Micklem bridles - double bridles?

interesting read this one! just fancied putting my two penneth in since the micklem has compleetly change dmy horses life!

Tiddlypom said:
Quite.

I'm no 'fashionista', but I tried my horses in a Micklem, initially just in the lungeing configuration, was pleased with the results and have kept them.

It's quite amusing reading all the sarky remarks about Micklems. They're just another piece of kit that help some horses a lot, like neue schule bits. Not sure why some people get so aerated about them.
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Agreed! i dont understand how they are a piece of 'kit' or in other words a gadget? they are a different bridle that was supposedly designed with the horses anatomic structure in mind rather than tradition. how that constitutes as a gadget i'll never know - where applicable they dont mask a problem, like a typical gadgets do; shanked bits/draw reins/Flashes ect they solve the problem by taking the trigger away which from my expereince is usually discomfort in the traditional bridle. If this is seen as an enhancing piece of kit because its designed with the horses comfort in mid then NS bits and shaped/fairfax girths should also hold the same stigma imo!


khalswitz said:
As I said already, but bears repeating, I have seen horses go FABULOUSLY in them - but the ones that have gone the best have had genuine problems before, such as a friends horse with a fractured cheekbone, and another who was a major head shaker (not a clinical head shaker) prior to micklem. If your horse goes considerably better in one, it's worth drawing the judges eye, as a better test will still be marked better! However if I didn't need one I wouldn't be using one.

Also the original question was about micklems for a double, which is illegal, end of.
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I get your point regarding the judge looking closer at the contact because the bridle is 'different', but i dont really agree but then our stances on micklems are different - but how would the judge know if the horse had a problem before the micklem?

I didnt try a micklem as a quick fix for a conatct issue, as far as i was concered the contact was fine, but horse was NOT happy, nothing worked, she was always behind the leg, argumentative every undesirable trait possible. Vets treated her stifles thinking taht was the source, physios treated everywhere else and everything was upto date. it got to the point of try this bridle or retire the horse at 6! the first day i tried it i was soo dissapointed she was exactly the same, if not worse - but the second day, it was like riding a different horse and i wont be looking back, for the first time in her life, i can acctually school her and enjoy doing it :O i dont use it as a fashion piece i think its pretty ghastly but it makes my horse happy so im happy!

im still amused by the fact that people think its a gadget or a piece of kit! times are moving on, traditional doesnt always work forever - those that say they wouldnt use one unless their horse had a problem, why wouldnt you use one? without trying it surely you dont know if your horse will or wont go better in one, you may have a problem that you dont even know about yet! it could be the answer to getting that extra 5%!

as an aside i read it that the OP was concerned that by riding in a micklem now she may experience problems when changing to a traditional double later down the road, not that she was planning on riding in a micklem double
 
I use a micklem on one horse due to nerve issues that manifested as discomfort in a traditional design. I wasn't aware of it's use as a gadget for contact issues. I found that I had to ride with more sympathy for the level of rein contact the horse experienced because the design made the responsiveness greater. IIRC you are advised not to use them if you have more unsteady hands, as the horse feels it more?

It is my usual bridle for that horse and when ridden in a double I just introduce it as would from a trad one and have not had issues when competing. I don't overuse the double (use for pre comp session and comp) as the micklem is used for comfort not contact issues (in case that is OP's reason too)
 
LeannePip said:
interesting read this one! just fancied putting my two penneth in since the micklem has compleetly change dmy horses life!



Agreed! i dont understand how they are a piece of 'kit' or in other words a gadget? they are a different bridle that was supposedly designed with the horses anatomic structure in mind rather than tradition. how that constitutes as a gadget i'll never know - where applicable they dont mask a problem, like a typical gadgets do; shanked bits/draw reins/Flashes ect they solve the problem by taking the trigger away which from my expereince is usually discomfort in the traditional bridle. If this is seen as an enhancing piece of kit because its designed with the horses comfort in mid then NS bits and shaped/fairfax girths should also hold the same stigma imo!




I get your point regarding the judge looking closer at the contact because the bridle is 'different', but i dont really agree but then our stances on micklems are different - but how would the judge know if the horse had a problem before the micklem?

