Product Review: Flexible Fit Modified Bridge Breastplate

When I last wrote about breastplates, there were a bunch of comments about what worked, didn't work, and a truly horrifying video of a breastplate saving Doug Payne's booty. Soon after that I went to Kentucky, and my intention was to pick up a CWD bridge on discount. Having only size tiny on sale I walked away from the tent sadly empty handed. I was determined to tack-ho, though. I wandered some more booths, finally ending up at the Flexible Fit tent.

I'm so happy they were there, because I've seen their products for ages and always wanted one. It being literally half a world away was kind of a deterrent because I like to put my hands on what I'm buying, or at least have easily available returns. As TeresaA just pointed out, they have a lock on the custom sized bridle in that price point.

I ended up with the Modified Elastic Bridge Breastplate.

(A really long aside: I also got these reins and holy shit they are my absolute favorite reins ever. I use them every day and I love them. They are everything to me. I wish they came in purple rubber.)

The breastplate comes with a strap that connects from that center ring to the girth, and an adjustable running martingale.

I took these off because... I'm just not using them. My saddle fits, and I wanted to give him as much freedom through the wither as possible.

The woman running the booth at LRK3DE spent a lot of time talking to me about sizing. My other breastplates do not fit Spicy at all. His shoulder is SO stupid huge and his heartgirth is SO deep I was paranoid I'd buy something that gave him manboob. I had initially wanted a warmblood size of this breastplate to be safe. She didn't have one, but assured me their sizing runs pretty big. As extra security she gave me her card and email and said if the horse size didn't fit they'd exchange for a warmblood size.

My dear friend up, Spicy modeling his fancy tack :P

She also ended up giving me a discount because I was being real cheeky in the tent (apparently). Noted: Aussies like cheek.

The Good

• Super adjustable. I needn't have worried about this not fitting Spicy. There are six different places you can adjust this to account for any type of horse shape. I liked that I could take off the 'between the legs' piece and just have the girth connectors.
• The parts at the front of the horse - that will press against the horse if your saddle does slip - are wide to negate pressure points. The leather 'plate' in front is gel padded and lush. The leather is durable but doesn't have any hard edges. The elastic is also super wide and doubled for strength.
• The strap over the withers is in a perfect location for a grab strap.
• No sheepskin makes it super easy to clean!!

The Bad

• I don't know why, but there is a loose keeper on each of the girth straps. Why the hell people put loose keepers on strap goods I'll never know, but I lost them almost immediately. It hasn't affected the use whatsoever but it does look untidy.

The FYI

• The loops that attach to the girth are leather, not nylon. I thought this would really irritate me. My Eponia Five Point and Random Jumper Breastgirth have leather girth loops and they pester my lower leg. For some reason, I don't notice them at all on this breastplate at all. The leather is stitched so it does lay quite flat, so maybe that's why? But I know this is a killer for some people so while it wasn't exactly a 'good' or a 'bad' I wanted to note it and also mention that it didn't bother my leg at all.
• The sizing is generous. Now, before you haul off and buy a cob size for your 18hh warmblood, I would make use of the sizing chart. It is your friend. But my horse size Eponia and horse size Nunn Finer breastplates do not fit Spicy well except on the last hole and I am in the middle holes on this breastplate. Do with that information what you will. The Love of my Life reins are also size cob and fit perfect.

TL,DR; I'm super happy with this purchase and would recommend this breastplate and Flexible Fit in general!