I want to get an anatomic bridle. Is it worth the money for the PS of Sweden or Schockenmohle brands versus brands like Collegiate? What about the Micklem, I have seen reviews that the present day leather quality is not as good as earlier ones?
Also, flash attachment … Or not?
I have a Micklem, I think the leather quality is fine. As it would happen my horse doesn’t like it so I’m not using it, but when I did I was happy with it. I can’t speak to the others…
They are not really lower priced, but I recently got a Montar bridle and like it better than PS Sweden (I had a PS Nirak). The Micklem quality is fine, but it is kind of clunky looking, IMO, which is why I replaced my Micklem with the Nirak for my refined, feminine mare. The Montar has an integrated throatlatch, so you don’t have to worry about the silly PS throatlatch that snaps onto the browband. If you keep an eye out, you can get a Montar at a discount. I bought their drop noseband from horsebyhorse.com when they were having a 20% off sale, then I nabbed a Normandie snaffle bridle that was on clearance half price from another site so it was <$200.
Edit: I looked at some of the lower-priced bridles with similar noseband designs, and most of them still have a noseband strap that runs through the crown piece, instead of being integrated with the crownpiece. This adds bulk/lumps right near the TMJ, and sometimes the buckles end up laying on top of each other. The Montar and brands you mentioned have the cheek and noseband straps as splits from the crown piece, so they lay nicely flat, which theoretically should be more comfortable.
I have several PS of Sweden bridles. I love the designs but the leather is poor quality relative to the price. My Schockemohle double seems to be good quality, but its new enough that I can’t speak to longevity. I also have some lower prices bridles that are quite nice - Smartpak and Kavalkade.
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I am not impressed with the quality of PS of Sweden, Micklem, or Schockemohle.
I’ve had lots of quality issues with Schockemohle in particular, when I was doing inventory/quality control for a big tack company. Years after this job, I bought the Equitus Delta because I loved the concept, and it broke on me almost immediately.
I love PS Of Sweden’s designs but the leather quality is on par with Micklem, mid-grade at best, and I don’t find they clean up well for shows (they look dingy, rather than getting the “well used patina” of other bridles).
What kind of “anatomic” are you looking for? Crown, noseband? Many quality brands (like Kieffer, Stubben, Passier) now have anatomic/ergonomic lines
I like my Eponia bridle. It’s great leather for the price, I paid $150 for it and it came with reins. It’s nicer quality than my Passier, and it is sturdy and always cleans up well.
He gets rubs from the cavesson noseband. Plus, he’s 28 and the side bones on his face are getting more pronounced.
I don’t mind the look so much as I don’t show. I really want soft, supple leather.
I find the price point of POS laughable. The quality isn’t exceptional, the leather isn’t absolutely amazing. I purchased a Horze brand bridle, absolutely LOVE it, its supple and for just over $130 its lovely.
Purchased this one from Urban Horseware in Australia, I’m in Canada. It was worth it.
https://www.urbanhorsewear.com/products/horze-sandhurst-bridle
Didn’t care for the brow band, but I have another brow band that I use that is full of gems so I wasn’t yay or nay on the browband. The padding on the poll is great, the noseband has great padding too. Highly recommend.
I wonder, and would appreciate opinions, if I could get the same results with a regular snaffle bridle or a figure 8 with padded leather.
Why not? A lot of anatomical solutions lie in having an appropriately fitted bridle.
Many manufacturers do not make browbands long enough. That’s the first thing towards making a bridle more comfortable – go up a size or two on the browband, so that the browband is not pulling the crownpiece forward and resting on the temples.
A comfort crowd (padded) with a lengthened browband can really change the comfort for the better.
Nosebands depend on tightness, and configuration. A tighter noseband puts more pressure directly on the poll.
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Agree with the Schockemohle and PSOS bridles. leather is MEH for the price. Not impressed at all with my equitis bridle other than my horse loves it, and I didnt pay full price. Definitely would not for a Schockemohle.