I didnt try a micklem as a quick fix for a conatct issue, as far as i was concered the contact was fine, but horse was NOT happy, nothing worked, she was always behind the leg, argumentative every undesirable trait possible. Vets treated her stifles thinking taht was the source, physios treated everywhere else and everything was upto date. it got to the point of try this bridle or retire the horse at 6! the first day i tried it i was soo dissapointed she was exactly the same, if not worse - but the second day, it was like riding a different horse and i wont be looking back, for the first time in her life, i can acctually school her and enjoy doing it :O i dont use it as a fashion piece i think its pretty ghastly but it makes my horse happy so im happy!

im still amused by the fact that people think its a gadget or a piece of kit! times are moving on, traditional doesnt always work forever - those that say they wouldnt use one unless their horse had a problem, why wouldnt you use one? without trying it surely you dont know if your horse will or wont go better in one, you may have a problem that you dont even know about yet! it could be the answer to getting that extra 5%!

as an aside i read it that the OP was concerned that by riding in a micklem now she may experience problems when changing to a traditional double later down the road, not that she was planning on riding in a micklem double
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I completely see where you're coming from, but look at it this way - everyone who has said their horse goes well in a micklem on this thread bar one on my count has put their horse in a micklem because of a problem. Your own horse was unhappy in its way of going, another with a nerve problem, another with Bridle lameness, two with tongue issues etc etc. People either try a micklem to try and alleviate a problem, which in dressage is commonly but not exclusively contact related issues, or else because they have tried a friends/seen other horses go in them aka the fashion aspect. So you can see where it's reputation as a piece of kit for alleviating problems has come from!

From that, yes, I do think it is worth watching a horse in a micklem a bit closer in a dressage ring, in the same way you would a horse in a flash pulled low like a grackle and a hanging snaffle. It draws attention to a possible problem - in the micklems case, often the horse can go much better in it, in which case that attention isn't a problem, but if it ISNT curing a problem for you then it draws unnecessary attention.

Why would I not try one? For that reason. I wouldn't want that extra attention. Someone else may think it is worth it - we don't have issues enough in the contact for me to want to ride in one. I wouldn't ride in a martingale if I didn't think I needed one - it might help me out in those odd extra moments when jumping, but if I don't think I need it then why bother?

I also happen to know my horse doesn't like a drop, or a flash either.

Renvers said:
I use a micklem on one horse due to nerve issues that manifested as discomfort in a traditional design. I wasn't aware of it's use as a gadget for contact issues. I found that I had to ride with more sympathy for the level of rein contact the horse experienced because the design made the responsiveness greater. IIRC you are advised not to use them if you have more unsteady hands, as the horse feels it more?

It is my usual bridle for that horse and when ridden in a double I just introduce it as would from a trad one and have not had issues when competing. I don't overuse the double (use for pre comp session and comp) as the micklem is used for comfort not contact issues (in case that is OP's reason too)
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See, these are absolutely the cases where a micklem comes into it's own, I think. Makes a huge difference. However not all horses see a difference in one (not including the ones who downright hate them!) and I think if it doesn't do wonders for you, then why attract the judges' eye?

In terms of the double, I apologise, on re-reading I think I got the just of the question wrong. Sorry!
 
Just paid £90 for my second, new micklem multi from countrywide in the sale and they sell for that price second hand on ebay.
My TB is going really well in it and not fighting contact half as much, only do the chin strap very loosely on it for most of our riding but he gets a bit keen at xc so its done a bit tighter.
Been using his on my arab bitless so just got him one for himself instead of swapping around all the time. standard bridles dont fit his head very well and rotate to the left, so this holds itself neatly to his face in the correct place at all times without causing any pressure points.
2 very happy horses here
 
I did not buy one to solve an issue, I researched thoroughly as I didn't want to continue using a flash. We use them as standard now on all ours, don't think I would go back to a traditional bridle, much lighter in terms of weight no pressure points. Dressage isn't my game but have to say never been marked down or had additional attention re contact managed to score 69/70+ in most tests.
 
Just thought I'd add, I was at the BD regionals today writing for a list 2 judge. Saw quite a few horses in them in my arena and neighboring arenas and the judge didn't pass comment once! I saw more issues with crank/flashes tbh.
 
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