PS of Sweden Breastplate High Five Review

PS of Sweden breastplate

Ok, true confession: despite my mild belittling of the PS High Jump bridle as "just the European Micklem", it grew on me. And then I wanted one. And then I REALLY wanted one.

And then they went on sale.

Oops! Bloppis, you get me every time.

Kicker was, the bridle came in a set with the PS of Sweden Breastplate High Five. Another brutally honest moment here and I'll admit that I'm not really in to the "big" look on breastcollars that is going around and the PS breatcollar is definitely big. It's a five point and the section across the chest is wide and eye catching.

straps

I get that it's a trendy thing, but I didn't know if I would like it.

Without further ado: The PS of Sweden Breastplate High Five Review

MSRP: $195 (before deducting 25% VAT for us non-Europeans)
What I paid: $75 (per PS invoice)

CONSTRUCTION

The night it showed up, I spent a good hour or so playing with the new toys and conditioning everything. The breastplate is large, but it's lined with super soft leather padding. I am WAY more ok with leather padding because cleaning sheepskin is, eh, let's just say "not how I want to spend my time".

The ring at the center attaches the strap that goes between the legs and the optional (but included) martingale attachment. I have to hand it to this breastplate--the straps are SUPER adjustable. As you can see, I can adjust the top or the bottom of the strap between the legs (is there a name for it?). It also has a handy clip to attach to the girth, which is my favorite thing in breastplates.

so many straps

The other two straps (top attaches to saddle, bottom attaches to girth) are tidy and well made. Again, I LOVE clips for ease of attachment, /I have whined before about having a girth strap that's nylon instead of leather, but I'll hand it to PS: it lays much flatter under the saddle flap and is completely hidden from view.

Noted: I actually think the leather quality on this piece is much nicer than on the Flat Out Bridle I already have.

martingale attachment

The more I handled this breastplate, the more impressed I was by the thoughtful details.

MARTINGALE

I mean, I knew I'd wanted one of their martingale attachments because they looked cool. I loved it even more after I handled it.

HELLO.

CLIPS.

Yes, you're seeing correctly. Instead of rings to go over the reins, PS uses heavy duty clips that just snap into place. Forget undoing your reins before and after every ride. Nope. Just snap the rings on and you're good to go. Also the overall length is full adjustable.

And I didn't snag a close up, but there's cool detailing on the keepers too.

One critique I'd offer is that given all the other clips, I'm rather shocked there wasn't a clip to attach the martingale to the breastplate. However, that's a problem that I can fix with $2 and a trip to the hardware store.

gah so much hair

SIZING

I was a little not sure on the sizing--I ordered cob size because I was mostly wanting the bridle and Courage is definitely cob in the head, but he kind of goes either way when it comes to breastcollars. I mean, I hjave three (dear god) Nunn Finer breastplates--my hunt style is horse size and I had to punch extra holes. My bridge style is cob size and it was pretty snug till it stretched. My "normal" five point is horse size and it's adjusted pretty tight.

Which is to say Courage is somewhere between cob and horse.

it's blurry indoor pics time of year

The PS was tighter than I'd like--I added d savers to the rings on my saddle to make it long enough and everything went on, but I won't be sad if my straps stretch out a little bit.

So it's cob size, but not like really tiny cob size. There is quite of bit of flexibility to the fit--I have straps all over the place. It's fine between his front legs (admittedly, I think that's all the way out still) and the elastic in the design makes it fine everywhere else.

plus sweet free keychain

COLOR

The more perceptive among you have probably noticed that this breastcollar is a lighter brown than my usual "almost looks black" shade. That's because the sale was on the chestnut color only. I pulled the trigger and closed my eyes because I wanted the gear and I do love deals. I was completely prepared to hate the color and spend my entire next paycheck on an entire vat of hydrophane.

But I was pleasantly surprised. The chestnut is a warm brown without an god-awful red tint to it. It maybe wouldn't have been my first choice, but I certainly don't mind it and I haven't purchased any hydrophane as of right now.

SHAVE THIS HORSE

WRAP UP

And how did it ride?

I'd say pretty great. The leather is cut away to make it fit quite ergonomically. The elastic is nicely stretchy, so even if it's a little snug, it still has lots of give. Despite my worries about it being a little small, Courage was perfectly happy and freely forward during his ride.

There was no rubbing or chafing anywhere after I pulled it off, which is nice since his Nunn Finer is rubbing him bald right now. The clips are easy to use and it's very self-explanatory to put on.

