Flash Nosebands

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Parkranger

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Post about martingales got me thinking - why does everyone seem to ride in a flash when not every horse needs one? Oscar never opens his mouth - even jumping or during fast work, so I just don't see the point in putting one on!

Is it just me, or is it getting harder and harder to find a bridle without a flash?
 
think half the time its down to 'fashion' . remember when everyone used drop nosebands, now you hardly ever see one. my boys in a plain old cavesson - mind you i never was up to date with fashion! lol
 
mmmm, glad it's not just me then! I think that everything has it's place but if it's not needed then don't use it!
 
I use one because my instructor recommended it. My horse likes to open her mouth and flap her tongue around then get it over the bit. Since I've used the flash (about 18 months now) she's gone much better. What I don't understand about flashes is that some 'dressage people' seem to swear by them for getting their horses in an outline...
 
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What I don't understand about flashes is that some 'dressage people' seem to swear by them for getting their horses in an outline...

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Exactly my point!

Ty needs a flash as once he gets excited his gob is open and it's 'hold on for your life' time!
 
One of our driving horses wears a flash so he can't bite his pair or eat his reins/any other bit of leather remotely near his face. Because its for this reason i think he's the only horse in north devon with one fitted correctly, i.e. not ratchected tight. it lyes on his skin firm to not move but doesnt make the remotest dent in his lovely soft nose.

Flashes and dutch gags/three ring snaffles are my pet hate, used far too much as a fashion item
 
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Flashes and dutch gags/three ring snaffles are my pet hate, used far too much as a fashion item

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Oh, you'd HATE me then! I use both on the Ginger Beastie AND a standing martingale. I'm going straight to hell. Move over Shilasdair!!
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I think you have to use whatever suits your horse - it is ideal if you can have a horse in a snaffle bridle with a cavesson, but not all horses like them, or go well in them.
Some don't like drops, flashes or grackles either - so I suppose it is a process of finding the correct tack to suit your individual horse and rider combination.
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I prefer grackles to flash nosebands TBH... I use a grackle on Ali whenever I use a snaffle because he goes well in it and I have control - I'm very lucky that grackles are Dressage Ireland legal as well!
 
I've never used a flash noseband, but annoyingly every bridle I've had for 'everyday' use has had a silly little loop on it!! I did find it impossible to find an inexpensive bridle without one.
 
Agree with Carys - hard to find a bridle without a flash attachment - personally I don't like them much altho' they seem to work for some horses - don't think many horses like to have their mouth tied shut all the time
 
My cavessons are never fitted so that they keep the horses mouth clamped shut but then I work on the 'less is more' principle - maybe I'm foolish but I'm too old to change
 
i only use the flash to keep the nose net down!! If I dont put a flash on (albeit fairly loosely) the nose net gets blown upwards on her face......

Anyone have any other solutions for this??
 
I find it annoying having a little loop if it isn't needed too - I have a little buckle arrangement for my flash - which I have had to start using on the young horse as he is a yob and tries to bite either horse or riders leg (oops) when we ride out in company! He is so rude!
 
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My cavessons are never fitted so that they keep the horses mouth clamped shut but then I work on the 'less is more' principle - maybe I'm foolish but I'm too old to change

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Totally agree, you should start with a cavesson and work up from there if required. I personally think a basic english bridle shouldn't have a flash, I also think it should cost more if you want a flash that would stop people using them unnecessarily! It such a shame that these days a plain cavession is seen as being a show bridle and therefore costs a fortune
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I ride without any nose band as my mare use's anything over here nose as a good reason to throw down the anchors and rub at any given time (including at a fast canter!).
 
My old trainer told me that a flash noseband is a basic piece of tack and every horse should wear one as it keeps the bit in the correct place in their mouth. He also said that horses that have been trained as youngsters without a flash often have mouthing/bitting problems such as getting their tongue over the bit.
 
My instructor said I should use one so that Ronnie doesn't learn to open his mouth. However, I've long had the view that he wasn't happy in it, so finally got brave and took it off and we really haven't looked back. He's a much happier ned without it, and ok on occasion he does open his mouth which won't look great in a test if it happens then, but if I had to have the flash tight enough to really keep that mouth shut then he'd be in agony!

Problem is my noseband also has a silly little loop now.
 
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My old trainer told me that a flash noseband is a basic piece of tack and every horse should wear one as it keeps the bit in the correct place in their mouth.

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Trust me, back in the good old days the bits stayed in the correct place without a flash, it was called fitting tack correctly and seems to have gone out of fashion in recent years.
 
my 6yo needs his flash for jumping and fast work but otherwise is ridden in a cavasson.
my mare is ridden in a cavasson for everything
and my 5yo is in a william mickelm bridle (so not really a flash/cavasson/drop/grakle) which is totally different
 
I agree they are fashionable... I much prefer drops/grackles though. I think often because the flash has quite a small pressure area and is quite narrow, horses think they can argue with it more. We have a cob on the riding school who is normally quiet, but does have a cheeky habit of putting his head up, opening his mouth and trotting firmly to the back of the ride if you ask him to ride a circle !!! He wears a flash and a loose standing martingale to prevent this trick but he regularly breaks the flash by just opening his mouth hard so the buckle gives. He would go better in a drop but needs the standing martingale attachment.

Our other slightly strong horses all wear snaffles with drops and we find this works perfectly to keep them undercontrol whilst still keeping a gentle bit in their mouths
 
I agree that flash nosebands are the current trend, and I hate the fact that my novice horse wears one. However, if I take it off she sticks her mouth open and evades the contact, once she progresses I hope I'll be able to take it off. It also seems to me that the new trend is likely to be the Mexican grakle instead.
 
The "old fashioned" remedy for this was to use both the drop and cavesson nosebands, with the standing martingale on the cavesson. I believe it's sometimes still done on polo ponies. Certainly the retired polo pony that comes to our PC has this arrangement.
 
I tried a flash ages ago on my horse because she was very gobby, and she just fought it. Grackle? Problem solved, and I was able to take it off after a month or so. She just has a cavesson now.
 
I should say that all mine are in cavessons, we experimented with a drop for one who does open his mouth but as he immediately began to fight it the end result was worse than the original problem. Tried a flash, same trouble so back to the cavesson and more schooling!
 
Use a grackle on the pony - had a flash on her for years as otherwise mouth does have a tendency to be wide open if you ask for a contact. Grackle I can just have on v. loose for hacking, but for schooling, she crosses her jaw and opens her gob (Perfect.)
 
I used to use a flash all the time, however I've stopped using one at home and only use them at competitions now.

Tbh I've seen more drop nosebands around than flash, but maybe flash nosebands are getting more popular.
 
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