Micklem Bridle Fitting

[sjp1]

I know there are a million posts on here about Micklem bridle fitting - but does anyone have a Micklem that is fitted to a horse with a short and wide head with a short smile? My lad is Irish cob x shire x hackney and has a very wide forehead, jowl and a very short smile. And would the six inches above the nostril apply to a horse with a short smile because I am not sure the 2/3 inches above the corner of the mouth works for him.

My lad is very fussy headwise - have been doing a lot of work on that - and the Micklem seems like a very good idea with the fact that it sits behind all the bones and also gives poll relief - rather than the anatomical bridles which seem to give the base of ear relief.

So have been fiddling and fiddling with the Micklem - it seems to me that the straps that come with it are more orientated to a long narrow head so I could do with longer bit straps which isn't an issue - has anyone else had to get other parts for their Micklem or is it just me fitting it wrong? Any help gratefully received!

 

[criso]

I bought it for my tb because he has a short head with a big forehead and narrow nose - almost araby. However may be a different sort of short to yours. Traditional bridle had full size headpiece, cob cheekpieces, xf browband and no nosebands was correct.

This is his head without a bridle.




With Micklem, the angle makes his head look longer but it's really not.

 

[sjp1]

Thank you Criso - I have a normal size on trial as well - I think the issue maybe that the large horse noseband is too wide ring to ring which is what is making it sit peculiarly. He is short lipped so I suspect I will have to cut flash bands down to size as the bit straps are just too short. Shall have another go with it before I give up and send them back - I do like the principle behind it.

 

[criso]

T as the bit straps are just too short.

Do you mean the little straps that goes from the cheekpiece to the bit. My bridle came with two sets, i am using the shorter in the picture but there is a long version too.

 

[sjp1]

Yes, but even the longest are too short - but my lad does have a very short smile and to get the noseband correctly fitted, I need longer straps