Have any riders on here used an elevator bit with a Micklem bridle?
I have been riding my TB in a Micklem for the last eight months which is absolutely wonderful, but we have decided to try to add a bit with slight leverage. We used a 2 ring elevator yesterday. I attached the top ring (for poll control) to the bit loops of bridle, then attached the bit clips to the large main rings of the bit (my horse likes the clips on the bits for stability much better). Since he has a sensitive mouth and we didn’t want too much leverage right away, I attached the reins to the main ring instead of the bottom ring.
We definitely noticed more control jumping (which is what we needed it for), but I was wondering if it gave the same pressure on the poll that it would in a normal bridle since the design of the Micklem is different? I have never tried using a leverage bit in a Micklem and we are moving up from a French link loose ring to a French link 2 ring elevator (although not putting the rein on the bottom ring yet, as I previously mentioned). This switch is for stadium so far. We have not schooled XC in it yet. Oddly, he is not as bold jumping in the open as he is in a ring.
UPDATE on bold, brave, and craziness post from a month or two ago:
By the way, we did the exercises that many people suggested last month (jumping every ride and not doing typical routine: walk, trot, canter then jump… instead walk, trot, maybe add a cross rail, back to walk, then canter, etc…) and it has helped. He still jumps ground poles, but in a much more gentleman like manner…lol. We moved to a new farm and have two trainers now, our eventing trainer (whom I adore, but is busy competing) and the trainer that resides at new farm (her specialty is H/J/E) so she is really helping with the stadium jumping. He has made HUGE progress. Out of nowhere he started getting flying changes. It happened unexpectedly. We were in a lesson, the other student was doing flys, we were doing simples, we came across the diagonal planning for a simple and out of nowhere, BOOM! Flying change. Now he’s hooked. He thinks he’s a flying lead change rockstar and does autos. Any who, just had to share that update!
We have a clinic with Dom Schramm in two weeks. I’m so excited and so nervous! I couldn’t afford all 3 phases so we are signed up for stadium since that seems to be our biggest issue. I’ll definitely post an update afterward!
