Flash Vs Drop nose band

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Flint12

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Whats the benefit of one over the other?

My lad is in a flash, just wondering if either benefits over the other. . ?

thanks
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Definetely a drop! My pony is so much better in his drop than he used to be in a flash. He still used to try and open his mouth with the flash, but he seems loads more comfortable in the drop. We were recommended a drop by Toto's EDT, and haven't looked back
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A flash is designed simply to enable the use of standing martingale with a drop noseband! I'm not a fan of them as I think it is quite hard to fit the drop component properly without the cavesson component being too low.
 
drop gives a more direct action than a flash, applying pressure to nose if trying to open mouth wide. they do need correct adjustment both height and tightness
 
It depends, a drop is often better and I use one for my mare for dressage but when I tried it for jumping it didn't work with her dutch gag or wilkie and meant my steering wasn't great so I've gone for a grackle now but kept the drop for dressage.

Like katie_and_toto said if you buy it cheap then if it doesn't work than it's not as much of a problem, I bought a grackle and drop at your horse live for £3 each, I didn't have a use for them but I had them to hand when I wanted to try one
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Really reluctant to put a grackle on him.

Seems it has become fashionable especially at my yard just to put one on even if not needed. (Eriskayowner- not saying this is the case with you, i know they do wonders with some)

I will have a chat with instructor about a drop, worth thinking about anyway.

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drop doesn't have to be tight to be effective, so a lot of horses go better in them. they need to be able to flex their jaw in order to salivate. if they can't, they'll often fight more to open their mouth.. not surprisingly.
if it's correctly fitted (4 fingers' width above top of nostril) then you can fit it with a finger's width under chin groove strap, and it'll be really effective.
they do go best with full cheek or fulmer or D ring bits though, they're not great with loose-rings or eggbutts because they slide up the rings.
 
I use a drop, my horse much prefers it over a flash or grackle. I hack him in a plain hunter style cavesson but school and jump in a drop. I prefer the fact that the drop just encourages him not to open his mouth unlike a flash, which just straps it shut. Remember that if you do use a drop, it shouldn't be done up tightly. Horse should still be able to open and relax his jaw, should allow him to mouth the bit, he just shouldn't be able to open it wide. There should be some mouth action - if your horse has his mouth clamped shut then he's tense!

I do groundwork and load my horse in a Dually as well, so he is definitely happiest in that sort of noseband.

Personally I really dislike flashes, though I do use one for hunting on him as our safety is more important - he totally ignores the drop out hunting but will listen to the flash.
 
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some dont like the nose pressure of a drop hence grackle can work instead.

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To be fair I didn't try the drop but Jazz is quite good at crossing his jaw high up so wanted the high ring grakle to prevent this. Once he knows it's there he is totally soft in his mouth.

Doesn't suit all though - just thought I'd throw it in to the debate!
 
Kerilli- what do you mean by "because they slide up the rings"
He goes in a loose ring french link, Could i find a loose ring fullmer with a lozenge?

Thanks for all you comments
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Kerilli- what do you mean by "because they slide up the rings"

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She means that the actual noseband doesn't sit underneath the mouthpiece of the bit, but it acts as a kind of "ramp" to get on top of the rings of the bit.

A bar (such as a Fulmer) is needed to keep the bottom of the noseband in place.
 
both our mares have drop nosebands and both have a loose ring french link and i've not had any problems with the noseband staying in place. The pony used to be ridden in a dutch gag on the second ring but once we put the drop on her within a couple of weeks she was back in a snaffle so they are very effective.
 
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