Flash nosebands ..are they necessary?

TrasaM

TrasaM

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Some advice please. I ride a friends cob sometimes and the most recent addition to his kit has been a flash nosebands which is often done up very tightly. I try to leave it loose when I ride him as I've noticed that the first thing he does when his bridle is removed is stretch his mouth open really wide. Is it really necessary? I was told when I questioned it that it keeps the bit in place and gives more control. I don't have the knowledge or experience to argue about it although I have been quietly loosening it when no ones looking.
 
Personally, I'm not a fan of flashes. If you've been riding him before the addition, would you say he requires the control? :)
 
Flashes were developed so as to be able to use a standing martingale with a drop noseband. Personally I really dislike flashes, and would much rather use a drop if a non-cavesson noseband is required.
 
No but like anything depends on the person using them. They are often fitted incorrectly and done up far too tightly. They help to stop horse opening their mouth and crossing their jaw. They are dressage legal unlke grackle (unless BE). They became a 'fashion' trend and now most snaffle bridles come with one but things do seem to be changing again

Interesting link below about flashes and other nosebands

http://www.sustainabledressage.net/tack/bridle.php#flash
 
pookie said:
Personally, I'm not a fan of flashes. If you've been riding him before the addition, would you say he requires the control? :)
Click to expand...

Absolutely not. With me he's fine and behaves but the horse I ride is not the same horse his owner rides-if you get my drift. I can't see that it does anything other than stop him opening his mouth.
 
jnhuk said:
No but like anything depends on the person using them. They are often fitted incorrectly and done up far too tightly. They help to stop horse opening their mouth and crossing their jaw. They are dressage legal unlke grackle (unless BE). They became a 'fashion' trend and now most snaffle bridles come with one but things do seem to be changing again

Interesting link below about flashes and other nosebands

http://www.sustainabledressage.net/tack/bridle.php#flash
Click to expand...

Thanks..I've had a look at the link. So not a lot of use and can possibly cause problems in the horses mouth. He had a martingale added recently as well but I removed it while she was away and I was riding him for her. Also not necessary..just more kit.
 
No.

I'm not a fan of flashes either and would rather use a drop or grackle if my horse needed a drop of sorts. I also think that flashes are used mainly as a fashion item these days.

The link posted above is an excellent read, I recommend having a good look through it!
 
marmalade76 said:
No.
I also think that flashes are used mainly as a fashion item these days.
Click to expand...

This! I found a stunning bridle...but it's a flash! Ned's had a drop and a flash before and he is no different to when he has no noseband. I wonder if I could get the flash taken off? The little loop that holds it on I mean.
All the nice bridles seem to be flashes. It's annoying!
 
Nah said:
I wonder if I could get the flash taken off? The little loop that holds it on I mean.
All the nice bridles seem to be flashes. It's annoying!
Click to expand...

Yes you can, do you have a friendly local saddler? I've had the loops taken off all my bridles :)
 
think you've answered your own question ;)

problem is nowadays all bridles come with a flash,
so everyone uses them,
so everyone thinks all horses need one...

self fulfilling prophecy...

I know it's difficult in your case
but I would much rather flash band is removed
rather than loosened
(in fact my horses spend most of their life completely 'nose band less')

- as people frequently turn up for their first lesson with me
with a flash 'flapping' loosely on their horse's nose

personally, if I were a horse,
this constant flapping every stride would drive me to distraction...:mad:

(and while I'm at it..
why do all bridles come with rubber reins now?
- hate them with a vengeance,
too bulky and don't 'bend'
- so prevent rider developing/experiencing any 'feel' through the reins...)

on balance though,
I'd rather 'average' riders use a flash noseband
than a stronger bit
as I think it has less potential to cause damage to the horse
in the 'wrong' hands...
 
Can't stand the things, I'm in agreement with rhino... Far prefer a drop but I generally just use a cavason it's been 15 years since I've ridden a horse that needs a drop or flash!
 
labruyere said:
think you've answered your own question ;)

problem is nowadays all bridles come with a flash,
so everyone uses them,
so everyone thinks all horses need one...

self fulfilling prophecy...

I know it's difficult in your case
but I would much rather flash band is removed
rather than loosened
(in fact my horses spend most of their life completely 'nose band less')

- as people frequently turn up for their first lesson with me
with a flash 'flapping' loosely on their horse's nose

personally, if I were a horse,
this constant flapping every stride would drive me to distraction...:mad:

(and while I'm at it..
why do all bridles come with rubber reins now?
- hate them with a vengeance,
too bulky and don't 'bend'
- so prevent rider developing/experiencing any 'feel' through the reins...)

on balance though,
I'd rather 'average' riders use a flash noseband
than a stronger bit
as I think it has less potential to cause damage to the horse
in the 'wrong' hands...
Click to expand...

:) I have lessons in classical French riding and the horses have no nosebands either. Actually I think he's also been fitted with a stronger bit. Sigh! I'm sure I could manage to lose it when I next ride him. I'll try to speak to her about it but she's being influenced by people far more experienced than I. The solution to any issue of perceived misbehaviour or naughtiness is a stronger piece of kit.
 
