Grackle nosebands- just fashion?

arwenplusone

arwenplusone

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I have seen a lot of riders going for these instead of the drop nosebands (which have become rarer and rarer).

IMO a grackle is more severe as puts pressure in more places but I AM thinking of using one on my mare.

How many horses actually need these? Are they better for stopping evasion of the bit or is this just a fashion at the mo?

thx
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They are less severe IMHO as they disperse pressure over a wider area. They also dont interfere with teeth as much so are nicer on young horses. This goes for the Mexican version though, not the traditional type. My trainer will only use Mexicans or Cavesson nosebands as says others put unfair pressure on horses.
 
well i have used both a drop and a grackle on my noseband due to my horse crossing her jaw but also the fact she couldnt wear a cavesson type as it went right over where she had a tooth abcess.

i actually find the grackle better and she preferred it to the drop...i just switched them around frequently and then she never got used to one or the other-which seemed to be the way for her.
 
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They are less severe IMHO as they disperse pressure over a wider area. They also dont interfere with teeth as much so are nicer on young horses. This goes for the Mexican version though, not the traditional type. My trainer will only use Mexicans or Cavesson nosebands as says others put unfair pressure on horses.

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Kat B that's interesting - my mare is quite a young horse and I believe she was in a grackle when she was backed. I have always used cavessons on mine but maybe not the way to go with her... thanks for your help.
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I do agree that they are quite "fashionable" - there are few young people I know who use the John Whitaker grakle coz they think that's what all showjumpers should use.

However, I used to use a flash jumping and switched to a grakle as I found him leaning and trying to evade the bit and I much prefer him in a grakle.

My advice is to just try and see
 
I agree it seems to be a fashion thing. I use a crank noseband and find these much more effective though i know a lot of people think that these are more severe than the grakle my mare cocks her jaw when jumping and without the crank I have no control or have to use a much stronger bit. Whereas I can use a snaffle fulmer with the crank. (I use a flash as well for XC and sometimes sj)

What do you you guys think if the crank vs the grakle?
Would I be better off using a grakle instead?
 
I had to use a mexican grackle for SJ and a drop for Dressage for my boy as he had his teeth coming though wehn i first got him and in a cavesson he would just shake his head !!

We are now in a cavesson for dressage but have found the grackle gives me better control SJ !!! the git stretched it though so is in the menders to be shortened !!

I actually have found that the drop is coming back into fashion and you see a lot of poeple out at dressage with them !!
 
I personally prefer grackles to Crank nosebands as the pressure is distributed over a larger area. Craks also put alot of pressure on teeth which cant be comfy!!
 
i use a loose cavesson on a horse with no bad habits, and a drop on anything else. correctly fitted (which is unusual, unfortunately), the drop doesn't have to be tight to be effective... 2 fingers' width is correct, it should be loose enough for the horse to flex the jaw and swallow easily. drops are imho much much better nosebands than flash or grackles. i particularly hate to see a tight flash or grackle (esp on the flat), how on earth is the horse supposed to soften at the jaw and mouthe the bit correctly if his nose is restricted like that?
 
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I personally prefer grackles to Crank nosebands as the pressure is distributed over a larger area. Craks also put alot of pressure on teeth which cant be comfy!!

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Absolutely...

I am having lessons and my horses are being schooled by a member of this forum who, on the first time coming to ride my horses, asked to take their cavessons off. The explaination behind this is that, among other things, a cavesson can cause problems with the back teeth as it causes the back of the jaw to be pushed together. My mare instantly went better and from having no brakes or steering at speed we suddenly had as much as we needed. She also started to figure out what a contact was. M gelding too seemed better, although still a bit gobby, though thats just him! One of the things this person told me was how western horses who are traditionally ridden with no noseband at all dont have anywhere near as many teeth problems as English horses - somthing I had a look into and found to be true, regardless of the breed of the horse.

I think fashion plays a role in our tack choice, when a bridle is sold as a Show Jumping bridle, and it hsa a mexican on it then the more impressionable members of the equine world will think its 'cool' to have that bridle for thier horse, I guess there isn't much harm in it, people do far worse to horses than use an incorrect noseband, as long as its fitted ok then there shouldnt be a problem with it.

I personally dont like flashes or cranks (or cranks with a flash strap), too much pressure over too small and area and would use a drop - my mare uses a drop for dressage etc when we have to wear a noseband - or a grakle if I had something that was a bit too 'gobby' as the pressure is dispersed. Though I admit I have never used one and don't own one....

Just my thoughts though....

ETA - love Kerillis point about a tight flash/grackle on the flat, I often see people whack a flash on because there horse plays with the bit and they see it as eveding. i'd much rather have something that plays with the bit and is soft and relaxed through its jaw than something that rides like a plank of wood as its all strapped up tight!!!!

Alexander Technique teaches us thet to be relaxed and soft on the horses back we must be relaxed through our jaw and neck - surely for a horse to be relaxed the same idea applies? Can it do that with its mouth strapped shut...?
 
Have to say for Dressage mine has to go in a flash because Grackles arent allowed, and he is a gobby so and so so needs a reminder! However, I never do them "tight" because as Kerilli has said, it is impossible for a horse to flex at the poll if they cant move their jaw!!
 
i once watched a BHSI event rider do up her crank noseband with her foot against the horse's jaw (no kidding, i witnessed this) to get it as tight as possible, because she said she couldn't get the horse on the bit otherwise.
words actually failed me.
 
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i once watched a BHSI event rider do up her crank noseband with her foot against the horse's jaw (no kidding, i witnessed this) to get it as tight as possible, because she said she couldn't get the horse on the bit otherwise.
words actually failed me.

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Every time you mention this I struggle to visualise it - I am almost certain I could not get my foot anywhere near my horse's jaw - perhaps because I'm 5' and he's 16.3...

Not that I want to put my foot on his jaw per se, but I'd love to be that flexible
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I used to use a grackle on my horse when I did long distance riding as any other noseband rubbed. (She was very keen and always trying to catch up with any horses in front of us). I've always hacked her out without a noseband.
 
I use a loose cavesson for everything except hunting when the mexican grakle stops her crossing her jaw, and getting her tongue over the bit and therefore fairly uncontrollable.

I try not to do it up too tight and have sewn sheepskin onto the cheek rings because they have the propensity to rub/squeeze her cheek bones which can't be comfortable.

But I do find it the best noseband to keep control of her because I didn't want to go down the route of using a severe bit. She's in a loose ring jointed snaffle.
 
The only gripe I have is people insist on fitting the flash/grackle's too low. The other problem with fitting nose bands too tight especially with young horses is to do with the teeth. My dentist pointed out that horses teeth grow from the jaw upwards (the jaw closes up as the teeth move up). That area is therefore senstive for the horse while young & until the jaw hardens.
 
Well after reading this post i decided to try Blue without a noseband (he is usually ridden in a grakle) and i have to say he was no different. He was just as awful as he usually is. The sooner he goes to be schooled/trained the better am not enjoying riding him anymore.
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