I've been checking these out online for a while now and find them interesting. I found out very quickly that Rugby is not easy to fit to a bridle. Only one of Monty's bridles could be made to fit him and I've had to buy a new bridle in Oversize for a better fit. I now have an oversized flat leather hunt bridle and a black, raised leather flash nosed dressage bridle. I've been selling tack like crazy on Ebay to clean house. None of my bits fit either, Rugby wears a 6 inch mouth and all the bits I have are 5" or 5-1/4" mouth bits. I'm keeping a few of the "classic" styles of these smaller bits but most of the other stuff I've collected is also moving on Ebay.
Rugby has a very wide jowl, he has a warmblood to draft sized browband, warmblood crownpiece and needs a warmblood noseband. He has a smallish mouth and though he needs a 6" bit, I'm not convinced he's really comfortable with a bit. The only style bit that works well on him is the 3 piece mouth Sprenger type bits.
So, new horse has meant many changes in the tack room as well. Since I've got a little extra money from selling my smaller tack, I'm very tempted to buy one of these Micklem bridles. I'm intrugued by it's multiple features and that it can be bitless or bitted. The new "Competition" style is more streamlined but has less features, such as the noseband ring for lunging (which I don't think I'd be using much anyway).
I've been reading anything I can find about it by people who've used it. There seem to be discussions both for and against, as I expected, but it seems to be more in favor of the results from using it. I wish there was a tack shop nearby that had a "loaner" model that I could test first.
I've posted some links below for further reading about this new bridle and if anyone reading has used one I'd enjoy hearing your experience with it.
Micklem Multibridle
Bitless Forum - Micklem Bridles
Forum Discussion - Micklem Multibridle
Should Bitless Bridles be Allowed in USEF Competitions?
Video - Fitting the Micklem Bridle
And here's a "Friday Funny" for you that I just came across! "Yeah. He's the best horse in all of Europe." LOLL!!
8 comments:
Hilarious video!
I've not heard of that bridle before. Interesting. Hope to hear your review if you get one. Misty is the same way when fitting a bridle..she needs different sizes on different parts of her head. Hard to find one that fits her just right all over. But then, I have the same problem shoping for my clothes too.
Happy Friday!
Funny video. Could almost see that happening... and hey, the piaffe isn't that bad, shame about the jockey.
That's one of my favorite classic videos. *lol*
Don't know much about the bridles. I haven't had a lot of fitting issues with my guys, so I've not had to try any of the new technology.
Rugby sounds like the perfect "new horse." Nothing you already have fits, so you have to go out and shop!! Yipppeeeeeee!
Hi - well I use a Bitless Bridle myself. I've tried bits, and while my horse is ok in one, there are issues too. He's often behind the bridle, so he's too vertical and overflexed. A common reaction when trying to avoid the bit from pain. You should check out Dr. Cook's Bitless Bridle website. Just google that. And the bridles fit beautifully and look wonderful on and best of all - no pain to your horse! Even better! My horse stops on a dime, turns, collects, does everything as if in a bit. Some trainers poo-poo not using a bit cause they say you have no control. Tell me - what "control" do you REALLY have up against a 1200 lb. animal!? What we've been taught is to disengage the hind and make them flex laterally to get a stop and that's with a bit, or bitless. Works the same in this bitless bridle as well. Groundwork is the way to get all that BEFORE you get in the saddle anyway. I'm sure you all know this stuff. But I'm for anything that doesn't cause my horse pain. All I care about is him and his welfare. Check it out - they offer a money back as well if you don't like it. They're wonderful! Jeannine
OMG! That video is SOOO Funny!!! I'm not even a dressage person, but I totally get it! Great!!!!
How timely! Just yesterday a friend of mine who is away at college sent us a picture of the horse she's riding in a bridle she'd never seen before and couldn't identify, and it was a Micklem. From what I understand she really liked the way the horse went in it.
I bought one of these bridles recently and really like it. I don't use the bit clips though as they can rub the horse's face. Otherwise it's a real winner.
I bought 2 of those bridles recently and tried them on 4 different ponies--I bought a pony and cob size. Now I want every horse in my barn in them. The horses told me they really made a difference. Ones that used to rub their face every time you gave an on the buckle rein stopped doing it. The very green pony got immediately comfortable in the bridle (I do not use the bitless option but might on a 5yo pony who is losing and growing teeth)--plan to try it on my PSG horse. None of these horses or ponies had bridle issues--but there was a definite difference, a kind of sigh this is nice kind of feeling.
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