Grackle or Flash ??

devilwoman

devilwoman

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Can someone please tell me the different uses for each of these nosebands - I have a 15,2hh mare who is ridden by myself and my 12 year old son - he rides her fantastic and she is not silly but she can be a bit strong when he canters her out on a hack and she'll often taken the pi** and not slow up when he asks.

Currently she is ridden in a french link pelham with roundings but no curb chain and a flash noseband.
 
a grackle is used for horses which cross their jaws and flashes are used for horses who open their mouths to evade the bit. i would put a curb chain on as it will stop the pelham from going over a 45 degree angle, which should give u better brakes
 
I did read that you should not use a curb chain with a flash, can't tell you why though.
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I would just not have it tight.
ETS the curb.
 
the only use a curb chain really has is to stop the shanks of the pelham going over 45 degrees, but i have also heard that but dont know why as i dont see how they interphere with eachother, i will look on the net
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u will feel and see her do it, its hard to explain really, my horse does it but i dont use a grackle as i cant use one in dressage.
 
what is the point exactly of using a jointed pelhan with no curb? might as well put the horse in a jointed snaffle.....
curb chains give the poll pressure and jaw pressure to enable you to stop a strong horse. grackles stop jaw crossing, flash keeps their mouth shut. get a instructor and go back to basics to improve the horses obedience and manners, and not wreck its mouth. you could try a hanging snaffle? bit if gag action on poll but gentler
 
I have an instructor who comes to me once a week and schools her and then gives my son a lesson, she is perfectly well schooled, she behaves impecably being schooled a little exitable being jumping but is more strong/exitable on a hack.

I understood that the poll pressure of the pelham came from the fact that it joins the cheek pieces the same as a hanging cheek snaffle does - the curb is surely for the jaw pressure ?
 
so put it in a hanging snaffle then! a pelham without a chain or leather curb is pointless. if she is perfectly schooled she will hand canter to a fence, grid or combination and should hand canter on a hack til asked for more pace.
 
you know nothing about my horse personally and nothing about her history so don't assume you know her as we know horses have minds and so just becasue she is well schooled doesn't mean she does exactly what the next well schooled horse does - i,e, canter to a fence, grid or whatever else - i'd need 2 pages and 2 hours to go into her hacking history and why she is stronger on a hack so wont bore anyone with those details but as it is she is strong on a hack - I wasnt asking for bitting advice, I trust my instructors judgement on that score I was merely asking the difference between a grackle and flash. Thankyou.
 
if you trust your instructor consult her or better yet get her to take it hacking and resolve issues. a strong bit may not be the answer esp if horse is light in mouth. both nosebands hold mouth shut tho ultimately grackle is stronger. some horses go softer with no noseband at all or loose cavesson. well schooled is well schooled but i suppose it comes down to standards. i would expect a well schooled horse to be responsive to hand and leg aids at all times! regardless of situation hunting a small exception for 10 minutes.. who advised you on a pelham with no chain or strap?
 
She was ridden in a hanging cheek snaffle french link and wa proving to be a bit of a handful - my instructor advised on the Pelham i took it on myself to make it a jointed snaffle (french link) as I didn't want her mouth being pulled about being as she is ridden by a 12 year old then I read somewhere on the net that a curb should not be used with flash noseband so took the curb off thinking that was the right thing to do.

When I say she is well schooled I do not mean to a very high standard - she is by no means a dressage horse, she is a hack/local show standard but she does come with a very tainted history of abuse and neglect so she does have some issues (which she is slowly overcoming the longer she is with me)
 
i would try a linked snaffle and tight flasn or grackle. no more than whats all ready on!! being as no curb. when hacking make sure you establish each pace walk trot and canter. good trot before asking.... asking for canter. if canter is given before asking re establish trot. make sure horse is soft and listening before change of pace. half halts if established and accomplished in a menage a good tool. never trot canter in same place and set a marker for each transistion be it a bush a tree a gap
if proving really strong hacking make horse w and trot til control an manners kick in. going nicely on flat doesnt beet well schooled. flat work is the road to all disciplines.......... every one is happy with their instructor but new eyes to a problem? i have lessons with a variety of people d sj xc and pull from everyone and takes what works. then you get an all round opinion and a nice all round horse. hope this helps
 
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