I was watching dressage today at Fair Hill and I saw SO many horses going in what I would assume were Micklem Bridles .
I was watching the 3 star, 1 star and advanced and there was at least 2, often more in each division.
I’m not one to jump on bandwagons hoping for miracles, but I’m always willing to learn… why are so many people riding in them?
Because they affect the way the bit applies pressure and affect the skull differently than a standard bridle. The bit is held in a different position. It is an innovative design, and is a refreshing attempt at trying to create a more ergonomic, horse-friendly bridle.
Me? I don’t like them. They apply more pressure on the poll (bad) than standard cavessons do (the pressure applied on the poll correlates DIRECTLY with how tight the noseband is, BTW- and for Micklems, you have to have the noseband very secure to get the rest of the bridle to function properly) and I also see them adjusted and fitted incorrectly constantly, which IMHO does more harm than good.
I’ve handled a couple Micklems, and their quality is ALL over the board - some are cheap, cardboady feeling and others are more appropriate for the price tag.
I tell most people who ask if it is a good fit for their horse - unless their horse anatomically needs a physically different cavesson (IE, maybe rubs or sarcoids on the face, extreme cheek sensitivity, etc) it isn’t worth the money. They are very similar to drop nosebands in terms of pressure and affect - if people are deadset on trying the Micklem, I usually suggest trying a drop/hanoverian noseband first. Can you tell I worked at a tack store and dealt with Mickelm RAs constantly?!
Anecdotally, every horse I’ve tried in a Micklem has hated them - but they were sensitive TBs (one particularly in the poll region).
If you do a search, you’ll find lots of different posts. I personally love them! They seem to get my horse to “seek” contact more, and I feel like my horses like them.
YMMV.
We have a couple horses who go in them at our barn. Night and day difference for those horses. I think it completely depends on the horse. Some really really like them (FWIW two are OTTBs and one WBx). None of the horses I ride go in one but to me, they are worth a try. Your horse will either like it or not.
Love them! I am not a faddist but omg, this bridle has totally changed how my horses go in terms of connecting, seeking the bridle, etc. I now have three of them and am working on getting a fourth.
I agree about the variable quality. I have one of the combination ones and it is noticeably cheaper than the other two. I am not sure if this is a coincidence or if they actually use inferior leather on the combo bridle.
I have ridden one training horse who did NOT like the Micklem and this is a older TB who has a lot of connection issues. Other than that one, I have two OTTBs, and four others who are doing very well in the Micklem, and several previous horses who have done well.
I wish the Micklem had fit my horse, but she seems to have a bizarrely proportioned head that you only notice when trying to fit things like the Micklem bridle to it 
I use a Michlam on one of my horses–he has a head reminsent of a moose (sans Antlers). The bit remains in a steady quiet position on his head. He much prefers this bridle. It made no difference on any other horse I tried it on. Possibly the shape of the noseband portion fits his moose head with put squeezing or rubbing on jaw bones.
Of course Moose are quite sensitve beongs.
Quality is on par with other tack–over time the leather seems to get softer. Stitching good.
Both of my mares go in Micklem bridles. One of them is an OTTB. I have found them to work well for both horses.
My only complaint is that both bridles have stretched out a whole lot. I know that leather stretches, but both bridles have stretched by 4 holes under the cheek and 3 holes under the chin. :o My other bridles may have stretched one or two holes, but not 4.
I ride both of my horses in plain snaffles for all 3 phases.
My Chiropractor just adjusted both girls and did not express any issues with their polls, so I guess that the “action on their polls” is not causing any problems. 
Funny this thread came up. I just got my Miklem a few days ago. I have a horse that had begun tossing his head on one canter lead and it had been getting progressively worse. After ruling out a dozen other possible causes, someone suggested trying a Miklem since they are supposed to fit more comfortably. I just did my first ride in it yesterday. My horse initially seemed confused about having something tied around his mouth and he did several starts/stops at the canter when he felt the pressure coming from a different place. Once he got used to it, he did seem to stretch more into the bit at the canter and the head flipping was almost non-existent. I’m not sure I like how it feels on the other end of the rein. It’s a little dead feeling, but then I was using the thick rubber reins it came with. I’m still fiddling with the fit and am going to try it my reins tomorrow, but the overall feeling was a more relaxed horse. I am guilty of noisy hands, so if anything this bridle took some noise out to of the equation on my side since all the pressure is not on the bit.
My mare likes hers a good bit, but she would like to file a protest that it is much harder for her to snatch grass while wearing it!
I’ve been pleased with how she has done in it, but it hasn’t been magikal in making her itchy face syndrome disappear completely. It just takes longer to get to the point where she is trying to scratch her face on my boot when she is wearing the Micklem.
I also like the way it looks on her face better, so there’s that.
Works great on my mare - she’s really sensitive around the cheeks and this is the first bridle I’ve found that doesn’t dig into her face in strange spots.
Made a big difference on my last horse, who had many sensitivity issues. It doesn’t make a bit of difference on my current OTTB, but there is less leather to clean, so I use it.
I have the competition bridle in brown and black, and the multibridle. I put them all in oil to soak for a day when I got them. People have asked on multiple occasions why the leather on my Micklems is superior. It’s not, I am just aggressive about suppling it up. 
Love mine. Ride all three of mine in it and they all seem very happy in it. Would not hesitate to buy another.
Every horse I touch gets worked in a Micklem. My OTTB mare to my 17yr old veteran AQHA. My mare was horrible about being bridled when I first got her and now she drops her head and accepts. I’ve used the clips even and the horses respond really well. Once you get the hang of them I also find it much easier to put on a horse than a regular snaffle, since it’s all one piece.
Note to those having problems with the poll pressure… The nose straps are NOT supposed to be tight! It is not supposed to increase poll pressure, that is why it is padded and wider with cut outs behind the ears… The nose straps should just lay against the skin snugness wise, so as to keep the bridle in place.
The correct function of a Micklem, as I understand it, is to give you a way to hang a bit on the horse with as little discomfort and interference to the horse as possible.
I have several Micklems, my horses go great in them. My mare went from requiring a Gag on xc to a Micklem with a Nathe snaffle.
tbchick84,
I use other reins, instead of the ones that come with the bridle. I, too, have found the rubber too thick to be comfortable. I have thin rubber reins that I use cross country and rubber lined leather reins that I use for dressage and SJ.
I try many things and stick with those that work. I hate the reins on these (switch out to my BoB ones), but love the bridles. My OTTBs often love the steadiness they provide and current WBx mare is going much better in it than anything else we tried.
Thanks Auburn. Good to know. I’m going to ride with my Thinline reins tomorrow. I love those things. Glad to see so many people love this bridle.
My TB loves his Micklem and my Arabian is indifferent to it. The TB was very, very fussy with his head in a cavesson, a figure 8, and a flash. It took a couple of rides but he settled down and has completely stopped fussing. My Arabian would prefer to be bridleless so is no happier in the Micklem than anything else I have tried so I don’t use it on him.
So, I just got the memo and we are converted. I am not sure why, but there is a noticeable difference. Tonight, I am oiling tack ;).
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
