Drop Noseband

[Joss]

They are not very fashionable or very pretty are they? My Trainer has suggested that I give one a go for dressage, my horse does strange things with his tongue! Does anyone else use one? My lad looks much prettier in his flash but I suppose I ought to give the drop a go if it helps keep his mouth a bit stiller. Any suggestions.....
p.s I had a look on ebay for a cheap one but they all looked particularly hideous.

 

[jules89]

Haha love the blunt start to that! but yess its true, they aren't really "fashionable" at the moment, but hey, if they do the trick its worth a try!

 

[_daisy_]

i have my mare in a drop noseband now. she goes a lot better in the drop than a flash. I disagree with you that they dont look very pretty or that they arent very fashionable. A lot of people round me use them. I think they are now becoming a lot more popular.

I have a gorgeous Albion one and a sabre one.

 

[cruiseline]

My horses are all schooled in drop nosebands, I love them.

Sometimes when a horse is, as they say, busy in the mouth, the riders, trainers resort to pulling the crank noseband tighter in an attempt to keep the horses mouth closed. This actually defeats the object as the horse will try harder to open its mouth, as the noseband puts more pressure on the molars and makes the horse more uncomfortable.

The drop noseband does not put pressure on the molars and is self disciplining, self rewarding in its action. A great noseband to use on youngsters.

One of the most versatile pieces of equipment, but because, as you have said, it is not flattering to a horse's head, it is now a days rarely seen.

I think I would like a horse who is happier in the mouth, than what my horse looks like in the eye of the beholder.

I like the ones that you can adjust, as the fit of the noseband is important, not all horses have the same size, shape heads.

 

[Weezy]

I swear by drop nosebands, I use them alot. The fact they are not "pretty" should not even be something that is thought about!

 

[miller]

I would say they are getting much more fashionable again now - my lad goes very well in his (once I found one big enough to go round his nose)

TBH - I think it quite suits my lad and if it worked but looked horrid I wouldn't mind

 

[lucemoose]

Ive had all my drops stolen and am trying to replace them but its so hard as the hew ones are a crap fit!my saddler is MTM them for me. Ill have your unfashionable one haha

 

[cruiseline]

You can get one from here:-

http://www.eqtack.com/catalog/product_info.php?pName=202b-adjustable-drop-noseband

and here:-

http://www.saddleshop.com/cgi-bin/shoppe...archResult.html

and here:-

http://www.derbyhouse.co.uk/prodshow.asp?id=2012&cat=274&scats=274

Not cheap though

but worth every penny

 

[Joss]

Thank you everybody, I will get Drop Noseband shopping! Interesting to see that they are popular. Hopefully my eventer will go like one of cruiseline's horses once he is kitted out in his drop! I do like the ones with adjustable bits over the nose, are there any in the UK? I am a bit cautious about buying from abroad as expensive on the postage, especially if I need to return it.

 

[cruiseline]

I have briefly done a search on google, but none seemed to come up, although I know they are available in UK, just not quite sure where.

I am sure you will notice a difference when you do ride in one.

 

[SO1]

I ride my youngster in a drop and some people at my yard had never seen one before! I don't think he looks ugly in his, though I am going to stop wearing it out competiting as it seems less acceptable than the flash.

 

[Law]

I had an adjustable drop made to measure in the UK- hunted high and low for days and eventually found they were just down the road.

http://www.plasequestrian.co.uk/leatherprices.htm

 

[cruiseline]

[ QUOTE ]
I ride my youngster in a drop and some people at my yard had never seen one before! I don't think he looks ugly in his, though I am going to stop wearing it out competiting as it seems less acceptable than the flash.

[/ QUOTE ]

What has acceptability got to do with how your horse feels or how it is going.

Drop nosebands are accepted in all affiliated competitions, are you talking about showing classes??????

 

[Joss]

SO1, your horse looks lovely in his drop. If he likes it, leave it on. He has such a sweet face, he would look nice in anything!

Well done Law thats ideal.

This Forum is amazing, you seem to find answers for everything. I have even had a PM with an offer of one to try....

