Drop nosebands - yes / no and why?

[Horsemad12]

I was lucky enough to go to the dressage convention at Bury farm back in Oct. One of the questions thrown at Carl was the use of drop nosebands as the horses that he and Charlotte had there were both ridden in them. The generalised answer was drop for the stronger horse and flash for the one not taking the contact. (It was not said but assumed where needed).

So on returning home I tried my "strong in canter" mare in the drop and the difference has been amazing! My friend tried her not so strong mare in one and by day two was told to take it off ;-)

So our limited study fits with what Carl said. I was not really aware of this before.

So regardless of your love for drops or not, what has been your experiences with using them?

 

[chestnut cob]

I used a drop on my last horse and he went well in it. He hated a flash. Worked nicely in a drop, though I needed a grackle for exciting/ fast work (hunting etc).

I did try a drop on my current horse but he detested it, reacted really quite violently. I also bought a Micklem last week but I think he has the wrong shaped head! The small horse size is too long for his head, but his nose and jaw/cheek area are too wide for the straps in those areas. Can't get the drop/flash type strap to even meet, let alone do up. So am sticking with the cavesson and flash for him. I would prefer him in something else as don't think he's completely comfortable in it (have some teeth issues which is why I wanted the Micklem, as it avoids the area where he can get problems), but he is the most settled in it of any noseband.

I think it is purely down to whatever suits your horse. If it works, great.

 

[GlamourDol]

Have a drop on a strong 6 year old. Canter is so powerful that he tends to snatch the bit down in a flash noseband and then get long and strong. Totally different horse in the drop, learning to sit on his back side without bearing down on his bit.

 

[Horsemad12]

Have a drop on a strong 6 year old. Canter is so powerful that he tends to snatch the bit down in a flash noseband and then get long and strong. Totally different horse in the drop, learning to sit on his back side without bearing down on his bit.

Yes, this is what I have found, it was a revelation!

 

[MissTyc]

I grew up with drops and that's all I ever really used. Moving to the UK I was surprised they were uncommon here at that time, though had apparently been previously more popular and now making a comeback. I now use Micklem bridle as fulfils the purposes I need from a bridle. Agree about odd fit though. I now own 4 Micklems in a range of sizes so I can mix and match all the bits and pieces up to fit 3 horses!

 

[Tempi]

Used a drop before swapping to a micklem - big moving 5yr old who has had teeth issues hence why I swapped to micklem. Went nice enough in the drop but even better in the micklem. I use a drop on my mare when she's not in a double and works well with her to stop her getting heaving in the contact.

 

[Ferdinase514]

I use a drop on Cob (rude tank horse) and Elli uses one on Chunky when he is not in the double, for the same reason.

 

[dianchi]

I have in the past used a drop on my mare, mostly when uber fit!

Def a horses for courses thing!

Would love to try her in a micklem but just cant afford it!

 

[Horsemad12]

See I knew that drops were a bit like marmite but I had never really considered what horses they may be better suited for,

Most posts I have read said they were good for a variety of reasons but more based on fit, teath and confort rather than helping with a stronger / leaning horse.

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

Nugz is in a drop and has been since I have had him as that was what I have been 'brought up' to do for youngsters as it stops them from learning to evade by opening their mouths. Old managers view was that it was easier to prevent it happening than to stop it after the horse has learnt it's new trick. A flash to me is for when you need to have a drop, but need a standing martingale as well.

I personally love them and are much under-utilised sometimes!

 

[TarrSteps]

See I knew that drops were a bit like marmite but I had never really considered what horses they may be better suited for,

Most posts I have read said they were good for a variety of reasons but more based on fit, teath and confort rather than helping with a stronger / leaning horse.

Perhaps they help some strong horses because they make them more comfortable?

 

[Horsemad12]

Perhaps they help some strong horses because they make them more comfortable?

Maybe, but then would that principle not work for horses that don't take a contact as well?

 

[CBAnglo]

I am another who always grew up with drops. It was only when I moved to the UK that everything was in a flash. One of my TBs is in a drop because he has funny mouth/jaw conformation (really wide at the base of the jaw and really narrow and the front). He used to get mouth ulcers from the cavasson part of the bridle if used with a flash (he tries to get his tongue over the bit so cannot be ridden in a cavasson) - we dont have this problem with his double.

