Tributes have been paid to the much-loved sports horse stallion Jackaroo, who was put down on 28 June aged 16.

“So very sad to report that today we said goodbye to Jackaroo,” said William Micklem. “A deteriorating situation with a damaged foreleg gave us no other option.”

Jackaroo was by Master Imp and out of the point-to-point-winning mare High Dolly, who was by Chair Lift.

Jackaroo was known to be approximately 96% thoroughbred, and a much sought-after stallion. His two full brothers are High Kingdom, the five-star stalwart and Olympic team silver medal-winning ride of Zara Tindall at London 2012, and Mandiba, who was ridden at the Beijing Olympics and the 2010 World Equestrian Games by Karen O’Connor.

William said Jackaroo was “always pleased to see you”.

“To say he was loved would be an understatement. Like his Chair Lift dam, High Dolly, and his Olympic full brothers, Mandiba and High Kingdom, he combined an extraordinary gentleness with both joie de vivre and courage,” he said.

“He was just two days old when vet Cormac Hassett MRCVS carried him away from his dead mother, but he survived to become a favourite with all he came into contact with.

“He lived a 15-year life of freedom in a 25-acre section of glorious Wicklow, but special thanks to Gina McCann for her gentle care during his working holidays at Hartwell Stud.”

William said Jackaroo leaves “several high-class performers”, including five of his offspring who have achieved top-10 eventing finishes and working hunter championships in the last fortnight.

“I have two performance-proved broodmares out of his gorgeous full sister Nuff Kisses, both by Puissance, who I know will add significantly to the family story,” said William.

“How lucky I am to have these extraordinary genes and to have had Jackaroo in my life.”

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When the Nicky Henderson-trained Wenyerreadyfreddie triumphed in the Ascot Underwriting Chase on Saturday (3 November), eagle-eyed racing fans may have noticed his bridle looked a little unusual.

The seven-year-old chestnut gelding was, in fact, sporting a Micklem bridle — most commonly seen on competition horses and very rarely on the racecourse.

The Micklem is designed to avoid the sensitive areas on a horse’s head by fitting higher up on the nose where the bone is thicker and avoiding any inward pressure on the molar teeth.

Pressure on the poll is also minimised because the headpiece is a single strap that is wide and padded. The bit is attached to the nosepiece to reduce pressure on the tongue or mouth.

Whereas grackle or cross nosebands are often seen on jumping racehorses’ bridles, you are less likely to see a Micklem bridle being used.

“Wenyerreadyfreddie is particularly funny about his head and is very sensitive in the poll area,” explained Nicky, champion National Hunt trainer.

“We think he might have had a knock on the head at some point, because he is funny about things like loading into the horsebox too,” he added of the son of Beneficial, who joined the Lambourn yard in November 2016.

“He always carried his head high as well. I can’t remember who actually told me about the Micklem bridle, but we tried it out on him and it was very successful, so we kept him in it. Now he is ridden every day — both at home and in races — in a Micklem.

“His stable lass, Katie, rides him each day and she says it makes a huge difference to the way he goes.”

Continued below…

The Micklem bridle: what you need to know

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The gelding has run eight times for Nicky, recording two wins and is rarely out of the placings.

So will we see other trainers following Nicky’s lead? Only time will tell…

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Described as ‘a kind and sympathetic bridle for horses that are sensitive in the mouth’, Lottie Butler finds out how the Micklem bridle works

How did it begin?

Forty years ago, William Micklem (pictured), an international coach, speaker and author, began thinking about an alternative bridle and noseband for horses. Twenty years ago, he produced his first prototype. Now, the Micklem bridle is approaching sales of 1,000 a week.

There are two types of bridle available — the competition bridle and the multibridle, which functions as a bridle, a lunge cavesson, a bitless bridle and a headcollar. The competition bridle is available in a choice of styles including plain leather, with a raised and stitched noseband and browband, and a diamante browband option.

What makes the Micklem bridle so popular?

Jenny Leggate, trainer and founder of Equibuddy, a charity that uses equestrian vaulting to help people with learning difficulties and disabilities, has been using the Micklem bridle on all of her horses for over three years.

“The Micklem bridle is fantastic as you can swap seamlessly between lunging and riding without a fuss. You can also adjust the bridle to be ridden bitless without removing it, and the design also enables you to share the contact when riding and leading.”