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

Another thumbs up for the drop noseband.

I much prefer then to flash nosebands and I think horses seem to 'argue' with them less as they have a thicker pressure area over the nose and under the jaw.

We use them on almost all our slightly stronger cob types on the riding school so we can keep them in snaffles but still make sure they listen to less experienced riders. I actually think they look pretty smart TBH, I hate the look of the flash.

 

[SO1]

What has acceptability got to do with how your horse feels or how it is going.

Drop nosebands are accepted in all affiliated competitions, are you talking about showing classes??????

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately in showing not acceptable even though he is a baby - I was told to borrow something else for the next class I take him to, even though we were in hand.

I do have another bridle I can use which has a normal noseband but he just does not go so well.

In time he will go into a normal noseband but just whilst he is in the learning phase he has the drop. He used to be in a flash when I first got him but I don't like them so swapped to drop and definately useful for jumping, hacking out etc.

 

[Jellymoon]

I use one on a fussy mouthed horse and it's sorted him out brilliantly.

I really don't care whether he looks better in a drop or a flash, his way of going and comfort are much, much more important to me.

Make sure you fit it right though - too high and it won't do anything and will rub on his lips (by the way, I thought the horse in the picture above had his fitted a bit too high, but don't shoot me!!!) and fitted too low it will restrict his nostrils.

The general consensus is that it should rest 4 fingers above the nostrils. And you have to make sure you get the tightness right too - if it's too loose, it will slip down at the front and not only look peculiar but might irritate him. You should only need to get one finger in between the nose band and the horses curb groove.

 

[SO1]

I did think his was a bit high but it is hard to tell as he has such big nostrils!

 

[Law]

I love mine, would recommend those guys for sure. It didn't even take long to come and although it is entirely irrelevant I think it looks really smart. More importantly he likes it and goes well in it

Shamless chance to share a fav pic!

ETS: Everywhere I compete I see at least two other horses in them!

 

[kerilli]

Drops are great, they sit best with a full-cheek bit fwiw, that way you don't have to have it at all tight to keep it in the same place. They don't need to be tight to work effectively either.
If it makes you feel better about using one, my trainer told me they use them (with a fulmer snaffle) on every horse at the Spanish Riding School Of Vienna, before putting them into double bridles...

 

[Donkeymad]

Drop nosebands are great, but must be fitted correctly. I couldn't give two hoots what is/is not fashionable, or even if it's pretty, as long as it does what it is used for.

 

[only_me]

i love drop nosebands - i would use one but my horse needs only the most basic of tack

i used on on my working hunter pony (county) and had lots of success with it, and didnt get marked down for using one. People didnt mind at all. had more result from a drop than a flash.

see:

BUT i agree with the person who said that the drop was not suitable - it is not the correct noseband for inhand, a cavesson is.

 

[LEC]

Another drop noseband fan. My horse has improved by nearly 6% in his. I also use with a fulmer. Horse is very fussy in the mouth and the drop he is soft and consistent. I HATE flashes think they are a poor hybrid noseband when the originals that were avaliable are much better - cavasson, grakle and drop. Just a shame that grakles are not BD legal. Thank goodness eventing allows them!

 

[jules89]

p.20 horse and hound, drop noseband used in paraolympic dressage!

 

[Janette]

I use one with my cob mare - she developed a habit of crossing her jaw....... Not any more

She could get away with murder in a flash, but not in a drop.

But she's terrible to fit. Cob is the right length over the nose, but too short around the poll and under the chin. Full fits everywhere, but is slightly too long over the nose. I didn't realise you could get MTM............

Guess where I'll be looking.

 

[CrazyMare]

Lots of my instructors horses have them. We almost tried one on my mare but took her noseband away first and she improved so I now use a cavasson fitted very very loosely.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Completely agree with cruiseline, just couldnt have written it that eloquently.

 

[Hollycat]

Lots of people use drops in dressage these days. My horse wore one at the nationals and came third (not this year!) so it did her no harm. Passier basic line bridles do one with a drop noseband option if you feel like splashing out!