Micklem bridle - fit and care Qs

Orchardbeck

Orchardbeck

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I recently bought a brand new Micklem Multi bridle in black in a small horse size for my Arab x Welsh mare. She is awkward to fit, having a short head, but broad muzzle and needing a broad browband.

I was using it with the pony size bit straps, and with the cheek pieced one hole from the top but yesterday Mum and I thought the noseband looked low and baggy so we lifted it up a hole, this will now mean I'll have to use the cob size cheeks though. However this meant that the noseband was on its last (biggest) hole and the jaw strap also on its last hole, and I'm worried it is actually too tight.

Would anyone be prepared to have a look if I posted a pic and tell me what they think?

Has anyone had the jaw straps replaced with longer ones? Surely they can be made to fit any horse, it's only leather?!

And lastly, it's so blimmin stiff, what have people used to soften them?
 
I had to make another hole in the very end of the noseband and throat lash straps to make cob size fit, these bridles must be for long thin heads! They do soften up with time and use.

Why don't they make the jaw straps longer? So many people have this problem. C'mon Horseware/Mr Micklem, we're not all riding thoroughbreds!
 
I too have it on the shortest cheek pieces but the loosest throat and noseband holes. It does fit like this but doesn't look the prettiest but pony likes it. This is a 14.2 cob and a standard horse size micklem, in the small horse size the noseband and throat straps wouldn't meet.
 
Oh I totally agree the jaw straps are too short!! Mine too is on the last hole, fortunately fits ok everywhere else (weird shaped faced horses they must have based them on!)
 
I've just got the FS on hire for Mr B, he's narrow in the muzzle and broad in the forehead so although the bridle fits him fine the brow band is a tad too tight but I've had to buy a bigger size with all his bridles.
 
I think that will be the answer, putting a hole in the noseband and throat strap. I'm glad I'm not the only one! I really like it other than that, I've only ridden my 14hh in it twice but she seems to like it too.
 
I bought one recently in small horse as well, I oiled it before use and it helped a lot! I've used it a fair few times now and it's nice and supple
 
I bought one in small horse and was on last holes, has softened just through use and standard ckeanibg/ a bit of leather balsam. Now on the second hole for most things. They do get nice and soft after about a month
 
i had to do the same but found when i swapped my bit to one with smaller rings and thus swapped to the cob cheeks from pony, the whole thing sat lower so the jaw strap was under the narrower part of the jaw where it should be and suddenly fitted on 3rd/4th hole.
 
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