desperatly seeking a micklem multi bridle - plus help :)

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aregona

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im am searching for a second hand micklem bridle if any one has one.

I have a very unhappy youngster and im not getting anywhere with him. i posted a few months ago as my youngster hates having a bit in his mouth. I've tried almost every form of snaffle you can think off and spent lots of time on the phone to the specialist from the bit shop and tried the myler combination (which he has never reared using) and now in the myler hanging cheek port mouth.

But his rearing is getting worse. i ride him in a hackamore for jumping so i dont risk catching his mouth and he is great but this horse was bred to event so i need to get him happy in his mouth.

he is a very sharp little horse and very forward going. whenever i pickup a contact on his mouth he throws his head in the air, if i carry on asking for an outline he eventually just stands on his back legs. i have now stopped trying to compete him as our last dressage outing resulted in 33% for a w+t test as he spentmore time on hisback legs than going forwards :( I should add he is very happy in a hackamore.

yesterday i had a lesson with him and he was very bad, he spent all lesson trying to get his tongue over the bit (very usual) as a result he had bruising to both sides of his tongue where he kept bitting it and a tiny amount of blood on the sides of his mouth.
i would like to try the multi bridle as i think it may work but as they are over £100 brand new its a bit too much to spend incase it doesn't work.

Of course his teeth, back and saddle have been checked along with many different instructors taking a look but none being able to help. any help would be greatly appreciated
many thanks
 
Mine is out on loan so I cant help you but I didnt find it particularly good. I far and away preferred the Dr Cooks. Arnie objected to where the reins attached with the Micklem (and its not as good quality as the DC).

I suppose you've tried everything but when I was where you are I tried a pelham and he finally decided he could cope with a bit. It was a bit of a lightbulb moment - he clearly preferred a solid mouthpiece. I then tried a mullen mouth snaffle and a loosely fastened drop noseband. I left the bit really low in his mouth at first so that if he did put his tongue over he could work out for hisself that it was comfier to put it back in place himself. Its still a bit of a work in progress but slowly but surely we are getting there.

The drop is really to discourage him from opening his mouth but I do have it very loosely fastened. He didnt seem to like any sort of pressure around his cheeks but he is happy enough with it under his chin. The Micklem works as a drop if you use it with a bit - thats what gave me the idea :D
 
Funny you say that as I had a micklem a few years ago and sold it as I didnt think much of it. With the DC does it work with a bit or bitless? I will give a mullen mouth a go tomorrow with a drop noseband and see if he figures it out, otherwise I'm stuck and out of ideas :(
 
i'm sure you've tried this and a poster above has suggested it already but just to add....my mare had a real contact problem for the first year we were together. She didn't rear, she is far from sharp so it isn't in her nature but she was so unhappy with any sort of contact in any bit that I tried. S he would put her tongue over the bit, set her jaw, and chomp away at any bit until kingdom come.

I tried to find milder and milder bits which to my mind meant happy mouths, any form of french link etc etc until an enlightenend instructor had another look in her mouth and recommended a mullen mouth/happy tongue type bit as she has a small mouth with a big fat tongue.

Long story short, I now a Myler curved mullen eggbutt and her mouth is completely still. She still tries the occasional evasion but nothing like she was. I also bought a New Design curved mullen loose ring which she quite likes as well. There is a fab bit made my bomber Bits, some version of a happy tongue. it isn't dressage legal but would be fab for jumping etc if this seems to be your horse's problem.

I borrowed from the bit bank and then bought them. good luck with your search and please let us know how you an your horse get on. X
 
I was thinking about trying one (but now horse is off games) I was just going to buy one new and if it's no good re sell on eBay. The ones on there 2nd hand still been going for around £90 and so it's not that much to loose to resell and give it ago
 
oh i've only just spotted this again, some great advise thank you guys so much.

I'm getting really upset with this sitution as we bred this horse ourselves and although he is only about 15.2hh he is a super little horse. He is athletic (spell?) moves very well, straight and he brain is certainly the cleverest i've come across and he has EVENT horse writen all over him but due to the STUPID rules on bitless bridles, unless i can get him happy with a bit he will never event :( And what annoys me more is that i have to go through this process whereas i would rather leave him in a bitless and keep him happy. I won't force him to take a bit as i feel his character would be damaged and if nessecary i would find him a new job to do :(

Kerilli, how did you find the micklem?? If you are not using it at the minute i would jump at the chance to give it a go and would be happy to 'hire' it from you just to try. If it works i would then happily go ahead and buy one.

:)
 
tbh i've tried it on 3 of mine and it hasn't made an appreciable difference, but then, i have them in very soft padded headpiece bridles anyway, and looseish nosebands always, so maybe they didn't notice much difference?!
send me your addy and you can have a borrow, because although i am using it with Katy at the moment she doesn't go any differently in it to her usual bridle, so it's spare if you want.
 
btw, if i'm sending it, i'll chuck a hippus in too for you to try, got to be worth a go if you haven't already.
i'd have a look at the Poponici bits too, they're ultra-squishy apparently, he might accept that.
also: i'd cover a snaffle in soft leather (wrap chamois leather around maybe?) and try that.
i'd try a hanging cheek with small lozenge (not solid revolving barrel like a myler though)
 
oh great thanks,

I've tried the hanging cheek with lozenge and made no difference. I'm ust wondering what would happenif i lower the bit in his mouth and put a loose drop nose band? i haven't tried it yet as im concerned it will be spot on or may cause him to be even worse and at the minut he is deffinately going up high enough tosoon be going over so im hanging off until i have people on the yard with me.
His bit at the minute is in my opinion quite high, i usually have my bits very low in the mouth and all go with very loose nosebands (sometimes grackles for xc) but none have a flash or anythin similar on. Any thoughts on what may happen? does anyone have any experience with loose bits / drop nosebands working with a horse constantly putting their tongues over the bit?

Also, he does seem to be slightly better in a port mouth, how about a magic bit? not a bit i usually use but it is a straight bar with mild port????

kerilli i will keep you informed and see what responce i get to my latest Q's and whether i try any of the above first, i will be in touch :)

P.S kerili i did try the hippus i had, he didn't think much of that either however he has a very tiny mouth and the hippus i had on him was a 5.5'' and very big on him.
 
I've had issues with tongue flapping out the side of horses mouth and occasional tognue over the bit. Have come to realise that this is his way of going and not so much of an evasion. When he relaxes the floppy tongue actaully get worse!!!! I tried a Miklam to see if this helped at all and it did help with tongue over bit and general jaw tension as there is no pressure from a noseband further up his jawline. You have just reminded me to try and get hold of a Toby size drop nose band to see if this works on it's own as it's a damn sight cheaper than a Miklam!!!!
 
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