In addition to versatility, the design of the Micklem bridle takes into account the shape and physiology of a horse’s skull, avoiding potential pressure points that can be found on traditional bridles.

“When you fit the bridle, you are much more aware of how it sits on the horse, and can make many alterations to ensure it is the very best fit. They are simply much more comfortable for the horse,” says Jenny.

William explains some of the principles behind the design: “The horse’s top jaw is substantially wider than the lower jaw, and so a tight cavesson or flash noseband can squash the delicate tissue inside the mouth between the edge of their top jaw molar teeth and the pressure from the noseband. As such, horses that try to open their mouth while wearing a tight noseband can end up with bruising or lacerations inside the mouth.

“Cavesson nosebands can put pressure on the motor and sensory nerves for the lower half of the horse’s head. This can result in numbness around the nose and mouth, which is why so many horses rub their noses on their forelegs after work. Similarly, dropped nosebands sit on the delicate two ends of the nose bones, both no wider than a pencil. This can cause discomfort and, if a horse resists, serious damage to the bone.”

How does the Micklem bridle work?

A Micklem bridle avoids these sensitive areas by fitting higher up on the nose where the bone is thicker, and avoiding any inward pressure on the molar teeth. Pressure on the poll is also minimised as the headpiece is a single strap that is wide, shaped and padded. Similarly, the bit is attached to the nose-piece to avoid any pressure on the tongue or bars of the mouth.

“The Micklem is a very kind and sympathetic bridle for horses that are sensitive in the mouth,” says eventer Harry Meade. “It’s very good for a horse who drops or evades the contact. The bridle doesn’t have long cheek pieces, which means there is much less movement and the bit is very static, so it helps the horse to settle and accept the bit.”

Sharon White, an event rider based in West Virginia, has also found the bridle useful for horses that are sensitive in the mouth. “It is designed completely for the horse’s comfort, and puts equal amounts of pressure on all areas of the horse’s skull,” she says. “We have found it particularly good on horses who stick their tongues out or are generally fussy in the mouth.”

American event rider Lauren Billys went from riding in a long shank pelham to a rubber D-ring snaffle for all three phases after trying her horse in a Micklem. “The horse had a wonderful movement, but was very tight in her jaw and struggled to be completely supple. She would also itch her head persistently every time I took her bridle off,” she explains. “Since I’ve started using the Micklem bridle, she’s much more consistent – steady and ready for each aid! And the head itching has stopped.”

What sort of horses are they suitable for?

Suitable for all levels and disciplines and approved by the FEI for international competitions, a growing number of amateur and professional riders are using the Micklem bridle — from Pony Club to National Hunt, British Eventing to Riding for the Disabled.

“Fitting bits and nosebands is a bit of an art, and so the Micklem is a very useful addition to our tackroom,” concludes Harry.

Micklem bridle options

Rambo Micklem Multibridle

Colours: Brown or black | Sizes: Pony, small horse, standard horse or large horse |

Designed to comfortably fit the shape of the horse’s skull, avoiding pressure on sensitive areas, the Multibridle can be used as a bridle, lunge cavesson or as a bitless bridle with three strength options. It comes with tongue protection clips, bit straps, curb groove strap and strong bitless strap.

In the UK? View now at naylors.com

Rambo Micklem Original Competition Bridle

Colours: Dark Havana or black | Sizes: Pony, small horse, standard horse or large horse |

This show quality bridle is made from hand-finished leather with soft padding on the headpiece, browband, noseband and cheekpieces. It comes with tongue protection bit clips and two sets of bit straps. It cannot be used as a bitless bridle or lunge cavesson.

In the UK? View now at gsequestrian.co.uk, naylors.com or sportsdirect.com

Rambo Micklem Deluxe Competition Bridle

Colours: Dark Havana or black | Sizes: Pony, small horse, standard horse or large horse |

Like the Original Competition Bridle, this is made from hand finished leather with soft padding on the headpiece, browband, noseband and cheekpieces. It also comes with tongue protection bit clips and two sets of bit straps, and dannot be used as a bitless bridle or lunge Cavesson. It has a wider nose piece, plus a raised nose and browband with contrasting fancy stitch detail.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

Rambo Micklem Diamante Competition Bridle

Colours: Black | Sizes: Pony, small horse, standard horse or large horse |

Like the Deluxe Competition Bridle, this is made from hand finished leather with soft padding on the headpiece, browband, noseband and cheekpieces. It also comes with tongue protection bit clips and two sets of bit straps, and dannot be used as a bitless bridle or lunge Cavesson. It has a wider nose piece and diamante effect studs in the browband.

