Why use drop noseband

Moreover several former FEI riders and trainers were asked which noseband they preferred during their active career as well as nowadays. Breitling W for example has always been trained in a simple English noseband. I think the dropped noseband interferes less with the bit, I have it fairly loose.

Important is that the dropped noseband fits the exterior of the horse's nose the piece that goes over the nose is not allowed to be too long. The flash noseband later prepares the horse to the noseband with the double bridle. I have had some horses coming for training that either opened the mouth, pushed the lower jaw to one side or kept the tongue to one side. With them I first of all checked that the bits are suitable and maybe tried out some different ones, but sometimes I also put a flash on the double bridle.

I fit it loosely just to give the lower jaw a bit more stability. I don't believe in fixing nosebands too tightly, then you might fix the problem for a while, but in the long run you will get more tension and more mouth problems. The dropped noseband is more difficult to fit correctly Properly fitted, some horses seem to prefer it to the flash. Flash nosebands also need to be correctly fitted.

I often see that the upper noseband is too low, where the snaffle bit rings can interfere when the bit is used. The so called swedish type buckle has made it easier to fit it properly, though it should never be used as a "crank".

I myself often add half holes in my nosebands The leather also stretches over time. I have also used "half moon" nosebands on certain horses, those that tend to cross their jaws do well.

Again with all nosebands the most important aspect is it must be the right size for the horse, it must be well fitted, and it must never be too tight. Nosebands that are too tight stop the horses from chewing agreeably with the bit, and especially dropped nosebands can restrict the airflow if they are too tight and low in placement. I have also used a "mexican" or figure eight noseband.

It is good on very sensitive horses, the action seems almost "diffused". It is however not particularly good looking on a dressage horse! In a nutshell: horses' heads and nose forms come in all shapes and sizes, and the shape of the mouth also plays a role as to which noseband might be most comfortable and effective with each horse. Ill-fitting tack i. Nosebands need to be carefully and correctly fitted for full advantage and does not interfere with the bit or cause discomfort from being too tight or too loose.

Another point to note is if it is going to be used for competitions purposes make sure you check the rule book as not all nosebands are allowed — especially for dressage. A cavesson noseband is the most common and simplest type and can give an aesthetic appeal when showing or riding. A cavesson encircles below inches of the cheekbone and helps to keep the horse from opening his mouth. A flash with an attachment or a standing martingale can be added for extra control. A flash noseband is a cavesson noseband with an added attachment of an extra strap that comes in front of the bit known as a flash.

A grakle noseband creates a figure of eight that crosses over the cheekbone, down to the chin groove where it attaches to the buckle then comes under and past the groove and back over the cheekbone, which is kept in place with a leather pad with some having sheepskin to prevent rubbing. The main purposes of using this noseband is to reduce the horse from crossing his jaw or opening his mouth as added pressure will be put on the bridge of his nose and chin groove.

This helps to reduce the horse from opening his mouth and crossing his jaw as pressure is applied low on the nose but once the horse relaxes the pressure stops and then has the same benefits of a cavesson noseband.

Other benefits include reducing the pressure or pinching from nosebands and will help the horse to become more relaxed to the riders contact. This type of noseband is seen in most English disciplines, especially in dressage, show hunters, equitation and field hunters, but is the basic noseband for all disciplines and so is never an unusual sight. This noseband comes in various styles from a plain flat leather, suitable for hunting, to raised, double raised, fancy stitched and padded styles.

All of them perform the same purpose. The flash was originally developed for show jumping riders, so they could close the mouth lower down in addition to having an appropriate noseband for a standing martingale. The noseband is similar to the plain cavesson in that the top part encircles the nose inches below the cheekbone, but it also includes a second strap that runs from the cavesson, around the nose in front of the bit and under the chin groove, then coming back around to the cavesson.

A flash noseband maybe used with a standing martingale when the martingale is attached to the cavesson piece. This noseband is usually seen at the lower levels of dressage, or in the dressage phase of eventing. Double bridles cannot use flash or drop cavessons, so the crank is seen on upper-level dressage horses who will not keep the mouth shut. It is also used occasionally on showhunters and hunt seat equitation horses.

It is very commonly found on dressage bridles. It is used to remind the horse to keep its mouth closed and prevents him from crossing his jaw, but provides more expansion of the nostrils, which is preferable for horses performing work involving galloping eventing, polo, racing , and has always been popular in show jumping.

Many people believe that this type of noseband is more comfortable than a flash. Invented by the Spanish Riding School, this noseband encircles the nose around the chin groove, as opposed to just below the cheekbone, with the strap on the nasal bone, and never below it. It reminds the horse to keep his mouth closed and prevents the horse from crossing his jaw. Due to its position, it should not be used with a standing martingale. A drop noseband is not as suitable for galloping work as the other nosebands, as it tends to restrict the nostrils if it is fitted incorrectly.

However, most horses prefer the drop noseband to the flash, and it is a very useful piece of equipment. Originating in horse racing for animals who would be uncontrollable at high speeds, this noseband often cited as being more severe than the others listed above.

However, it is possible that it may work not because of pain, but because the horse responds better to noseband pressure than to bit pressure which can be painful and cause the horse to run out of fear. The Kineton has metal half-rings that pass under the bit, and a leather strap that sits below the bit and over the nose which it does not encircle about where a drop noseband would cross. This noseband should only be used with a snaffle bit which should be slightly wider than usual to take into account the half-rings , and a martingale should not be attached to the noseband.

This is most commonly seen in eventing on the cross-country phase, and in show jumping. This noseband is most suited for horses that are hard pullers, allowing the rider to ride lightly with a mild bit and still stop a strong horse.

It is also popular for use on hot horses, to get them to trust the bit and relax. At the peak of the curve is a piece of leather that runs over the top of nose in a position slightly lower from where a regular cavesson would cross.

This noseband is similar in design to the figure-eight, and works similarly by preventing the horse from crossing his jaws which is especially helped by the metal on either side of the face. This noseband consists of a Y-shaped rubber fork, which attached to the centre of the browband, the forks dropping to either side of the nose, with the ends having round rubber cheek guards that fit over the bit.

It is an effective and kind option for a puller or a horse who gets his tongue over the bit. Most commonly seen at the racetrack.