The nicest quality I have found is antares, but the price is not low. They have a really nice anatomical line.
The nicest leather I’ve seen recently is from smaller places - Halter Ego and Solo Equine - but I don’t think of either as particularly anatomical.
OP: if you are mostly worried about the cheek bones, you can buy a noseband that is one size larger than the horse - so the cheek pieces sit farther back from the bones. Then punch a whole bunch of extra holes in the crank strap, or replace it with a smaller size.
If you are also worried about the teeth, you can buy a figure 8 noseband with a ring at the top, or a drop, or one or the newer styles. Just in terms of PS of Sweden since I know theirs best, Paragon/Palladin, High Jump, Jump Off, and Pioneer might all accomplish that goal.
If you give us some guidance on what your worries are and what style you think might work, we can help you find the pieces you need 
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I just purchased a Collegiate Comfitec for my gelding. I didn’t want t spend big bucks on a schooling bridle and I didn’t see the difference in leather quality comparing the Comfitec to the Micklem. The bridle he came with was so so tight over his poll and the browband and he also has a lump under his ear, so I needed something that was wider around he ears so nothing would sit right on the lump. I like the Comfitec. I think the leather is quite nice and soft for the price point, and I think he likes it too. He’s been a bit difficult to bridle, and I didn’t know if it was just left over naughtiness from taking advantage of his previous owner, or unhappiness over his ill-fitting bridle. Or both. But I can quite easily bridle him now, so I’m guessing a more comfortable bridle is helping. I’m not one to crank a flash. I just like it to sit in such a way that it keeps the bit still, and it’s quite easy to do with this bridle.
I have gotten the “doubtful leather” of the Micklem Multi-Bridle and mid-range English bridles enticingly soft and supple.
I rub A LOT of lard into the leather (AVOID ALL RUBBER AND METAL), lots and lots of lard. The first larding I work it in three times, same the next day, I try to ride with it on the horse, than another full larding.
The leather softens up and becomes supple, and the leather stays that way for months, years if you are not using the gear. Beyond wiping off after use and doing the lard once every year or two, I do not have to do much to have supple soft bridles that rival the extremely expensive bridles.
Once the leather feels soft and supple do not reapply the lard, if you do the leather will get way too supple and will need to dry out a few months (one time I got too enthusiastic with an old dried up saddle.) Wait to use the lard again until the leather stops feeling soft and supple.
Is there any reason for the cavesson on his bridle? I’ve been riding rather elderly horses and they are happier without nosebands.
What about a dropped noseband? I think a figure 8 would work also. The first time I saw a Micklem, I thought it was very clever advertising, it’s essentially just a fresh take on the figure 8 design. ”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹
If you don’t show, and are concerned about cheekbone rubs, you could remove the noseband for sure, but the only anatomic I can think of that moves the side straps appreciably is the stubben freedom.
Can some one comment on the smartpak version? I have a micklem and like it but its not as ‘pretty’ as some of the others and the one I have is slightly small for my horse anyways. The smartpak one looks like a reasonable option.
If you’re talking about the Harwich Ergonomic bridle, the bit attaches like a standard bridle, so it would work differently than a Micklem, where the bit is more connected to the nosepiece. It also looks to have the issue with bulk at the TMJ area that I mentioned in my previous post.
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Hi! His only fault is he likes to root and flip his nose at me and pull the reins looser. Would a certain type of bridle help counteract that? That’s just at the walk, tooo.
If the noseband bothers him just leave it off.
Flipping and rooting is some combination of mouth pain, long time training issues, and rider hands. It’s unlikely to be the strap goods per se.
I would have a good dental vet look at his teeth.
I would also suggest trying him in a bitless configuration, either a mechanical hackamore or a side pull on a loose rein. If he stops fussing the problem is in the bit and mouth.
I don’t know how much reschooling you want or can do on a 28 year old horse. But you might just see if your own hands are following him and what happens on a loose rein.
It only happens when he is walking, usually home, on a loose rein. When he is on contact, he doesn’t.
So many choices!!!
