What do flash bridles do

Joined 4 September Messages Fallenrose Well-Known Member 2 January A lot of what you say could also apply to drop and grackle nosebands too - although they all act slightly differently.

My mare came with a flash, and is quite strong not got the softest mouth but she is happy and confident. That said, I have now tried her without the flash and her jaw is instantly more relaxed. I am still at the stage of finding what bit and noseband combo she will be happiest in - would hope to get her into just a cavesson for flatwork with correct schooling.

She does open her mouth without the flash but am hoping correct bit and more schooling will sort this. Would I try a bitless bridle? Yes - would be interesting to see how she goes! Pearlsasinger Well-Known Member 2 January Joined 20 February Messages 36, Location W.

I wish people would take the time and trouble to find a bit that the horse is comfortable with - there are hundreds to choose from - instead of fastening the horse's mouth shut with any kind of noseband. And as for RIs who recommend putting a flash etc on a horse - words fail me!

They should be helping riders to find out what the problem is, not going for a quick fix. Joined 3 March Messages 13, AprilBlue said:. Joined 14 November Messages 3, I know someone who uses one because she thinks it looks nice and the bridle looks bare without it.

Joined 24 May Messages 1, Personally I prefer to use a drop as I think they sit much more comfortably on the horse. Joined 24 October Messages 12, If a rumour I heard from a big saddlery manufacturer is correct, the crank will be a thing of the past soon under BD rules. Buying a plain snaffle bridle is almost impossible now. Joined 23 September Messages 9, Don't use them.

Better to find the cause rather than mask the effect. Joined 27 February Messages 3, Location Hampshire. Used because it looks good is mad, likewise with most gadgets as hic has pointed out re nosebands too It is a common misuse of the flash to make it far too tight in an attempt to clamp the mouth shut. A flash that is too tight can not only cruelly prevent the horse from moving its mouth at all, it also affects the rest of the body.

The pressure from an overly tight flash can numb the mouth and take away any sensitivity. This makes it pretty hard to make subtle cues to your horse! A tight flash is extremely uncomfortable for the horse. An uncomfortable horse will clench its jaw and never let it relax. It also puts too much pressure on the poll.

Instead of preventing a horse from getting too strong and having more control with an over-tight flash, you get a host of undesirable problems. You will not have a relaxed, supple horse.

It is common for people to fit a flash noseband incorrectly. It can be too tight or sit over the wrong part of the muzzle. The strap needs to have the opening side on the left side of the mouth. Once you have the flash strap through the flash attachment the correct way, you need to secure it with the buckle. The strap should sit just behind the chin. When you do up the buckle, make sure that the buckle does not sit over the lips. This can cause sores or irritation.

The flash strap should be snug, but not tight! Once secure, you should still be able to fit at least one finger between the strap and chin. In addition to a flash noseband bridle, you will see some different types that look similar but serve slightly different purposes.

In the center, it will have a disk that is usually lined with fleece. When you use a figure 8, you do not use a standard noseband. A figure 8 noseband has two attachments. The back strap buckles just in front of the upper jaw, in front of the cheeks. The front strap goes in front of the bit, like a flash, and wraps around the mouth in the same way. This noseband was designed to preserve the effect of a drop noseband while adding an option to attach a standing martingale.

If the flash strap is removed, a plain cavesson noseband remains. The top of the noseband should ideally be placed about two fingers under the cheekbone and the center point of the noseband should never rest below the nasal bone of the horse.

Also known as figure eight or Mexican noseband. A grackle consists of two diagonally crossing straps on the nose of the horse that close under the head. The center of the noseband is usually padded with soft material. It prevents the horse from opening its mouth and crossing the jaw by means of pressure on the bridge of the nose and under the head.

It does have a more severe effect than the drop and flash noseband and the grackle is especially loved by show jumpers. Nowadays, this type of noseband is mainly seen in Weymouth or Hunter bridles. As opposed to a drop noseband, the cavesson noseband leaves room for the use of bits with leverage action. It is generally only suitable for well-trained horses that accept the bit without hassle.

The noseband should be placed approximately two fingers under the cheekbone. There are many other types of nosebands, most are variations on the above mentioned nosebands.

An example is the rope flash noseband. The front of the upper band is made of rope for a more severe effect. Another example is the double noseband which has a similar effect to a flash noseband, only more severe. It does distribute pressure better than regular flash nosebands. In most cases, a simple drop noseband or flash noseband will suffice, especially when still schooling at basic level.

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. A studded cavesson has round or sharp studs, which are meant to increase or take the place of rein pressure. They have also been adopted in other disciplines as a means of controlling a difficult horse, or as a training shortcut, but they are generally illegal in most horse show competition.

If the studs are round, they have a relatively mild effect and do not cause much discomfort. If they are sharp, like a serrated knife, they can actually cut the horse and are extremely painful. They act with the normal action of the noseband, which applies pressure to the nose when the horse fails to submit to the bit and increases the effect of this pressure.

Though the longeing cavesson looks a bit like a halter, the noseband can be tightened and rings are strategically placed on the sides and at the front of the nose for attachment of a longe line or side reins. It provides much better leverage and more precise control of a horse in ground training, yet it is a relatively gentle piece of equipment.

A noseband may have been one of the first tools used by humans to domesticate and ride horses. The bit came slightly later.

The noseband was originally made of leather or rope. Various positions up and down the nose may help the face look more handsome, and a wide noseband can make a heavy head appear more delicate. It can sometimes prevent the horse from putting its tongue over the bit and avoiding pressure in that manner. Third: the noseband is also used to help stop a horse from pulling. A stronger noseband can many times be used instead of a stronger bit, which makes it a valuable option for riders that want more control, but do not want to back their horse off, that is, to make the horse afraid to go forward, especially when jumping, which is often an undesirable consequence when the horse is placed in a strong or harsh bit.

Fourth: it can be an attachment for other equipment, such as a standing martingale. In some riding styles, a noseband is added simply for decoration and is not attached to the bridle or adjusted to serve any useful purpose.