Bits

I

IrishSportHorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 June 2011
Messages
57
Visit site
Socks won't go in a flash noseband. Should I try a grackle?
He starts to jog and kicks his leg out sideways and does get away from me so I have to push him forward, this was on the road so safe tack is paramount. It's NOT the bit, he is in a standard snaffle. So- Question 1 is,
1.Should I try a grackle noseband? they ARE less restrictive than a flash as on my last horse it did restrict her breathing so we took it straight off. Some horses can go fine in it and some can't & socks does NOT like a flash noseband.
ALSO,
I was thinking of putting him in a hanging cheek snaffle what do you think?
Hanging cheek/standard snaffle and standing martingale with his caveson bridle OR
Hanging cheek/standard snaffle and grackle (obviously can't use standing)
PLEASE HELP! :)
 
Sorry but I must say that if the grackle nose band is affecting the horses breathing you have fitted it incorrectly! Fitted correctly the grackle should not interfere at all with the horses airways.

I am not an expert on bits and nose bands so will leave the rest of this advise to some body else :)
 
I was talking about the flash noseband and we know it didn't fit her so we took it off.. & this is my old horse i was talking about.
About socks- we haven't tried him in a grackle but he doesn't LIKE the flash so should I try him in a grackle?
Bits I'm not too worried about, it's how high he raises his head! He's in a running martingale, it does fit but I don't find them very useful on him.x
 
IrishSportHorse said:
1.Should I try a grackle noseband? they ARE less restrictive than a flash as on my last horse it did restrict her breathing so we took it straight off.
Click to expand...

I read this as the grackle restricted your last horses breathing.

I don't think using any nose band to try get your horse to have a lower head carriage is going to help..
Have you had it's teeth checked? As this may be one of your problems.

Before using different 'gadgets' ask yourself what may be causing the problem in the first place..

Some horses don't like the single joint in the middle of some bits as they dig in to the top of the horses mouths, this may also be something to think about?

P.s Was going to ask if your horse 'Socks' is named Socks because of his socks, is bay and a bit of a how do I put it.. head case? I used to know a gelding called Socks like this.. :)
 
Sorry but this sounds like a schooling issue. Aren't you at an equine college; could you get some lessons with a decent instructor? If you are still having issues with saddle fit as well it could partly explain the jogging/uncomfortable head carriage. It's worth trying to find the reason behind the behaviour, sounds to me like he's trying to tell you something.
 
Last edited:
PonyFeet10 said:
Rhino are you sure the OP is talking about the same horse??

In your quotes the horse is referred to as a 'she' and in this thread the horse is referred to as a 'he'!
Click to expand...

Indeed, I assumed it was the same horse she's been asking about rugs/saddles/feed for in the last couple of days... Think it's time I went to bed! :o Have edited, thanks :)
 
if your horse doesn't like the flash piece of the noseband then i don't see how a grackle is going to be any different, it still essentially has a 'flash' piece (somebody correct me if i'm wrong) but just connects differently?
i was always told that a grackle is kinder than a flash, both of my ponies are in grackles and they're quite happy and i don't need to put them as tight as i would a flash to work properly. if your horse goes fine in a snaffle then why change it? if it's a single link then i'd maybe go with a french link as it doesn't have the same pinching and hitting the roof of the mouth, like someone already suggested.

however i'd still get all the necessary checks done, back, teeth etc to see if it's an underlying problem first. if everything is okay then maybe your horse is just resisting because it's naughty or it's something to do with your riding (not criticising, just mentioning).

why do you need a flash piece? does your horse open its mouth while you are riding?
 
PonyFeet10 said:
I read this as the grackle restricted your last horses breathing.

I don't think using any nose band to try get your horse to have a lower head carriage is going to help..
Have you had it's teeth checked? As this may be one of your problems.

Before using different 'gadgets' ask yourself what may be causing the problem in the first place..

Some horses don't like the single joint in the middle of some bits as they dig in to the top of the horses mouths, this may also be something to think about?

P.s Was going to ask if your horse 'Socks' is named Socks because of his socks, is bay and a bit of a how do I put it.. head case? I used to know a gelding called Socks like this.. :)
Click to expand...


