Figure eight bridles in dressage

[Draftmare]

@BatCoach

I think understand what she means. on a horse with a LONG face / big head, the space between the end of the cheekbone and mouth is longer than what suits a flash style. you can make it work, but you either have to have the caveson really low - which may interfere w/ bit rings or fleshy cheeks - or have the caveson at the correct height, but the flash will inevitably stretch the noseband down and create a pressure point on the the nasal bone. I may be doing a poor job of explaining this, but in my experience w/ a large faced-horse I found the the flash just wasn’t a good fit.

That is exactly my problem.

I ended up picking up the Micklem Diamonte with the english leather while Rambo products were on sale today. Had a gift certificate too so it made it pretty reasonable. I am hopeful that I might like the leather better. Supposedly it has a wider noseband too.

[Belowthesalt]

Figure eights are more of an eventer thing, but they certainly are legal. I do remember a long-ago article by judge Jeffrey Ashton Moore in the California Dressage Society newsletter where he opined that while they are legal, he just didn’t like the “look” - he referred to it as looking “trussed up like a Christmas turkey.” One man’s opinion, obviously, and he didn’t say he’d mark down for it, just that he didn’t care for the look. He also didn’t like black gloves (“look like a cat burglar”) and over-large saddle pads. shrug When I was eventing, I used a figure-eight for cross-country, but not for the dressage phase. Just switched out the figure-eight for a regular cavesson.

[leheath]

@Draftmare It really depends on why your horse likes the Micklem. Mine likes it because it primarily avoids the facial nerves and, to a lesser extent, because it doesn’t press the cheeks into the teeth (determined through multiple bridle configuration experiments). However, today I discovered that the crownpiece is/was still uncomfortable for her - an even more anatomical crown piece on the PS of Sweden High Jump bridle offers the same benefits as the Micklem in the nose area plus more room for the ears. First the first time ever, she didn’t rub her ears like crazy after I took the bridle off. Happy day!

That said, the leather on the Micklem competition bridles is quite nice (although not quite as nice as the PS of Sweden, in my opinion) so if that bridle works for your horse and you are not trying to solve any particular problem, then your new purchase should be just the ticket!

[Draftmare]

@leheath

@Draftmare It really depends on why your horse likes the Micklem. Mine likes it because it primarily avoids the facial nerves and, to a lesser extent, because it doesn’t press the cheeks into the teeth (determined through multiple bridle configuration experiments). However, today I discovered that the crownpiece is/was still uncomfortable for her - an even more anatomical crown piece on the PS of Sweden High Jump bridle offers the same benefits as the Micklem in the nose area plus more room for the ears. First the first time ever, she didn’t rub her ears like crazy after I took the bridle off. Happy day!

That said, the leather on the Micklem competition bridles is quite nice (although not quite as nice as the PS of Sweden, in my opinion) so if that bridle works for your horse and you are not trying to solve any particular problem, then your new purchase should be just the ticket!

For her I am fairly certain that it is the difference in the noseband that she likes. She has always had a padded monocrown bridle, but the change in the noseband style seems to be really encouraging her to stay quite in the mouth and not fling her head around as much. Just wish it looked a little better on her giant head!!

I am really hoping that the Micklem Diamonte with the english leather is as nice as the tack shop made it sound. It is also suppose to have a wider noseband than the regular Micklem. I am a bit nervous that the tack shop I ordered from was the only tack shop anywhere that offered the bridle in brown. I just checked on the order and it is still in pending status.

[leheath]

I agree, I don’t think the Micklem bridles are particularly flattering on most horses’ heads, but I guess we have to go with what works for their comfort! I’ve never seen a competition Micklem in brown, but then again, I always go for black, so haven’t been looking. Hope it comes through for you!

[purplnurpl]

@SendenHorse

that is why people might use a flash, too. same function.

This is incorrect.