New noseband - drop or something else?

[Cob Life]

I need to get blue a new noseband and I can’t decide what to get.

Im looking for something that will hold the bit more steady in his mouth, he detests flash bands (and I’m not a fan either)


at the moment he has no noseband, I notice a slight improvement if he wears a cavesson noseband so I’m wondering if a drop will stabilise it more?

 

[WelshD]

Worcester noseband maybe?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

If he doesn't like a flash he perhaps won't like a drop. Why do you need to stabalise bit? Does he chomp or are your hands moving? I tried a fair few nosebands on my boy and the best he goes in is a cavesson.

 

[Cob Life]

If he doesn't like a flash he perhaps won't like a drop. Why do you need to stabalise bit? Does he chomp or are your hands moving? I tried a fair few nosebands on my boy and the best he goes in is a cavesson.

I initially thought it was my hands but my instructor has said my hands are actually go very steady

he does chomp a little, especially to start with when he’s fresh and once he gets tired.

I might ask around friends and see if anyone has a drop I can borrow, because of his head shape a flash never fit quite right and was always putting pressure in the wrong places

 

[criso]

Fairfax did some noseband testing before they designed their bridles and drops did come out well as did Grackles. Flashes were the worst as the flash strap pulled down on the Cavesson causing pressure points. Everyone was surprised that a crank Cavesson performed better than a standard Cavesson.

https://www.fairfaxsaddles.com/bridles/bridle-testing-and-design.

I had one that hated a Cavesson and was more comfortable in no noseband or a drop.

Agree though about trying to borrow first if you can.

 

[Cob Life]

Fairfax did some noseband testing before they designed their bridles and drops did come out well as did Grackles. Flashes were the worst as the flash strap pulled down on the Cavesson causing pressure points. Everyone was surprised that a crank Cavesson performed better than a standard Cavesson.

https://www.fairfaxsaddles.com/bridles/bridle-testing-and-design.

I had one that hated a Cavesson and was more comfortable in no noseband or a drop.

Agree though about trying to borrow first if you can.

He’s better in a cavesson than nothing and the pulling down on the noseband was part of the reason we didn’t get on with a flash

I’ve considered a grackle but he has a very wide short head so without getting one custom made I’m not sure I’ll get one to fit

 

[[153312]]

What about something like that?

https://barnstapleequestriansupplie...h3Lku5XwLoJpGaGgHmkawlbxE6R6YYXIaAt0XEALw_wcB

 

[Rowreach]

What cheeks are on your bit? A hanging cheek might give him more stability in his mouth. An Irish martingale gives more stability in the reins.

 

[Cob Life]

What cheeks are on your bit? A hanging cheek might give him more stability in his mouth. An Irish martingale gives more stability in the reins.

He’s in a loose ring now which he quite likes (more so than anything else I’ve tried him in)

he doesn’t currently have a nose band (the little bugger broke it!) so when getting a new one I was considering trying something different and see if it changes anything

 

[Cob Life]

The other option was one of my instructor suggestions - a double bridle

 

[LegOn]

I love the Collegiate Comfitec bridle because of the noseband - its made a huge difference to my horse, he hates a flash and is much more settled in this!

 

[Shizzle]

Snap. I have other nosebands that I swap on to this bridle, a Cavesson, a flash, a drop and we always come back to the original Comfitec one. He doesn't mind a Micklem either.

 

[nutjob]

Putting a grackle on mine made a big improvement as he likes to distract himself by playing with his teeth and sticking his tongue out. He has the same head shape as yours OP, very wide but not long. The mexican type fits him better and they have quite a lot of adjustment.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My suggestion would be to get a trained bit fitter out.

Some one from Horse Bit Fit would be my recommendation.

 

[AdorableAlice]

The other option was one of my instructor suggestions - a double bridle

If he isn't steady to the contact he is way off being able to start work in a double bridle. Did your instructor say why she/he felt a double bridle would help you.

 

[Melody Grey]

Not nose band related but have you considered a fulmer bit or full cheeks with fulmer loops for stability?

 

[Annagain]

My suggestion would be to get a trained bit fitter out.

This, the right headpiece (rather than noseband or anything else) made a huge difference to Charlie.

 

[Renvers]

This, the right headpiece (rather than noseband or anything else) made a huge difference to Charlie.

Same here, I was surprised how my fussy mouthed horse relaxed with a differently shaped headpiece.

 

[Rowreach]

OP has disappeared

 

[Pinkvboots]

Agree with Rowreach the bit cheeks make a huge difference to the bit in terms of stability, one of mine is ok in a loose ring but so much better in a hanging cheek it's also sweet iron and has a lozenge in the middle, his contact is so much better in this bit they are not expensive I would definitely try one rather than change the noseband.

I personally don't like any sort of noseband that can prevent the horse from moving the jaw, it's also proven that if they can't open the jaw properly they can't swallow easily.

 

[Ratface]

Snap. I have other nosebands that I swap on to this bridle, a Cavesson, a flash, a drop and we always come back to the original Comfitec one. He doesn't mind a Micklem either.

I would second trying a Micklem bridle. When they first came out, our local tack shop had a trial one available. It suited the horse, and he's still going nicely in the one I bought for him.

