Nosebands?

[Erehwemos]

Ellie's headcollar appears to have rubbed her in the field today (I have to leave it on as she isnt the best to catch at the moment) - when I tacked her up, the noseband lay directly over the sore spot....so I took it off

I used to ride her as a baby without a noseband, much to Mum's disdain

I personally dont feel that it serves much of a purpose anyway - when I have my fluffy cover on, it does stop her raising her head quite so high, but that's about it - I wouldnt say the noseband actually does anything.

Just wondered if there actually IS a firm purpose for a cavesson? And does anyone else elect to ride their horse without a noseband at all?

Oh, and a couple of gratituous Ellie pics

I think she looks lovely without a noseband, but Mum disagrees!

 

[dwi]

I rode for years with no noseband. Saves on the tack cleaning!

 

[emma69]

Cavessons are aesthetic only, although some horses get 'used' to the feel of them and can behave differently without one one. But they don't 'do' anything.

 

[Erehwemos]

[ QUOTE ]
Cavessons are aesthetic only, although some horses get 'used' to the feel of them and can behave differently without one one. But they don't 'do' anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

Aha! As I suspected then, I just didnt know it was official!

 

[blackcob]

She looks very pretty with no noseband.

My fat cob, however, would look somewhat coarse without one I think. It's purely for aesthetics that she wears one, a nice thick one to set off her hairy head.

 

[scotsmare]

This will appeal to you and your sheepskin addiction

Put a sheepie noseband cover on your headcollar (stops the rubbing)

 

[muffinino]

I used to ride T without one (see sig

) but have his cavasson on now as it's synthetic and & I sewed a hi viz strip on to it. There is no difference between with or without, tbh.

 

[CastleMouse]

Oh noooo, most horses look so much better with cavessons rather than no noseband!

 

[Silverspring]

Cavessons are traditional due to the UK mainly having draught horse's with hunkering big heads. TB's never wore cavessons back on the day. Now I think it's just habit, people seem to think horse's need a noseband no matter how it behaves. I've ridden without a noseband for many years!

 

[Erehwemos]

[ QUOTE ]
This will appeal to you and your sheepskin addiction

Put a sheepie noseband cover on your headcollar (stops the rubbing)

[/ QUOTE ]

Aha!!! Got there before you....although not on her field headcollar, which appears to be the problem!

She has a sheepskin noseband and 'poll guard' on her travel headcollar

I think I will leave it off altogether in the field tomorrow. The problem re. catching has more to do with Ellie's companion than Ellie herself, so I will just have to hope she behaves tomorrow like she did today, and comes when I rattle the bucket!

 

[suzysparkle]

They don't do anything, unless you need to use a standing martingale.

 

[rubyred]

Sustainable Dressage explain the origins of the noseband. Unless Ellie makes a habit of ploughing with her mouth I guess you don't need one!

 

[Roody2]

[ QUOTE ]
Cavessons are aesthetic only, although some horses get 'used' to the feel of them and can behave differently without one one. But they don't 'do' anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cavessons do, to a certain extent, prevent the horses from fully opening their mouths but not as much as a flash attachment does.

 

[emma69]

Some horses still manage to yawn in cavessons, which I think is about as wide as a horse's mouth gets, they can still open the mouth to get the bit out, eat, bite etc.

 

[corinnematthews]

It looks scuffy without - and a tight cavesson will help to keep the mouth shut. But are we not talking rubbing headcollars in the field here - i.e it was kept on because the horse could not be caught? A loose leather headcoller with a small bit of rope attached (6 inches or so) would be better. Leather because it will break if the animal gets it's leg, or something else caught up in it as opposed to nylon - but maybe the point of this post, is offering tips to catch a difficult horse???

 

[Erehwemos]

[ QUOTE ]
It looks scuffy without - and a tight cavesson will help to keep the mouth shut. But are we not talking rubbing headcollars in the field here - i.e it was kept on because the horse could not be caught? A loose leather headcoller with a small bit of rope attached (6 inches or so) would be better. Leather because it will break if the animal gets it's leg, or something else caught up in it as opposed to nylon - but maybe the point of this post, is offering tips to catch a difficult horse???

[/ QUOTE ]

Not quite sure what you're getting at....the point of this post was - does a cavesson actually serve any purpose other than an aesthetical one, and does anyone ride without a noseband altogether....

Ellie's headcollar rubbed her today, yes - this is the reason I left her noseband of her bridle off, as it would have rubbed the sore patch even more! And yes, it is leather - I would never, EVER turn my horse out in nylon

Certainly not looking for any 'tips for catching a difficult horse' - Ellie herself is not the naughty one, it's her fieldmate leading her astray!

YO has asked that we both leave headcollars on in case she needs to catch them at any time - Ellie will come to me, but wont let anyone else stay close to her long enough to put a headcollar on her...so whilst she and companion are still being integrated into the herd, it's easier to leave the headcollar on

 

[Janah]

I used to ride without a noseband when I kept my boy at livery. YO was always telling me I should use one as he looked ugly without it, cheek. The more she said it the less I used it.

Less tack cleaning and in m book, less is more with any kind of tack.

Jane