Bitless bridle with no brow band?

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FionaM12

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As I mentioned a few days ago, I'm trying to work out the possible causes of my mare's head shake.

I've been experimenting with tack and have discovered she's very sensitive round the brow band area. I've just bought a "cross-under" bitless bridle, and tried it with no brow band today. Because the bridle design is "all in one" (no seperate noseband) it stayed in place without a brow band.

I tried it with and without brow band, and the head shake starts again the moment the brow band goes back on. So I rode her without one and she went very well.

My question is: is it okay to carry on like this, or does the brow band have a purpose which could make it risky to ride without one?
 
I think it could be dangerous to not use one because as far as I can see it keeps the bridle on. When a horse I know had a browband that was too wide for her she shook the bridle off several times when the owner took her out, which spooked them both.

No noseband - yes
No browband - I wouldn't..
 
niagaraduval said:
When a horse I know had a browband that was too wide for her she shook the bridle off several times when the owner took her out, which spooked them both.

Was that with a cross-under bitless or a standard bridle? I can't imagine a bitless coming off forwards....
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I thought the browband was to stop the bridle slipping back, can't see how it would stop a horse shaking it off, if it was determined. We ride in rope halters, never had a problem, if your horse is happier, go for it!
 
intouch said:
I thought the browband was to stop the bridle slipping back, can't see how it would stop a horse shaking it off, if it was determined. We ride in rope halters, never had a problem, if your horse is happier, go for it!
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Thanks, that's pretty much what I thought. I was rather worried it would slip back, but the design and shape of the bridle seemed to keep it in place. It sits snuggly behind the ears, and it's padded which helps. I rode her for 40 minutes and it didn't move at all.

I do wonder why she's tender round that area and in time maybe I'll need to investigate that more deeply. But for now I just wanted to check that there isn't some purpose of the brow band which I've missed before continuing riding without one!
 
I have a couple of bridles without browbands, I don't find a problem with them.

If you are uneasy about riding without perhaps a one ear (western style) would suit your mare? There is no pressure across the head with them, if that is what is making it uncomfortable for her.

This kind of thing:

27999cc2.jpg
 
Another who can't see how a browband would stop a bridle slipping off - prevent it slipping off backwards maybe, but forwards?

My mare is super sensitive around her head and she has just had a couple of weeks off because of her head shaking. A headpiece and browband def contribute to this. She now has an oversided browband and a shaped headpiece (although we don't always use a browband - no probs so far!) and this is a massive help. She also sees our back lady v regularly as she is v prone to tension around her atlas, poll and along the muscles to her shoulder. Wether this forms because of her head shaking or develops for another reason, but leads to the headshaking is something we still aren't sure off. She isn't comfortable no matter what I do until this tension is worked out. Our lady does Mc timoney and Bowen which (as much as I am a cynic of anything like this!) without a doubt helps my mare enormously. Worth a go too?

The problem is with headshaking that makes it so hard to fix is that the area that shows the symptoms may not be the same area that has an injury/tightness/sensitivity so it is worth going over the rest of her with a fine tooth comb (spot on foot balance, check everything is in line and both sides muscled evenly, rider balance and stiffness, saddle fit and balance, flocking etc)!

Best of luck!
 
As a side note, my lad head shakes (to the point where he used to have to 'down tools' and stand shaking his head for a couple of minutes during a schooling session or hack, and got himself very upset) I tried a lot of the usual stuff, but eventually noticed that it was only when his mane or forelock brushed his ears :(

Now he has his mane and forelock bunched in plaiting bands when we ride, so nothing touches his ears and he's 100% I notice, if I leave a loose hair and it touches an ear it causes him to throw his head around and shake it, bless him. Might be worth trying if your horse is sensitive in that area, it can't do any harm and might help?

There's an article on sustainable dressage about browbands IIRC, I'm pretty sure it said there was no real use for them. The head piece shouldn't fall back due the the 'lumps' behind the ears caused by the atlas/axis joints. (I think, don't quote me on that :p)

J&C
 
Haven't used a browband on Henry's sidepull for years (was sick of trying different ones which didn't fit!). The browband doesn't stop the bridle from coming off, anyway.
 
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