 

[Cob Life]

If he isn't steady to the contact he is way off being able to start work in a double bridle. Did your instructor say why she/he felt a double bridle would help you.

because he will just put his head down and plough through if he decides something is too hard or he doesn’t want to do it. He’s a very heavy cob over 15.2 and I’m just 5’0 so he’s a lot stronger.

her thoughts were to ride on the snaffle rein but I then have the Weymouth should he decide to bugger off (Which used to be every ride but it’s just if I’m teaching something new now)

 

[Cob Life]

OP has disappeared

I haven’t, I was just at work (How boring) and the yard

 

[Cob Life]

This, the right headpiece (rather than noseband or anything else) made a huge difference to Charlie.

Same here, I was surprised how my fussy mouthed horse relaxed with a differently shaped headpiece.

he is in quite a nice mono piece head piece which he goes better in than the standard one where the nose band is separated. I’m sure it is a collegiate.

Not nose band related but have you considered a fulmer bit or full cheeks with fulmer loops for stability?

Agree with Rowreach the bit cheeks make a huge difference to the bit in terms of stability, one of mine is ok in a loose ring but so much better in a hanging cheek it's also sweet iron and has a lozenge in the middle, his contact is so much better in this bit they are not expensive I would definitely try one rather than change the noseband.

I personally don't like any sort of noseband that can prevent the horse from moving the jaw, it's also proven that if they can't open the jaw properly they can't swallow easily.

fulmer and hanging cheek are both on my list to try. He’s currently in an egg but french link which he originally leaned on a lot (which was expected as he used to be in a loose ring Waterford) but the leaning has stopped now

 

[Hepsibah]

My Highland likes the bit to be stable in her mouth and I have her in a myler low port snaffle with hooks. I have the bridle connected to the top hook which holds the bit still in the mouth but the rein connected to the bit ring rather than the bottom hook as she doesn't need the leverage. I use the low ported mouthpiece because she has a big tongue but you might be able to use the standard mouth. I don't need to use any noseband. This page explains it better...
https://www.shawsequestrian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Hooks-on-Myler-Snaffle-Cheeks.pdf

 

[Gloi]

My Highland likes the bit to be stable in her mouth and I have her in a myler low port snaffle with hooks. I have the bridle connected to the top hook which holds the bit still in the mouth but the rein connected to the bit ring rather than the bottom hook as she doesn't need the leverage. I use the low ported mouthpiece because she has a big tongue but you might be able to use the standard mouth. I don't need to use any noseband. This page explains it better...
https://www.shawsequestrian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Hooks-on-Myler-Snaffle-Cheeks.pdf

I found this bit really successful for mine too though I did swap it for the dressage legal one without hooks after a while

 

[AdorableAlice]

because he will just put his head down and plough through if he decides something is too hard or he doesn’t want to do it. He’s a very heavy cob over 15.2 and I’m just 5’0 so he’s a lot stronger.

her thoughts were to ride on the snaffle rein but I then have the Weymouth should he decide to bugger off (Which used to be every ride but it’s just if I’m teaching something new now)

I promise you a double bridle isn't the answer to your problems. His type you describe is naturally built on the forehand and they find it hard to engage the hind end to lighten the front. I have two cobs similar to your description, immensely deep chested and huge crests on them. Both find it easy to bore down and plough themselves along. Neither is strong in the mouth, it is pure forehand bulk. No amount of strength in the hand to any bit will stop a horse built like that.

Endless half halts in all paces will help you as will transitions within each pace to encourage the horse to always be listening to you. The bit I use on my cobs are Waterford's. They cannot grab them as long as the hand is soft. A fulmer waterford is useful to help get flexion but they do come in all sorts of types.

A double bridle really is for a highly educated balanced horse, not a rude strong horse.

 

[Cob Life]

I promise you a double bridle isn't the answer to your problems. His type you describe is naturally built on the forehand and they find it hard to engage the hind end to lighten the front. I have two cobs similar to your description, immensely deep chested and huge crests on them. Both find it easy to bore down and plough themselves along. Neither is strong in the mouth, it is pure forehand bulk. No amount of strength in the hand to any bit will stop a horse built like that.

Endless half halts in all paces will help you as will transitions within each pace to encourage the horse to always be listening to you. The bit I use on my cobs are Waterford's. They cannot grab them as long as the hand is soft. A fulmer waterford is useful to help get flexion but they do come in all sorts of types.

A double bridle really is for a highly educated balanced horse, not a rude strong horse.

He doesn just plough through, I can lighten the forehand with lots of transitions, leg yields, shoulder in, but when his head goes down, his neck sets and he’s gone, sometimes he just trots but mostly it’s canter with zero steering, and I have absolutely no hope of stopping until he feels like it, considerping I ride on my own 95% of the time it can be quite dangerous.

It’s not “just because“ either. It’s usually if I’m asking something new, and he goes “I don’t know what you’re asking so I’m just doing to do what I think you might be asking for and run really fast” (He was a teenagers horse before and he was just taught to run until he didn’t feel like it anymore, then turn, and run the other way)

I started in a Pelham, which was too much bit, went to a Waterford, still too much bit, he likes quite a soft bit for schooling but there are those split moments that I need a little more, which was where the suggestion of the double came in as I don’t have to use the curb rein but it can be used in an emergency should I really not be able to stop.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would try a drop .

 

[Goldenstar]

Or I would try one of these this is my go to on that type of horse