In the UK? View now at gsequestrian.co.uk or sportsdirect.com

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

International coach William Micklem offers advice on teaching your horse to have a "fifth leg" going cross-country — in an effort to make your round safer

If you want to jump safely, the fundamental aim in training should be to develop your horse’s ability to look after himself. If your horse looks at what he is jumping, makes automatic alterations, has quick reactions when getting too close or far away from a fence, or when slipping or tripping, he can be said to have a “fifth leg”. All horses should have a fifth-leg training programme as part of their preparation, especially for cross-country.

Fifth-leg training is about teaching the horse to use his brain and take responsibility for the jumping and is a vital part of your safety. It is the one area that is frequently neglected in the training of event horses. The pay-off is that training in this way will allow room for error.

1. Self-carriage

Allow your horse to be in self-carriage. Train over grids frequently, using little or no contact and a variety of obstacles and terrain at slow speeds. Do not try to support your horse through the reins because this only restricts the use of the head and neck and encourages your horse to take more weight forward as he tries to lean on the contact. The reins should always be used as a communication point, not an attempt at a support point.

2. Turn-out terrain

As far as possible, even just for his holidays, turn your horse out on hillsides and in fields with varied terrain so that he gets used to going up and down hills. This is especially important for a young horse. Try and buy a horse that has had this experience and avoid those that have only experienced a flat arena and minimal turnout. Watching horses gallop freely and nimbly over undulating fields should also encourage any riders to trust their horses to look after themselves and whoever is on top.

3. Riding terrain

When hacking, deliberately walk, trot, and canter up and down banks and over undulating ground. You may not live in the country or in an area suitable for hacking, but this is of such benefit to your horse that you should consider transporting him to somewhere with good hacking on a frequent basis, so that he learns to become more agile.

4. Loose-schooling

With the help of a coach, practise loose-schooling your horse — without a rider or tack — over fences. This will teach the horse to make decisions about how to respond to exercises without relying on his rider to guide him. This is not easy to do without the right facilities, so get together with some friends, hire the right facility and loose-school a number of horses on the same day.

Continued below…

85 cross-country courses and schooling venues for hire across the country

5. Minimal interference

During jumping training, make sure you interfere with the horse’s jump as little as possible. It is difficult to sit still and make only the smallest of changes as you ride. But, if you can, it will greatly benefit your horse’s fifth-leg training because he is being allowed to take more responsibility for the effort needed and for making small changes to the take-off point.

6. ‘Watch’ exercises

Put logs or sleepers in front of every stable door, between fields and along riding tracks. In this way, your horse will have to practise watching where he is going, where he puts his feet and developing his coordination. This is particularly important for young horses.

7. Banks and water

Build solid, wide banks around your yard, along the side of the drive and between paddocks suitable for jumping at a slow speed on a regular basis. Then, using small solid sides, permanently fill a natural dip, in or near the yard, with water (including channels for drainage) and then ride through it daily. This might be en route to your riding arena.

8. Varying jump distances

During training, start with standard jumping distances, but then slightly shorten and lengthen them. A standard showjumping stride length is 3.7m (12ft). Gradually you can train your horse to cope with a 3m (10ft) or a 4.2m (14ft) stride length, with no increase or decrease of weight in the rein. This process may take many months to achieve but the results will be worth it.

9. Leaving the standard arena

Try doing your dressage training on varied ground occasionally. It is useful if part of your schooling area has a small incline, so that you can practise maintaining controlled impulsion as you go up and down a slope. As well as the benefits for fifth-leg training, this has considerable advantages for the physical development of your horse.

10. ‘Hunting’ over fences

Make all small, 50-75cm (20-30in), schooling fences as solid as possible so your horse treats them with respect. With the guidance of your coach, jump them not only on straight lines, but off turns and at angles. Gradually use varied terrain and distances between fences. Do this with the minimum of interference. Do not worry if the horse hits a fence — this will help him develop a safe jumping technique. Your coach can guide you about doing the same thing over slightly bigger fences, however do not school over big, solid fences at home for reasons of safety and maintaining the horse’s confidence.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Read part one of our training series with William Micklem on safer jumping

Read part two of our training series with William Micklem on safer jumping

For the horse trials rider to maintain a secure balance down drops and when a horse hits a fence, it is necessary to open the angles of the knee and hip in the second half of the jump.

