Am I the only one still using a cavesson noseband for riding club dressage?

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Marigold4

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I have my gelding in a PS of Sweden hunter-style bridle with a cavesson noseband. He has a D ring Sprenger duo "rubber" bit which he chomps. If he has a metal bit on, he chomps even more as he seems to enjoy the noise (he's a little ADHD and always has to be fiddling with something!). Do you think I get marked down by dressage judges because they can see an open mouth and chomping? Don't shoot me, but I'm thinking of trying him in a noseband that will reduce the chomping. Everyone else seems to be in some kind of flash? I did try him in a Micklem but it just didn't fit him very well no matter how many adjustments I made and the leather was hard and inflexible. He didn't seem to like it. I've always been against using artificial means to close a horse's mouth. He's 8 so I guess it's a well-established habit by now.
 
I only use a noseband in competition - because I have to. all the rest of the time I ride without one.
After listening to a bridle fit seminar about nerves etc. I went for a grackle as that seemed to sit away from the sensitive areas the most.

Maybe see if you can borrow a few and see what works best for him? A tight flash he might react badly too if he can't move how he's used to.
I think if it's constant regular chomping it's different to him gaping his mouth open as the rider hangs on it - which is what they are looking for.

Perhaps ask someone to video you riding and see how it looks, does it look like an evasion from tight reins or does it look like a fiddly low mileage horse
 
Have you tried asking whoever does his teeth what shape mouth he has an what bit shape he might prefer?

Also getting a bit fitter to bring load of bits his size and try them until find one he chomps less on. My horse only likes one of over 30 that have been tried!

Also worth trying him in both a grackle and a drop (both dressage legal) and seeing if he is happier in either. Neihter should be fitted tight, just supportive. And see what he thinks. My horse doesnt like a flash / drop / grackle, and it introduces tension. My horse likes a loose cavesson. But there horses that seem to prefer the stablising effect of a more supportive noseband. All options worth trying and seeing how your horse responds.

No option should forcibly tie mouth shut. All options should be lose enough horse could eat pieces of carrot with it fitted and get two or more fingers under strap.
 
Any noseband that's tight enough to stop a horse opening its mouth is going to be compromising its biomechanics. It's worth having a consult if you have a recommended bridle fitter covers your area, every horse has a slightly different shaped head and may need a completely different design to avoid nerves etc.
 
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I still use a very old hunter type bridle which is not at all dressage-y, but it's what we have and the little horse seems happy in it. If I was looking for a noseband for below the bit I would start with a grackle. I am sure you've checked everything but is the bit fitted high enough? - I have found that some prefer a bit fitted a little higher which doesn't give them so much room to chomp - obvs not uncomfortably high.
 
Bobthecob15 said:
No you’re not but it does seem every bridle going has a flash! Trying to buy a plain cavesson bridle isn’t easy! Far fewer about
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and most cavessons have stupidly thin nosebands for anything with a larger head.

I'd try and find why your boy is chompy - it may be anxiety or bit too thick and he's struggling to swallow? or pressure points not to his liking ?
 
Sanversera said:
I think you should get extra points for a cavesson. And they should allow no nosebands too,glad I compete anymore.
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The Classical Riding Club tests do/did, not sure if anyone uses them anymore which would be a real shame.

Way of going marks - first impression for each pace and then second impression towards the end instead of marks for each movement
Lots of marks for equitation
Bonus points for milder tack, no whip or spurs etc
and probably a few things I've forgotten.
 
Marigold4 said:
I have my gelding in a PS of Sweden hunter-style bridle with a cavesson noseband. He has a D ring Sprenger duo "rubber" bit which he chomps. If he has a metal bit on, he chomps even more as he seems to enjoy the noise (he's a little ADHD and always has to be fiddling with something!). Do you think I get marked down by dressage judges because they can see an open mouth and chomping? Don't shoot me, but I'm thinking of trying him in a noseband that will reduce the chomping. Everyone else seems to be in some kind of flash? I did try him in a Micklem but it just didn't fit him very well no matter how many adjustments I made and the leather was hard and inflexible. He didn't seem to like it. I've always been against using artificial means to close a horse's mouth. He's 8 so I guess it's a well-established habit by now.
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How much is he ‘chomping’? A lot, frantically, or just a little, gently? It’s worth remembering that in proper old fashioned classical dressage the horse is meant to gently mouth the bit, with a relaxed jaw. So you will hear a little noise and the jaw will open a small amount and close. You should only be marked down if the mouth is held open.
I’d stay in your cavesson.
 