Hiii, sorry I typed this out competely wrong! I meant to say my old horse didn't like the flash and I've read that the grackle can be restrictive- can't imagine why....?
He had his teeth and back checked in june this year and the bit hasn't ever changed so I can't imagine why he keeps throwing his head up and jogging and I'm SO soft with my hands on him?

Hahaha he is a 16.1 TB. Well your description is perfectly correct if we're talking about the same horse hahah! :)
 
rhino said:
Sorry but this sounds like a schooling issue. Aren't you at an equine college; could you get some lessons with a decent instructor? If you are still having issues with saddle fit as well it could partly explain the jogging/uncomfortable head carriage. It's worth trying to find the reason behind the behaviour, sounds to me like he's trying to tell you something.
Click to expand...

I bought him on the 27th of Augsust and he's only been back in work a few months due to having 6 months off from racing. Keep your nasty comments to yourself. There is no schooling issue. He has had his teeth and back checked. Don't comment on my forums if you're going to post stuff like that. & also- i haven't started equine college yet, i start at the end of this month. he is also up there so i haven't been able to school him. & his head carriage wasn't like this all the time- only when i took up contact.
ALSO LIKE TO ADD- He had a thinner bit in his mouth which may have been the problem so please- nasty comments to yourself.
 
melxvengeance said:
if your horse doesn't like the flash piece of the noseband then i don't see how a grackle is going to be any different, it still essentially has a 'flash' piece (somebody correct me if i'm wrong) but just connects differently?
i was always told that a grackle is kinder than a flash, both of my ponies are in grackles and they're quite happy and i don't need to put them as tight as i would a flash to work properly. if your horse goes fine in a snaffle then why change it? if it's a single link then i'd maybe go with a french link as it doesn't have the same pinching and hitting the roof of the mouth, like someone already suggested.

however i'd still get all the necessary checks done, back, teeth etc to see if it's an underlying problem first. if everything is okay then maybe your horse is just resisting because it's naughty or it's something to do with your riding (not criticising, just mentioning).

why do you need a flash piece? does your horse open its mouth while you are riding?
Click to expand...

Yes, that's exactly why I'm going to try a grackle because it's kinder. I don't know what happened above- my question looks like jibber jabber because I don't think I quite concentrated when i wrote it... haha!

No I wanted to change to a hanging cheek snaffle because when you take up a contact it puts a little bit of pressure on the poll which makes them bring their head down- Please be aware I know that this is not the correct way to collect a horse up, there are far more things you have to do other than FORCING it's head down.

His teeth and back were checked in June..
No it's nothing to do with my riding...he had 6 months off and has come back in recently so please no crit.
 
I don't think the other posters are trying to be nasty.. they are just making suggestions. Chill!

Any 'criticism' here doesn't say anything about your riding. They are just asking things based on past experiences to try and help.
 
IrishSportHorse said:
I bought him on the 27th of August.... his head carriage wasn't like this all the time- only when i took up contact.
Click to expand...

Oh to be 16 when all the world's against you ;)

So you have an ex-racer, you have owned him for 2 weeks and he is not kept with you/you cant school him at the moment... I really would give things some more time. If he is reacting because he doesn't like the contact then strapping his mouth shut and his head down is not going to help long term. If you give a thoroughbred something to fight...

Nobody is trying to be nasty here, please read through all the replies objectively and not be as 'reactive' as you have been on other threads. Remember, we don't know you, we don't know your horses and can only go from what you say on here :)
 
I really don't think anyone is trying to be mean. From the info you have given I'd say similar.
He's an ex racer so he hasn't been trained to have a mouth or take up the contact or flex at the poll!
Also you say he's just came back into work, you've had him 2 weeks and are limited to when you can ride, well there's no way he's buildt up enough muscle or fitness to remain in a contact. So yes lack of fitness could make him react badly against work, as at the moment its out of his physical ability.
So its nothing to do with your riding, but it is to do with your horses previous training and his fittening.
So remember patience and take things slow and steady, for the best results, as they say rome wasn't buildt in a day!
Best of luck with him and college! :)
 
sheep said:
I don't think the other posters are trying to be nasty.. they are just making suggestions. Chill!

Any 'criticism' here doesn't say anything about your riding. They are just asking things based on past experiences to try and help.
Click to expand...

If you re-read one of the posts on here, you'll see it says "it's probably the way you're riding him"...I don't think theirs anything wrong with the way I ride my horse :/ It could have been put into nicer words..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top