In the safety position, the lower leg stays perpendicular, which means that as the horse descends, the heel has to move forward in front of the girth, and you have to ride short enough to keep the seat clear of the saddle (see picture above right).

If you ride too long it is not possible both to keep the lower leg secure and the seat clear of the saddle. The result is either that the lower leg swings backwards or that the rider’s seat gets a kick forward from the saddle. In either case, it is an accident waiting to happen.

Learning the safety position

There is a simple three stage progression to establishing a “second nature” safety position that is seldom used.

Stage 1

First you need to establish a balance with your seat out of the saddle, walking and then trotting uphill without having to grip, as though you were improving your show jumping balance.

Then you do the same thing down hills, still with your seat out of the saddle, but allowing the stirrup leather to stay perpendicular. This keeps a secure position of the lower leg, which is the foundation of a jumping position, with the weight going down through the leg.

When this is easy to do you start opening the angles of the knee and hip for, say, three seconds. Then close the angles again.

Stage 2

Next jump down from a bank from a slow trot, making this same opening of the angles as the horse jumps off and then closing the angles as they land. This allows a rider time to make these movements and to keep practicing the second half of the jump, without having to worry about anything else.

As you open up the knee and hip joints going down a drop you end up in almost a dressage position, but with the weight through the legs and seat clear of the saddle. The rider’s position coming off the bank will be the same as that required for all drop fences and, with a reduced opening of the angles, for the second half of all cross-country fences.

By establishing the right movement now, it will help the balance for all types of fences – another safety bonus.

Stage 3

Practice this technique at the canter, with fences that have a drop, until it becomes second nature. As well as being more secure, it will also mean you will be in a better position to steer your horse on landing towards the next fence. This will make a huge difference at water fences, as it is the loss of the rider’s balance as they drop down into the water that is a major factor in making water fences so influential.

Using the wooden horse

William Micklem has come up with a new and inventive way of making sure you are sitting in this ‘golden safety position’ using a ‘wooden horse’ as a training tool.

As the pictures below show, the wooden horse lets a rider practice their positions for riding up and down hills, and jumping down drops, as well as try out opening up the angles of their hip and knee.

It also allows you to make sure that your centre of mass is over the horses’ centre of mass. To help your horse and keep you safe, a rider should aim to have their centre of mass, the horses’ centre of mass and their heel in vertical alignment.

Read part one of our training series with William Micklem on safer jumping

Read part two of our training series with William Micklem on safer jumping

Don’t miss this week’s Horse & Hound, on sale 22 October, to read the third and final part of our training series in full

Read part one of our training series with William Micklem on safer jumping

Thinking about cross-country riding as a contract of responsibilities between rider and horse is what’s required to ensure that both can take part in the sport safely.

International coach William Micklem explains which responsibilities lie with the rider and which lie with the horse.

The rider’s three key responsibilites:

1. To put their horse “in gear”. You are not safe going cross-country unless your horse is in gear, taking you willingly forwards to the fence. Putting the horse in gear is another way of saying create controlled impulsion. The basis for a horse being in gear is good dressage.

2. To provide the right direction at all times.

3. To provide the right speed, together with alterations to the level of impulsion, if required.

The horse’s three key responsibilites:

1. To be sufficiently obedient to allow the rider to decide on the right direction, speed and level of impulsion, and if they won’t agree to this, they shouldn’t be going across country in competition. Instead, a few steps back to easier exercises have to be taken.

2. To take physical responsibility for jumping the fence. Who could argue with this? But you still see riders acting as though it is their own legs on the ground, throwing their bodies around and strenuously pulling on the reins.

3. To look at the fence and take decisions about the size and type of effort needed and, to a significant degree, the take-off point. Too many riders try to take these responsibilities away from the horse and, as a consequence, substantially reduce their potential, or at worst, make cross-country riding dangerous.

Don’t miss this week’s Horse & Hound, on sale 15 October, for the second part of our training series in full.

Read part one of our training series with William Micklem on safer jumping

Get extra tips from William in our online gallery