Thinking of ordering this bridle...thoughts?

I want to suggest to you Smartpaks line as well.
They have four different bridle lines, Plymouth being the cheapest, and Nantucket being the most expensive, and then the other two in the middle.

The Plymouth dressage bridle
Plymouth Dressage Bridle by SmartPak - Dressage Bridles from SmartPak Equine

And their hunter bridle
Plymouth Raised Fancy Stitch Bridle by SmartPak - Hunter/Jumper Bridles from SmartPak Equine

The entire Smartpak line all have really great reviews.

Also, I have a Suffolk that I school dressage in. Just for schooling, it's held up really well over the past couple of years.
Suffolk Black/White Dressage Bridle < Flash Bridles < Horse Tack|Dover Saddlery.

I do like the Plymouth bridles, especially the second one (even though it's a bit out of my price range at the moment). I love the Suffolk, but unfortunately it doesn't come in the size I need (only comes in cob and full-size...I need oversized).

What exactly is your price range?
And are you looking for a more hunter bridle, or dressage?

Keep searching out on eBay. There's tons on there, it just may take some time.

Oversized or draft? Cause draft has a lot more room in the noseband and more room for adjusting the throatlatch and bit placement..

Oversized is great too, but that's just a heads up. Also you can buy parts of a bridle if you like the feel of the bridle but it's getting a little toooo small for your boy. But it gets expensive and it's just better to get a new bigger one *shrugs*

Dover has amazing bridles, all good quality.. some are extremely pricey but others are reasonable for a good investment.. Also they have a rad return policy. That's if you're looking for an English styled bridle. Western.. well I'd have no clue.

I have the Stubben bridle you like. One good rub by the horse can really hurt that bridle!! Ask me how I know.......

My price range right now is under $60 because it's just going to be a schooling bridle.

I'm not sure what the difference is between a hunter and dressage bridle, to be completely honest. Basically, I am in the market for a nice English bridle with a noseband, but it doesn't have to have the flash or whatever.

Whether or not we need draft is an interesting question. Aires has a huge head. Seriously. His head is too big for a typical "large" horse halter (which generally tend to run up to 1200lbs), but is too small for a full draft halter. Right now we use a rope halter because that's the only thing that even remotely fits him (and it's almost too small in the nose now). I meant to measure him today so I could figure out if oversized/warmblood would fit him best or if we're going to have to jump up to a draft. Also, I'm going to have a custom rope halter made, so I need his measurements for that.

IF we have to go with a draft sized bridle, I REALLY like the look of this one (yes, it's closer to $70 than $60, but I can live with that). Draft horse brown leather English bridle with flash | eBay

Have you tried craigslist? They have some really good used tack out there and it's in the area. Just don't ever meet someone alone.. always have backup.

Also find out about consignment stores in your area and see if they have anything you could fit to Aires. Measuring would definitely be ideal... as for custom rope halter, apparently they're easy to construct so hopefully it won't run expensive..

Not many people do English in my area and those that do have normal sized horses, not mutants like mine. I have yet to find an AP saddle with a wide enough tree for him and I've been looking for almost two months. I've been looking at the two consignment stores in my area and neither of them have any tack for larger horses, used or new. One does have some draft-sized halters, but that's it.

Hmmmmmmmm...that makes me wonder...one of the tack shops makes custom tack. I wonder if they'd make me a bridle and how much it would cost. I know they said making a custom leather halter for Aires would run about $60.

As for the rope halters...I found someone who makes them locally for $20 and they'll do all sorts of mods on them for you (like adding bit or rein rings so you can use it has a bridle as well). They also custom make reins for $8.

Well that's cool! Hope that works out :) As for your horse being far from normal.. also a part of that club. I buy things and I get the most ridiculously shocking looks, raised eyebrows, and they're like "are you SURE that's the right size???"

I wouldn't do any custom tack until he's done growing... so I'm guessing the best is to do ebay like you've been doing.

Yeah, I get those looks too...especially when I say they're for my two-year-old. Guy at the tack shop that custom makes tack was like "Wait. Your two-year-old needs how big of a bridle?!" They're used to QHs, paints, some TBs and appys around here. Draft crosses are rare.