Best lunge cavesson?

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soloequestrian

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I want to get a really good lunge cavesson to start the baby in. I had a lovely old leather one with a solid metal nose piece, but the leather has disintegrated (it had been left hanging somewhere unsuitable when I 'aquired' it and has now rotted). One option would be to get the nose piece built into a new cavesson, but I've been looking to see what's out there.
This is the one I'd really like http://www.balanceinternational.com/The-BALANCE-Magic-Lunge-Cavesson-CAV_A10O5Z.aspx, but it's really expensive...
I've found a very similar one with no price http://www.spirigsaddlery.com/SRS_Lungeing_Caveson.pdf - have mailed both US and Swiss branches of the company and they are ignoring me
These also look nice https://www.gibsonsaddlers.com/product/gibson-plate-cavesson-gold-range-202n/, though perhaps on the jangly side
And these http://www.4horse.co.uk/product.php?code=CA01, though I've not used the Spanish style cavessons before, it's more the Wels design I'm used to.
I see recommendations for Micklem too.

Basically, just looking for advice/reviews/suggestions of other suppliers. Will buy a lottery ticket in the meantime....
 
I'm not a big fan of jointed cavesson, most don't have the joints in the right place and I'm worried they pinch. I've tried finding a Wels cavesson in the past but could only find that balance one, wasn't prepared to pay £250 though. The SRS one looks really nice but as far as I'm aware the whole collection hasn't been produced for a number of years so they're a bit like hens teeth now, I tried eBay with no luck. In the end I bought one from QVC saddlery, it's a normal cavesson but it has the solid nose piece I wanted.
 
I'm a big fan of the Micklem multibridle for lunging, and IME horses tolerate it better than a conventional cavesson. It can be used with or without the bit in place, so is very suitable for babies.

I could comfortably keep hold of a normally well behaved 650kg maxicob who decided to leg it towards the arena gate during a sudden hailstorm, without the Micklem twisting around. He detested and fought against conventional lunge cavessons.

I sent my youngster away to be backed with a multibridle. The breaking yard were impressed with it and have bought one of their own.
 
I've been looking for one for quite a while.

I was going to get the metal-free one from QVC - http://qcvsaddlery.com/en/cavessons/21-lunging-cavesson-with-leather-nosepiece-111.html

Or I've come across a Busse Professional Leather Lunge Cavesson which I think might be very similar to a Wels? I haven't bought it yet (found them brand new from a sellar on eBay) because I can't decide whether to get Tan or Black - our tack is brown!

http://www.busse-reitsport.de/en/produktdetail.php?HA_ArtNr=129810&WGR=BJT

I've also considered going on this site and buying the headstall then the separate cavesson nosebands to play with:
http://markusholst.com/tack+shop/Cavesons/Semi+Caveson

Or there are these two which I believe have a two-joint nose piece:
http://qcvsaddlery.com/en/cavessons/10-portuguese-cavesson-sintra-111.html
http://qcvsaddlery.com/en/cavessons/18-vienna-cavesson-alta-escola-111.html

The problem is I can't find out what the distinguishing features of a Wels cavesson are, to know exactly what I'm looking for/get something made.
 
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I *think* it's that the section that goes across the front of the nose is solid, rather than having a joint right in the middle. There also seems to be discussion about the positioning of the two hinges on either side - there is a thread on the EE site (I think) where they are discussing the SRS cavesson and someone has a picture of the Busse one and the SRS fan says that it wouldn't work in the same way, I think because of where the hinges sit.
Gah, so complicated....
 
I saw that one and also pulled a face at the price - might as well fork out for the Balance one.

This is the thread with the pictures and comparison:
http://www.enlightenedequitation.com/ee/forums/index.php/topic,38817.30.html

The person who bought the SRS cavesson says she'd have bought the Busse Professional one if she'd known about it (must be the professional, none of the others are similar). Somebody later on says that the Busse Professional one is a Wels. Then the person who bought the SRS says she's jealous of the person who bought the Busse one so I'm working on the assumption that it must be OK and I'm going to order one because I can return it.

I will post pictures when it arrives :)
 
Ah, I've picked that up incorrectly then. The Busse one is definitely the most reasonable price and it looks very like all the others. I can't tell if the Balance one or the QVC Vienna have any hinges in them - perhaps that's the difference. I like the use of the word 'innovative' in the Busse description, given how old the Wels design is!
 
Tiddlypom said:
I'm a big fan of the Micklem multibridle for lunging, and IME horses tolerate it better than a conventional cavesson. It can be used with or without the bit in place, so is very suitable for babies.

I could comfortably keep hold of a normally well behaved 650kg maxicob who decided to leg it towards the arena gate during a sudden hailstorm, without the Micklem twisting around. He detested and fought against conventional lunge cavessons.

I sent my youngster away to be backed with a multibridle. The breaking yard were impressed with it and have bought one of their own.
Click to expand...

I second the Micklem, brilliant piece of kit for lunging. Doesn't ever twist, lightweight and still gives me control even without a bit.
 
Cortez said:
I just use a headcollar.......
Click to expand...

I used to - or a bridle. But I have read that the best place to attach the lunge line to achieve bend is on the front of the nose (i.e. a cavesson). The book is Correct Movement in Horses by Gabriele Rachen-Schöneich and Klaus Schöneich. They say that "the action of the longe line would be acting on the side (not the front) of the horse's head, making it impossible to bend the horse in it's body". They have a number of images in the book which make me think what they are saying on that score makes sense. Plus if I put a finger on my left cheek and "pull" to the left - I feel like I should move my head sideways. If I put a finger on my nose and "pull" to the left, I want to turn my head.

What's also interesting is that they have a photo of a Wels cavesson, next to a photo of a three-hinge cavesson. They say that "the [Wels cavesson] is a modified design with a very precise action... Since it has no browband or throatlash it enables the horse to be controlled with a lighter contact and is less bulky and more comfortable than the [three hinge] cavesson. It is important that the part of the noseband around the nasal bone is particularly well padded. The [three hinge] cavesson is excellent for use by amateurs."

I'm not sure why a cavesson with the potential for a nutcracker action is better for amateurs, but to be fair I've never lunged in one anyway so I'm not going to see/feel a difference unless I can borrow one to do a comparison.

The Busse Cavesson has arrived. This is the "Professional Leather Lunge Cavesson". It does not have a central hinge over the nose so I do believe it is a Wels cavesson. My first impression is that the leather is nice, not too stiff, with plenty of soft padding on the nose. It's not quite as heavy as I was expecting either, weighing in at 902g with the tags and sliphead attached. There is no padding over the poll and the strap looks like it may be too long for my boy so rather than just punching holes I'll look at getting some padding added to help the fit.







My only criticisms would be that the headpiece only buckles on one side, and I don't like the keeper on the poll for the slip head; I feel like that could create a pressure point. I could easily get these points rectified by a saddler though if I wanted. I'm going to try it on tonight and will take more photos.
 
That could explain why the strap looks so long. It could sit low and go below the bit - because the noseband is effectively a drop (the strap that goes under the jaw is attached to rings, rather than fixed). I wasn't necessarily planning to use it with a bit but I will try fitting it like that as well to see. :)

TBH I've struggled to find anywhere that explains the all of the different types of cavesson!
 
I'm having a go at refurbishing my old Wels style cavesson. The leather was mostly rotten but the metal nose part is fine and it's fitted every horse I've used it on so seems daft to get rid of it. I'll take extra care with the nose padding!
 
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