TrasaM said:
Absolutely not. With me he's fine and behaves but the horse I ride is not the same horse his owner rides-if you get my drift. I can't see that it does anything other than stop him opening his mouth.
Click to expand...

The problem with devices like this is that they become a trend, regardless of the actual needs of the horse. I really dislike how standard they've become.

Could you not ask the owner if you could ride him in a plain cavesson?
 
It's all about control.... More gadgets equals more control - without much effort on the riders part. Yay!

Everyone wins.... Right?

I have come to think that the less time people spend with their horses listening and feeling, the more gadgets get used... While I agree that certain gadgets in the right hands are positive, I fail to find any positives in the flash noseband.
 
I hate them & anything else that straps the mouth shut. Practically every photo in a horse mag shows a horse wearing one. So hard to find a bridle without one. Loads of people use then without even knowing why!! Arghh a pet hate of mine.
 
Well my mare, 21 yearold welsh, doesnt like grakle or drop nose band and is more comfy in a flash. If i dont have it on, i do it up so i can get at least a finger under it, she buggers off round the school/feild with mouth hanging open and tongue flapping. I dont have a martingale as she hates it and her bit, at the moment, is a gag but she does have a hanging check waterford that i swap between. She also has a pelham, with two reins, when she does sponsored rides as this is her comfort out and about bit, dont worry we dont use a flash with it. I have had her 12 years and she has been better then when i got her.

The appy is just in a nose band but had a flash to go xc in as didnt want to change his snaffle.
The exracer loves his grackle, hates the flash so thats what he has.
 
I've taken my flash off except for hacking as madam us a rotter for snatching grass/hedges etc as we ride. The flash just reminds her it's not acceptable.
 
Wow if you all saw my lad you would think i take no effort to control him. I ride in a hunting breastplate with martingale attached and he has a flash.
I did ask my instructor about using a drop but she was keen to stick with flash as he is settled in it. Without flash he gets tongue over bit we have tried to school him out of it in hundreds of bits but he is an ex racer and will only settle in his ns team up bit but can get tongue over which is dangerous especially out hacking so it stars. The hunting bp is a grab strap for me and the martingale is a just in case he has an arsy moment as he like to throw head up and do one! Again more schooling we do the better and now that bit comes off in school sometimes but it will always stay hacking
 
Its an annoying fashion trend nothing more. Most horses don't need them but because they are already on the bridle when bought they are used. It's hard to buy a bridle without a flash these days, it's rather infuriating.
 
Dizzy dancer, your horse sounds like he will def get better as he grows in confidence. I don't think you should take comments personally. He sounds anxious that is all and when he relaxes more you will find the tongue over bit problem will get less and less. You sound like you are the perfect person to help him relax as you are already doing a lot for him to help.
 
Yep, its a weird trend. I dislike how many people (and i was one) assume the horse is opening his mouth to be naughty, and not because he is in pain due to the bit and or rider's contact. I have found its often the most sensitive horses who are 'strong' in the mouth so get a harsher bit and a flash noseband, and the poor thing is bullied into acceptance of a strong, ill timed, painful contact when all they needed in the first place was a gentler pair of hands, more consistent training and riding, with more reliance on other aids.
 
I agree with you naturally... And it has taken me too long to realise it and start listening! :)
 
Thanks tally ho that's what Im hoping for. Although if it is just him and 9 years being raced then we will keep it on for good and that won't bother me although ideally id like to get rid even if only for schooling as hacking is very exciting for a horse apparently!!
 
I have an old boy who is most comfortable with his tongue lolling out of his mouth. He arrived with a flash, due to this, however would still manage to get a bit of tongue out, so I removed it and, yes, whilst he did have his tongue out and would therefore score consistently lower than deserved in dressage, he was softer and mouthed the bit much more without flash.

I do think flash nose bands have their place, but certainly not enough to come 'as standard' on bridles!
 
Flashes basically cause the horse to be tense in the jaw the whole time, if hes tense in the jaw hes tense through his neck and back as everything connects.

In dressage I teach relaxing of the jaw to get a lovely head carriage with no gadgets.

DizzyDancer - my mare puts her tongue over the bit, thanks to being badly started and then some idiot used a tongue loller on her so now if a contact is take she panics. A very wise chap recently came out and gave me a lesson, we started with some very basic ground work which whilst ok, was not good enough. He made the point that if teh ground work isnt right should we even be getting on? After an hour of working on this I got on, she had her bridle and bit on but I was asked to ride off the rope halter. She went like a dream, when she stood she stood mind still as well as feet still it was a revelation to me :)
 
Tt that sounds very interesting. Yes he was raced and trained with tongue tied down. So lots of stuff to break. We do work on groundwork a lot but interesting about halter. We are currently only doin that as waiting for back to be seen after he had fun in the field and twisted! Silly boy i will try with bridle and flash off later tho and see how he goes.
 
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