking for? Some horses prefer anatomical and some prefer more traditional shaped headpieces.
- Are you wanting a plain or bling browband?
- What size and colour do you require?
- What is your budget?
Price vs Quality
Have your ever bought a 'high end' bridle with the price tag to match but not been impressed with the quality? Owners as well as riders all have to factor in cost of a bridle and we would all like to get the best quality we can for our budget.
GFS Monarch Range
The GFS Monarch Range offer an affordable range of bridles including the GFS Monarch Grackle Bridle and the GFS Monarch Flash Bridle. Both of these are available in Cob or Full, come with a bling browband as standard and are fantastic options for those on a budget.
GFS Standard Range
The GFS Standard range is great for those with a little bit more budget. Within this range you have the GFS PS Flash bridle, the GFS PS Grackle bridle, the GFS Simplicity bridle which is a Cavesson noseband and the GFS Harmony bridle. Both the Harmony and Simplicity come with 2 browbands, a plain and a bling browband so you can choose which you prefer on your horse.
GFS Premier Range
Finally, the GFS Premier range is the luxury range offered by GFS. The Premier range features a super soft, luxurious leather and all bridles featured in the range come with two browbands, a plain and a bling browband so you can choose what works best on your horse. The headpieces within this range are all anatomically shaped and cut back. This range includes the GFS Premier Prime bridle, and the GFS Premier Prosperity Bridle. These are really popular bridles for those with a slightly bigger budget. However, they are still much cheaper than many comparable brands such as Fairfax, PS of Sweden and many others.
Lets dive a little deeper into each of the individual bridles to help you decide which is right for your horse.
GFS Monarch Bridles
GFS Monarch Grackle Bridle
The GFS Monarch Grackle Bridle is a quality, affordable horse bridle designed to provide comfort and control to the rider. The bridle features a shaped and padded headpiece which helps to distribute pressure evenly across the horse's head, reducing discomfort and improving performance. The grackle noseband design helps to prevent the horse from crossing their jaw, and helps to stop the horse from opening their mouth. This type of noseband also relieves pressure from the incisors and pre-molars.
Crafted from premium quality leather, the GFS Monarch Grackle Bridle is durable and long-lasting. It features stainless steel buckles and fittings, which are rust-resistant and easy to clean. The bridle is available in cob or full, making it a versatile choice for riders of all levels.
This bridle features a shaped crystal browband for those who like a little extra detail.
Overall, the GFS Monarch Grackle Bridle is an excellent choice for riders looking for a high-quality, comfortable, and stylish bridle that provides superior control and performance.
This bridles comes complete with rubber grip reins.
It is FEI, BE and BD approved.
Shop GFS Monarch Grackle Bridles here.
GFS Monarch Flash Bridle
The GFS Monarch Flash Bridle is a quality, affordable bridle designed for horses that require a flash noseband. This bridle features a shaped and padded headpiece for maximum comfort. The flash noseband is designed to help keep the horse's mouth closed and prevent them from opening their jaw during riding. However, it should never be fitted too tight!
The GFS Monarch Flash Bridle also features stainless steel buckles and comes with a set of rubber reins. The reins are designed to provide excellent grip and control, ensuring that you can ride your horse with confidence and ease.
This bridle is available in cob or full to ensure the perfect fit for your horse. It is also available in a range of colours, including black and brown, so you can choose the colour that best suits your horse's coat.
Overall, the GFS Monarch Flash Bridle is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an affordable bridle that offers both comfort and control. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced rider, this bridle is sure to meet all your needs.
This bridles comes complete with rubber grip reins.
It is FEI, BE and BD approved.
GFS PS Bridles
GFS PS Grackle Bridle
We are delighted to offer the fabulous GFS PS Grackle Bridle which includes soft rubber grip reins is very affordable high quality bridle.
Available in stock in Black or Brown and in cob or full size.
This beautifully crafted bridle features a padded and shaped headpiece. Designed to alleviate pressure points across the horses’ poll by distributing pressure evenly over the head.
The grackle noseband features a sheepskin pad on the centre point to provide the horse with maximum comfort.
This bridle is British Dressage Legal.
Click here to buy now for fast delivery!
To learn more about grackle bridles click here to read our blog on what a grackle bridle is and its features!
GFS PS Flash Bridle
Available in Black or Brown and cob and full size. This is the perfect bridle for someone looking for a quality yet affordable bridle.
Very affordably priced this flash bridle is an attractive bridle to many horse owners.
The design features a padded and shaped headpiece to reduce and alleviate poll pressure. This is a really important consideration for your horses comfort whilst working. It also features a padded nose band for your horses comfort.
The GFS PS Flash bridle features attractive contrast stitching and comes complete with soft rubber grip reins so you are ready to ride!
We think this bridle is perfect for everyday or competition use.
This bridle is British Dressage Legal.
GFS Premier Bridles
GFS Premier Prime Bridle
From the GFS Premier Range we start with the Prime Bridle. Available in Black and Brown, in sizes cob and full.
The perfect flash or cavesson competition bridle for someone looking for a quality and comfortable bridle for their horse.
With its padded wide noseband with a soft pad on the crank fastening. This further increases the comfort and evenly distribute any pressure.
Having a removable flash makes this a very versatile bridle.
The throat lash has an easy clip on mechanism for ease of use and also making it removable.
Made from luxurious leather the GFS Premier Prime bridle has a lovely soft feeling.
Your horse will love the anatomical design of the padded head piece which reduces pressure at the poll enabling them to work more freely.
Designed with comfort and performance in mind, we think this bridle is perfect for everyday or competition use.
The Prime Bridle is British Dressage legal.
Available in stock now. Click here to order yours for speedy delivery.
This bridle does not include reins.
GFS Premier Prosperity Bridle
The second bridle from the GFS Premier range is the Prosperity Bridle. Available in Black and Brown, in sizes cob and full.
The versatility of this bridle makes it really popular amongst many riders. This noseband with its anatomical design can be used as a either drop or standard.
Featuring a three way adjustable noseband with a cross sectional design. To avoid any unwanted pressure on any of your horses teeth or nerves.
The throat lash has an easy clip on mechanism for ease of use. Making it quick to do up or remove if required
Made from luxurious leather the GFS Premier Prosperity bridle has a lovely soft feeling.
Your horse will love the anatomical design of the padded head piece which reduces pressure at the poll enabling them to work more freely.
In our opinion this bridle is perfect for everyday or competition use. With comfort, performance and quality at the forefront of the design.
The GFS Premier Prosperity Bridle is British Dressage legal.
Available in stock now. Click here to order yours for speedy delivery.
This bridle does not include reins.
Where to buy a GFS Bridle?
At the Saddle Bank we stock a wide range of GFS Products. From their range of fantastic jump, dressage and GP saddles, to the accessories including the Freedom girth, Premier stirrup leathers and the GFS and Premier GFS bridles.
If you are searching for a super quality and comfortable bridle. The GFS range available from The Saddle Bank is the best place to start!
Learn more about how saddles should fit….
Are you a horse owner/rider who would like to learn more about saddle fitting? Or learn how the saddle can impact your horses performance and welfare?
Click on the link below to learn more about how to recognise signs of a poor fitting saddle.