This version does not have a grab strap over the withers. I am a big fan of things to hang on to, so I wouldn't rule out adding one if this becomes my go-to breastplate for winter riding.

So here we are. The look is growing on me and I'm definitely glad I got it. I don't really think Courage needs a five point for daily dressage in the indoor, but given how badly the Nunn Finer is rubbing him, I think this is my go to until the summer coat comes back in.

I tried to answer as many questions here as I could. If you have more questions, please leave them in the comments and I (or Amanda, haha) will happily get back to you.

Tack Time: Talking About Breastplates

I use breastplates pretty much every time I ride. It's not just because I'm a tack 'ho (even though I am) or because my saddles slide around (they really don't, much). It's because in the event of a horse acting like a horse, I am left with something to hang on to that is not the horse's mouth. Seems pretty straightforward, right?

There are plenty of different configurations available to use. I'll run through a list of those I own and use most commonly and the advantages of each.

As modeled by Cuna

First up: my horse sized Nunn Finer Hunting breastplate in havana and brass.

This is my go-to, standard, everyday-use, do-everything breastplate. I added clips to the straps by the withers and I'd love to do the same to the girth loop. It adjusts in 3 different places (withers, neck on both sides, strap between the legs) and has fit everything I put it on, from a haflinger pony to giant warmbloods and draft crosses.

It's utilitarian looking, very sturdy, and does the job I want it to do. I've taken it on trails, in the jumping ring, on cross country, and of course, on extensive hacks. The leather broke in beautifully and even though I've had it for several years now, it still polishes up well for the show ring.

Fancy!

Too boring for you? Never fear!

My next addition to the hoard was this Five Star Tack signature elastic breastplate. (Just looked at the new price. Yikes!!)

Mine is the older style that don't have a grab strap across the top, so it hasn't gotten a lot of use, given my purpose in having a breastcollar in the first place. Nevertheless, it's nice quality leather and it's an eye catching piece. On Cuna, whose giant withers keep his saddle from ever moving, it's just a decoration, but it does look nice.

The function is identical to the hunting breastplate. A drawback encountered by this style is that if you use this breastplate to actually keep the saddle from sliding back, pressure points will be created right around the horse's withers. Very uncomfortable.

I will say that in general, I'm not wild about elastic on breastplates. Since I have them for those "oh crap" moments like spooking and unexpectedly giant jumps, I don't want them to give. I want them to hold when I need them and hang uselessly otherwise. Plus, I think elastic wears out faster and is much harder to clean than just leather.

Courage and the jumper breastplate

But two breastplates are never enough!

I used this breastplate to justify a small shopping spree on facebook. After all, it was only $20.

It's basically this model of breastplate, although the link is definitely to a higher quality item. Known as a jumper breastplate, it attaches to the girth on both sides and has a grab strap that goes over the neck. It's kind of a pain to adjust if you're switching between different sized horses. I just used it on Courage, and after the initial adjustment, it was fine.

What I like about this model is that it's easy for sensitive horses to wear. I have known several princesses (Cuna actually not included) who got very fussy because the girth loop of the hunting style breastplates would pinch their skin and hair. I also used this style when Cuna got a cut inside his foreleg and I was trying to keep from rubbing it.

Properly adjusted, it doesn't seem to restrict shoulder action or have any ill effects.

As modeled by Gunner

Then there is the super modern and popular five point breastplate. I don't actually own one, which is a little bit horrifying. They are cool and trendy in eventing and the jumper ring and I have to admit, they do a pretty rocking job of keeping the saddle exactly where you want it.

That said, they are hard to adjust and a PITA to put on every single day. Even me, the tack-loving 'ho who was short on rides this summer thought it was a little bit ridiculous.

If you have a horse that is unduly bothered by a slipping saddle, this piece is a godsend. If you're just trend matching, seriously, find something easier to put on and clean. This isn't worth it.

Stock image from bitofbritain.com

That leaves one other major style: the three point breastplate. Omg! I don't have one of these, but I would love to. They match the convenience of the jumper breastplate with the stability of the hunting breastplate and completely sidestep the PITA factor of the five point. They have the ever-so-useful grab strap available to hang on to and don't look all cluttered up or distracting.

They are pretty new on the market in the US, but they've been around in Europe for a while. The few reviews I've heard of them are glowing and positive and I can't wait to get my grabby little hands on one.


So there you go. Breastplates are commonly used to keep saddles in place during athletic attempts and to hang on to during said athletics. There are a variety of styles available to fit all budgets and lifestyles.