nettle said:
How much is he ‘chomping’? A lot, frantically, or just a little, gently? It’s worth remembering that in proper old fashioned classical dressage the horse is meant to gently mouth the bit, with a relaxed jaw. So you will hear a little noise and the jaw will open a small amount and close. You should only be marked down if the mouth is held open.
I’d stay in your cavesson.
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^^ This. Stick with the cavesson. Chomping will only be marked down if it’s due to tension or contact issues and that’ll be clear for the judge to see by the horses way of going.
 
nettle said:
How much is he ‘chomping’? A lot, frantically, or just a little, gently? It’s worth remembering that in proper old fashioned classical dressage the horse is meant to gently mouth the bit, with a relaxed jaw. So you will hear a little noise and the jaw will open a small amount and close. You should only be marked down if the mouth is held open.
I’d stay in your cavesson.
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He chomps mostly in rising trot. I ride him in a rubber snaffle as in a metal one the chomping is more noticeable because of the increase in noise. My OH, who was with me last test, said all you could hear was a heavy "chomp, chomp, chomp" throughout the test. I think he does it as a stress reliever and a habit. He's a very reactive horse - noises, any difference in the surface, anyone going past the arena. He's sort of ADHD and always has to be doing something!
 
sbloom said:
The Classical Riding Club tests do/did, not sure if anyone uses them anymore which would be a real shame.

Way of going marks - first impression for each pace and then second impression towards the end instead of marks for each movement
Lots of marks for equitation
Bonus points for milder tack, no whip or spurs etc
and probably a few things I've forgotten.
Click to expand...
I wish that they would apply this in unaffiliated tests. We ride without spurs, no whip, cavesson noseband, rubber snaffle.
 
Welly Boot said:
and most cavessons have stupidly thin nosebands for anything with a larger head.

I'd try and find why your boy is chompy - it may be anxiety or bit too thick and he's struggling to swallow? or pressure points not to his liking ?
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It's definitely anxiety. He is a stressy little chap. Happy at home but all the noise and other things going on at even the quietest of venue stresses him. I'm trying acoustic ears to see if this will help him.
 
Polos Mum said:
I only use a noseband in competition - because I have to. all the rest of the time I ride without one.
After listening to a bridle fit seminar about nerves etc. I went for a grackle as that seemed to sit away from the sensitive areas the most.

Maybe see if you can borrow a few and see what works best for him? A tight flash he might react badly too if he can't move how he's used to.
I think if it's constant regular chomping it's different to him gaping his mouth open as the rider hangs on it - which is what they are looking for.

Perhaps ask someone to video you riding and see how it looks, does it look like an evasion from tight reins or does it look like a fiddly low mileage horse
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He's a fiddly, low mileage horse, for sure. We get marked down for tension and the open chompy mouth adds to that picture. I don't at all ride with a strong contact and he's never against the hand.
 
I have now bought a secondhand PS of Sweden Nirak bridle and tried it in a lesson this week. It has a kinder (I hope) noseband arrangement - quite like a micklem. I tried a micklem but the leather was hard and I just couldn't seem to get it to fit well. He was a bit unsettled at first but then we got some lovely work when his mouth was still and we had a proper contact - it felt wonderful to properly hold him in my hand without all the fiddling and chomping. It wasn't a total cure as I didn't have it tight but it definitely helped. Hurray! Glad I found a secondhand one as they are £££
 

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Arabi likes the bit still in his mouth so loose ring bits make him chomp on it, so his ridden in a fixed cheek snaffle or a hanging cheek and much better might be worth trying one if his in a loose ring.

I use a comfort barrel hanging cheek snaffle on him they look a bit like a myler.
 
Pinkvboots said:
Arabi likes the bit still in his mouth so loose ring bits make him chomp on it, so his ridden in a fixed cheek snaffle or a hanging cheek and much better might be worth trying one if his in a loose ring.

I use a comfort barrel hanging cheek snaffle on him they look a bit like a myler.
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I agree. He is in a D ring eggbut sprenger duo.
 
I use a cavesson and eggbut snaffle. Have not got anything else! A lot use them at my RC for dressage. My boy gets "chompy" when stressed which he is sometimes during a test or other random times as he is quite stressy.
 
Goldenstar said:
I would be looking at the bit first.
Is it too thick ?
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I don't think so. He's in a rubber Sprenger duo. I've tried various metal bits but he chomps more in those. A Sprenger duo is not really a thick bit and is ported and shaped. The photo is an advert, not my horse.
 
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