Grackle or flash?

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Christmas Crumpet

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Looking to buy a nice new bridle for hunting and am trying to decide which is better - a normal grackle (not Mexican) or a flash noseband. Surely the only difference is that you can put a standing martingale on a cavesson part of a flash noseband?
 
Less pressure on the teeth with a grackle I never hunt horses in flashes it's a long day to have that sort of pressure exerted on the teeth .
 
Why do you need either? Hunting bridles usually have a wide cavesson noseband.It must be very uncomfortable for horses to have their mouths strapped shut for such a long time.Just saying.
 
What does the horse usually go in? Id go with what he is used to and comfortable with.

Fwiw, I don't use flashes and use drops or grackles instead if needed but wouldn't buy a new bridle without knowing what your horse prefers.
 
They are all different, I have one that loves his grackle but when I put in on the pony who usually has a flash (thought it would be comfier for him to hunt in) he shook his head, really didn't like the strap so far up his face. I prefer a simple cavesson but my horse would fight me in that and make himself sore.
 
He actually has gone better in a flash hunting than either a cavesson or grackle. He went beautifully in it on Sat - first time he's had one on hunting with me. I used to hunt him in a mexican grackle but I don't think its the right thing for him. So just wanted to know what the difference was in an English grackle or flash.
 
Yes unfortunately for hunting I do. It is the only area where we need one - he doesn't need one for hacking, flatwork or jumping lessons but for hunting and our brakes we do!!
 
An English grackle is not as high up the face (e.g. for horse that doesn't like straps over cheekbones), but performing the same function as the mexican i.e. stopping the jaw from crossing. The flash is there to stop the mouth opening too wide (not stop it opening at all, IYSWIM?).

So, which one you need depends on what the horse's evasion is.

I'd get the flash, as you said he went well in that. You can always get a different noseband separately, should you wish to change it in future, and the flash strap can always be removed if he no longer needs it, leaving you with just the cavesson.
 
I'd try a drop. The cavesson strap of the flash, imo, has to be on too tight to hold the flash strap correctly - the whole design of a flash goes against the laws of physics! The drop will exert the influence you need without having to over tighten anything.
 
The Flash will stop the horse from opening its mouth, the Grackle is more for horses that avoid the bit by crossing their jaw - depends what you need really
The Grackle isn't a 'new thing, it was named after a Grand National racehorse called Grackle that wore one in the 1930's and then became really popular when Caroline Bradley used one on Tigre
 
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