I remember having to order his drop noseband specially from Kieffer as none of the tack shops stocked drop nosebands but now they seem to be everywhere.

I dont think whether the horse takes the contacy is due to the noseband (unless of course you cinch their mouths closed) the contact is more to do with the bit and the hands.

 

[TarrSteps]

Maybe, but then would that principle not work for horses that don't take a contact as well?

Depends why they are uncomfortable, I guess. A drop and something like a nathe or Happy Mouth unjointed mouthpiece is a time honoured and often very successful method for reschooling horses that lack confidence in the contact/don't take the hand forward. I don't think it's ever as simple as saying x piece of tack will always work for y problem. (And I've known trainers who basically rode everything in a snaffle and a drop and fixed all manner of issues - it wasn't really about the tack, it was about finding a relatively neutral but precise platform for communication to fix the issue with schooling.)

 

[Horsemad12]

TS - Yes I agree. It is just that in this case the practice (OK only on a very small sample size) fitted with what Carl said and fitted very very well.

It just interested me as what I have read before about drops and on here is that there are people that love them and use on "most" horses regardless of the horse and those that don't like them. I was genuinely interested if anyone else had found the same results as us.

Personally (and I prepared to be shot down) I think there is something in the action that helps stop leaning / lightens the forehand. What that actually is (if true) is a whole new debate!

 

[TarrSteps]

I will say on average, it's not as easy for people to get them spectacularly tight because of the design. I find some heavy horses are vastly improved when I remove the noseband completely, which is counterintuitive to how some people feel, admittedly. This is obviously not a valid option long term for competition horses (although I was entertained to hear that Clayton Fredericks quite often does it in clinics) but it's food for thought.

I understand the reasoning behind avoiding a problem in the first place (i have also had training in the 'mandatory drop' school and still use them often) and there are certainly limitations if you are producing horses entirely for one very specific job, I am just interested, too, in THINKING about these things.

 

[millitiger]

Millie was ridden in a drop noseband as I found it actually encouraged her to take more of a contact (along with a hanging cheek french link) than being in a flash or simple cavesson so seems she is the opposite of what Carl said

 

[khalswitz]

Just to be different, I don't like drop nosebands. Not action related, but because they are worse than a flash for inexperienced people fitting them wrongly and looking very uncomfortable, and because I've found the leather rots quicker. The salivation just kills the leather quicker, and at least with a flash strap you don't have to replace the whole noseband... however this was from working on a yard where bridles were used several times a day and only cleaned once a week, so different from private use, and the bridles were of the old, long lasting sort... except the drops!

Personally, I ride in a cavesson. My horse went through a mouth opening stage, and we worked through it after getting his teeth done. Now he doesn't. I did give in to peer pressure and use a flash for a while, but found he would throw his head about more in it when XC so went back to the cavesson.

 

[catkin]

Personally (and I prepared to be shot down) I think there is something in the action that helps stop leaning / lightens the forehand. What that actually is (if true) is a whole new debate!

no idea if this is true but if it is it may partially explain - presence of an acupuncture point around the chin where a curb-chain or drop strap would rest. Anyone know?

 

[Horsemad12]

no idea if this is true but if it is it may partially explain - presence of an acupuncture point around the chin where a curb-chain or drop strap would rest. Anyone know?

Well I did wonder that myself.

 

[TarrSteps]

But then a flash sits under the chin, too, although the force does come at a different angle

 

[tinap]

We changed ours to a drop a few months ago & the change was instant. She's so much more settled, not chucking her head about or plowing on her front end now. Shes not strong but very forward so this change of noseband mixed with tons of schooling is working wonders. I did have hassle getting one to fit though. She's only in a cob size bridle but the strap under the chin was too short with a cob drop so I had to buy a full then shorten the front of the noseband myself to fit it correctly xx

 

[tinap]

Forgot to add that I think its the stability of the bit in her mouth with the drop thats made the most difference x

 

[rowy]

I have had all 3 of my youngsters in a drop. Tried them all in a plain cavesson first of all but drop was my next port of call. All of them were a lot more comfortable taking a consistent steady contact in a drop compared to a flash/ cavesson. However, I don't have it done up mega tight.
None of them are particularly strong.