Visiting over here from the Dressage Forum. I’m trying a friend’s Micklem Bridle and I think I am going to buy one. She has the one with the plain noseband and the Disma te crystal brow band. Dover Saddlery has a Deluxe Competition Bridle with or without the Diamante. It has stitching on the noseband and brow band. SmartPak has one that they call the Deluxe Competition Bridle and they say it is English leather. They look like the same bridle but Dover’s price is $269 - $289 and SmartPak wants $100 more. Are they the same Bridle? I looked on Horseware’s website and I do not see one that advertises English leather. Wondering if maybe SmartPak has it made special. Does anyone here know? Or is Dover’s and SmartPak the same thing?
Interesting. I have the Deluxe competition bridle with the stitching, but it is not English leather. The leather is not that much nicer than the regular Micklem. I pre-ordered mine from Adam’s and at that time it was less than $250.
Dover also has “Premium Deluxe” Micklems listed which are similar in price to the “English leather” ones at Smartpak. I’m guessing those are the same model, and may actually be made with nicer leather.
The plain old “Deluxe” model Dover has is probably the similar imported leather to the regular Micklem Competition Bridle, just fancied up with a nicer browband and stitching. I’m guessing that’s the one kcmel has.
This is all speculation of course … I just have the regular micklem and dress it up with a fancier browband for competition!
My horse absolutely loves it and I must have one. I don’t need the reins but figure I can sell them. So where can I get one for the best price does anyone know? Also comma just came from Dover and the ones they have in stock or thinner. The noseband is probably a good quarter inch thinner than the one I am using which is just the plain competition bridle all very confusing.
PMing
My husband got mine for me from ridingwarehouse.com around Black Friday and it was 20% off last year. Mine is the deluxe competition with the fancy stitching. The discount made it the same price as the competition model- so around $180?
The bridles that are made of English leather will say so in the product description, and they are the most expensive. Dover calls it the “Premium Competition Bridle”, and Smartpak’s is the “Deluxe Competition in English Leather.” The other bridles are made from imported leather. The multibridles I know are made in India.
I just ordered a multibridle from Cork Farm Equestrian, and they carry the English leather version of the competition bridle: http://www.corkfarmequestrian.co.uk/Desktop-Product.aspx?ProdId=4310 . They also carry the Diamante version in English leather: http://www.corkfarmequestrian.co.uk/Desktop-Product.aspx?ProdId=4311
In US dollars, that’s 261.06 and 273.56 respectively. Shipping (including VAT) for my bridle was $22. It would be a little more for this one, as the tax would be a little higher. Still, it’s a whole lot better than $399 from Dover. http://www.doversaddlery.com/rambo-micklem-prem-comp-bridle/p/X1-120122/?ids=k543fgqjekhp1sjus2vy52yz
(Cork Farm Eq. was FABULOUS! My bridle arrived (I’m in the NC mountains) in 6 days, and was in perfect condition.)
Thanks everyone.
Can I tack on here? For a horse who is somewhat between a cob and horse in US sizes what would you order? The browband is too small on cob bridles but we have to punch holes in the cheekpieces etc typically. Thanks!
[QUOTE=snowrider;8884324]
Can I tack on here? For a horse who is somewhat between a cob and horse in US sizes what would you order? The browband is too small on cob bridles but we have to punch holes in the cheekpieces etc typically. Thanks![/QUOTE]
My Tiny TB wears a cob in Edgewood, Wellfleet, etc. on nearly the top holes, and I got the regular horse size in a Micklem. I think they run smallish esp the strap around the cheeks. Not sure I could buckle anything any bigger, he is on the next to last hole in the horse. He does have a pretty big cheek, though, despite his petite head.
I think I am going to order my bridle in the English leather today. Does anyone have it? How does the fit and leather quality compare to the regular Competition bridle?
[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8884441]
My Tiny TB wears a cob in Edgewood, Wellfleet, etc. on nearly the top holes, and I got the regular horse size in a Micklem. I think they run smallish esp the strap around the cheeks. Not sure I could buckle anything any bigger, he is on the next to last hole in the horse. He does have a pretty big cheek, though, despite his petite head.[/QUOTE]
I second this. They do tend to run a bit small. I ordered up one size, and the horse size fits my 14.1 gelding really well, except that the strap under the jowl could be a bit longer.
Inclined,
Cork Farm does not include the reins in the prices. They do not sell reins with the bridles anymore. Just FYI. Still $285 to my door including everything is a lot better than $388 since I don’t want the reins anyway
Wonder if I could dye the white stitching on the nose so it is all black. I am a dressage rider so of course the white stitching on the nose makes me cringe.
[QUOTE=Halfling;8884968]
Inclined,
Cork Farm does not include the reins in the prices. They do not sell reins with the bridles anymore. Just FYI. Still $285 to my door including everything is a lot better than $388 since I don’t want the reins anyway[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the clarification! I had a pair of reins with the regular competition bridle, but they weren’t my favorite. They seemed large and stiff. I prefer old broken in laced reins usually.
Thanks so much all! I would have ordered the wrong side without you!
[QUOTE=Halfling;8884971]
Wonder if I could dye the white stitching on the nose so it is all black. I am a dressage rider so of course the white stitching on the nose makes me cringe.[/QUOTE]
I don’t know why you couldn’t. I darkened a pair of cheek pieces that were old and faded to match the rest of my dark brown snaffle bridle, and it worked fine. Definitely wouldn’t hurt to try. When I repair tack, I use dental floss and dye it with the appropriate Kiwi shoe polish before I begin stitching. It’s worked pretty well, though I wouldn’t recommend Kiwi for a bridle noseband. Fiebings leather dye works pretty well, IMO.
[QUOTE=Halfling;8884446]
I think I am going to order my bridle in the English leather today. Does anyone have it? How does the fit and leather quality compare to the regular Competition bridle?[/QUOTE]
I really don’t think there is “english leather” Micklems… at least not in the sense you’re thinking. Unless Micklem changed their leather plant in the last year, it’s still made in India.
“English Leather” is a marketing grab, as people understandably correlate it with Sedgewick leather, which is a quality (vegetable) tanned leather. What the marketing gurgle “English Leather” usually means is english-sourced leather tanned in India - usually, this leather is on par with Indian-sourced leathers tanned in India and really in terms of quality is no different than the fully-Indian counterpart.
While India is not always synonymous with “poor quality” (there are other nice brands out there who source in India as well) it should be pointed out that Micklems are not true ‘English’ or Sedgewick leather.
I would not believe anything written up in the ‘DESCRIPTION’ of anything other than the Manufacturer. Vendors (Smartpak, Dover, etc) tend to write their own descriptions and do take great liberty when describing the product. As someone who has had to go through and check the veracity of their descriptions (having worked for a manufacturer) I was surprised by some of the liberties taken.
Now, as far as the difference between the two as I worked at a company that stocked them: the Deluxe is softer, but it’s still the same type of leather. It’s a little wider, has more of a top-grain feel, but still has that cardboardy texture the Micklem is famous for. My estimation would be that they might have altered the tanning process a little to produce a better feel in the Deluxe.
If you’re used to better leather you will be disappointed. I always liked the idea of the Micklem but could never get behind paying the ~$275-300 when I could buy a quality brand like Kieffer or Passier for the same price or less.
There difference could be one is the deluxe Micklem and one is the regular.
[edit]
[QUOTE=TaraB_Connected _Rider;8919875]
There difference could be one is the deluxe Micklem and one is the regular.
[edit][/QUOTE]
okay but you didn’t answer her question. you just plugged for your own company and violated the no-advertising rule; not very discretely either. 
