Do you (or would you) ride without a noseband?

[arwenplusone]

As title really (I am trying to avoid writing an essay so lots of posts from me tonight

)

So I ride with a cavesson, which must be purely aesthetic. Was having a conversation with my EDT today who said my mare has a very narrow and possibly quite restricted jaw - he was surprised that she worked in an outline

He suggested that on her a noseband might restrict her a bit (though this will be better now her teeth are done).

I always think that a horse looks a bit wild without a noseband but I broke my other mare's a few years ago and rode with out it - I have to say I found her better!

what do you think?

 

[Weezy]

I don't bother with a noseband unless I need a drop or a grackle. Will hack out and school without one - however, I would never hunt or go XC without a noseband (cavesson) as I have been told that they can prevent horse's breaking their jaws if they kiss the dirt

 

[Tia]

None of mine are ridden in a noseband. Daughter has her horses wearing a full bridle with cavessons for competing.

 

[k9h]

If my horse didn't need one then I would quite happily ride without one & for years when I was younger never had a noseband on my horses!
Saves on cleaning! I also don't see the point in riding in something that isn't required. Though I doubt a correctly fitting cavason could restrict???

 

[lucym]

quite often i never wore one when riding my ponies, or if it was pouring with rain! less tack to oil and clean

 

[allijudd]

for me it would depend on the horse. romans nose is so large howvere that he would look wierd without one!

 

[arwenplusone]

Weezy, that's interesting - do you know why? Something to do with impack or shock absorbancy?

 

[Donkeymad]

I never use nosebands, never have.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

If I trusted the horse not to do stupid things with a naked jaw and loose any control.

 

[jojo2305]

oh yes, usually. She doesn't need it & it makes for less cleaning. I just add it on for competing.

 

[ihatework]

I always ride with a noseband - admittedly for vanity's sake.

 

[Tinkerbee]

yep, Im always riding one horse or the other without a noseband

 

[MotherOfChickens]

never use one-horse doesnt need it so why put one on?

 

[Scarlett]

Someone on here once pointed out to me that western horses - who are traditionally ridden without a noseband - dont have the same teeth problems that English horses have. When I looked into it I found lots of stuff online talking about the problems that nosbands, flashes and cavessons in particular can cause within the mouth, also I am a fan of Alexander Technique which teaches that the jaw is an important part of being relaxed and thus it being unrestricted is important.
I have never liked flashes, too much pressure over a small area. Prefer to use a drop. I also dont ever think I have ridden a horse that has been completely happy in a flash, I usually ask to take it off and take my chances without it. Both my horses are nosbandless at the mo after my new trainer took them off and I have never seen the need to put them back on, they go better with no noseband. My previously headstrong and difficult to stop when hacking mare now turns and stops on a 5p. Both horses are exracers and in snaffles.

I have a drop to put on my mare for shows and a grackle to use on my gelding as he can headshake so I wasnt sure a drop would be completely comfortable for him and his delicate nose - however I will only use these when I have too for dressage (because the rules say so!) or Xc on my lad (to stop him getting his tongue over and buggering off with me).

For me the aesthetics are irrelevant, if my horses are happier without them then so be it....

 

[arwenplusone]

Thanks Scarlett - very interesting & well put!

Will try & give my mare a go without one!

Thanks to everyone else too - seems I would not be mad to try the idea

 

[lastchancer]

I always start horses without a nose band so that they don't feel restricted when they start long-riening and ridden work, It helps me to see that they are accepting the bit without interferance. I usually put a caveson on later in training though because I have a habit of losing nosebands (and hoof picks, and lead ropes!)

 

[WFL]

I don't jump with 1 as it would get in the way of the bit that I use.

 

[SpruceRI]

Often hack with a headcollar underneath bridle, so take noseband off then. Otherwise ride with a cavesson which is for show as never done up tight.

 

[MagicMelon]

I always back ponies without nosebands, simply because I like to keep tack very simple. I find nosebands pointless anyway TBH! I dont like their restriction at all. All mine wear cavessons and always rather slack.

 

[mememe]

well if i rode buster without 1 i would most certainly get killed!

he has a nice crank and a flash. once in a blue moon it reminds him whos boss so i would hate to think what he would be like without!

 

[Cahill]

my horses don`t need them.

do you think i should cut off the throatlash?

 

[malibu211211]

I have to have a flash on as naughty beastie opens his mouth

 

[suzysparkle]

The theory about using them for XC....I've read this as well.

Basically, if you get left behind badly over a big XC jump and hang on to the reins the horse will open its mouth in attempt to relieve pressure. If the Horse then stumbles on landing and hits the dirt the lower jaw (with mouth open) can hit the ground and the horses momenum can break the jaw open. This has happened a couple of times. With a drop/grackle/flash this would be prevented.

I hate flashes as they can squash the inner cheek onto the teeth. If I need a drop action I use a high ring grackle. I have a loose cavesson the rest of the time and admit it's because it looks better. But then, you could argue that you don't really need a browband!! I have ridden without a noseband though.

 

[Natassia]

The horse that I have recently got on loan came with a crank noseband and a flash, and a martingale. In my opinion, this is too much tack and although I am soft with my hands I don't like to strap his mouth closed, I don't do them up over tightly but they're not totally slack either. Would it be kinder to try a drop noseband with him? He has a sweet iron snaffle so not a strong bit, he does play with the bit and I think he would get his tongue over it if he had the chance, but surely he doesn't need a crank and a flash together?
Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Lill]

I ride without a noseband on Blue (pics in PG) but will stick a cavesson on him for dressage and either a grakle or flash for jumping. Do find he goes a bit better on flat without one!

 

[lilym]

sorry but NO NEVER!! i am too traditional, and i hate the look - it looks unfinished, and my cob would look ridiculous without a noseband, in fact it's my pet hate......

 

[Eceni]

Yup - like everyone else, I abandoned the noseband when I discovered what it was to (try to) ride with hands connected to the horse. One day, I want to ride out just on a head collar and rope reins, but we're not there yet...

E

 

[_April_]

I only have one for aesthetics and its a loose cavesson. My YO doesn't ever wear one as they ride western.

I have ridden April loads of times bareback in her headcollar Eceni but it took me a wee while before I trusted her enough!! When I go to shows we get dropped at the farm next to mine and it's easier to just jump on and ride back. She is a good soul at heart xx

 

[ironhorse]

We don't use nosebands on our western bridles and I only have one on the mare's english bridle as you have to use one for BD so it's one less 'strange' thing for her to worry about on a show day. I always use a soft, well padded cavesson as she's very fine skinned and have it on the loosest hole.
Personally I think she looks beautiful with or without, but then I'm biased!
Our previous mare got rubbed by virtually every noseband I tried on an english bridle....

 

[Marnie]

I don't use one, Marnie has a couple of hairless patches on her nose where I think she must have had a too tight headcollar or noseband on before I got her. These rub with a noseband, and besides, it is really difficult to get one to fit her, she is really wide over the bridge of her nose and the straps sit too far forward in front of the cheekpieces which must be really annoying! I only hack and do pleasure rides so it doesn't really bother me, it took a while to get used to the look, but now I prefer it - and there is less bridle to clean!!

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