Poll - How many people use flashes / martingales etc. for no reason?!

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MagicMelon

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SeaHorses post in Competition Riders about how her horse has suddenly started working really well after removing a flash got me thinking: How many of you use anything other than a cavesson (flash / grakle / drop etc.) and martingales for an actual real reason?

I know loads of people who when asked, simply say "that's what he came to me in so I've stuck with it" or "because I think he'd be strong without it" (yet haven't tried without it!!) etc.
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I have always ridden all my horses in cavassons and no martingale and never had a problem with them, however last year I had a dresage instructor who insisted the horses had to have a flash as standard. I tried it and my horses hated them so I have removed them and changed instructors. Many people use a flash as it is hard to buy a bridle without one, they also don't seem to realise that often a horse will open it's mouth to try and evade a harsh bit so strapping it shut will lead to resistence. And a horse that is uncomfortable with its mouth will often need a martingale to prevent it's head being thrown around because it is uncomfortable in the mouth. So I am not at all surprised that SeaHorses horse went better without its flash.
 
My mare came to me in a flash with a martingale. I use a martingale for the first week or two whilst I got to know her, then took it off and it has stayed off. Her flash came off very quickly, but she is a bit gaupy and goes around with her mouth wide open to evade where possible! Therefore on the advise of my instructor (who is one of the first to strip them off!) she is back in a flash. I prefer Mexican nosebands if I am honest, but at the moment she just has the flash on loosely to remind her, and has a lovely soft mouth in it. If it continues to be a problem, she will go in a mexican as I am more comfortable with them being tighter than a flash.
 
Started my horse in a fulmer straight bar happy mouth snaffle, flash and running martingale as a four year old. He HATED the martingale, so changed to a standing one til he learnt that giraffe neck is not desired
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Then went onto a mexican noseband and fulmer cheeked snaffle with no martingale.

Now aged nine he is in an eggbut happy mouth french lnked snaffle and cavesson. But I ride a fair bit without a cavesson at all, but wear it for comps for the aesthetics!
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I always ride in a running martingale. especially strange horses.
Fit correctly, it dosnt interfere until needed, and it provides a neck strap if needed!!
I dont see any problem in using one even if its not needed.its like a security blanket.
Iv worked for a pro event rider for 7 years and this was drilled into us..
 
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I however last year I had a dresage instructor who insisted the horses had to have a flash as standard. I tried it and my horses hated them so I have removed them and changed instructors.

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Urgh, this happened to me too. I ride my horse in a cavesson for SJ and dressage, and a kineton for xc - she doesn't open her mouth so not a problem. But my trainer has nagged and nagged me to use a flash for the last year. He says that all of his horses wear a flash - don't quite understand it myself. I tried to explain that she doesn't open her mouth and I can feel added resistance if I use a flash - he said that they will resist to begin with but then get over it!!
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Why introduce resistance where there is none!
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Anyway, for a quiet life I now use a loose flash in lessons, and take it off at home. In every other way I respect my trainer 100% and I have made masses of progress with him, so it's just the best way for me
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Always had my horse in a flash, but the reiki lady told me he didn't like it so I removed it and we've never looked back. I use the martingale for jumping as he gets a little strong and tends to put his head up and bounce when approaching the fence so the martingale just keeps everything in perspective - particularly my view of the fence!! LOL.

Of course for dressage we remove martingale and he goes fine, but if I did a fence up would come his head again!

I think you should have put a breast plate on your list of options. I use one as the running martingale attached to it and I have something to hold onto when things get hairy! I think the biggest waste of time is stud guards - lets face it unless your horse is jumping in excess of four foot or your horse has exceptionally pointed studs or a fantastic leg action how many people REALLY need them for their horses. Are they the next fashion accessory. (hoping not to get shot down in flames for that remark by the way!)
 
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I have always ridden all my horses in cavassons and no martingale and never had a problem with them, however last year I had a dresage instructor who insisted the horses had to have a flash as standard. I tried it and my horses hated them so I have removed them and changed instructors. Many people use a flash as it is hard to buy a bridle without one, they also don't seem to realise that often a horse will open it's mouth to try and evade a harsh bit so strapping it shut will lead to resistence. And a horse that is uncomfortable with its mouth will often need a martingale to prevent it's head being thrown around because it is uncomfortable in the mouth. So I am not at all surprised that SeaHorses horse went better without its flash.

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I totally agree. i had a lesson once on my horse who had been backed THREE weeks. Instructor recomended flash and spurs. needless to say i never had a lesson with him again. Sometimes horses just need time, patience and training. Less is more. I dont believe it is a coincidence that of the horses i have competed, the ones i have started myself have and still do all go in snaffles and cavesson nosebands. Of horses that i have ridden for owners, many have come with 'gadgets'.

The first reaction is nearly always to reach for a noseband that straps the gob shut. When instead the bit,mouth conformation, horse and rider ability should be assessed first. Young horses often open their mouths to evade the bit because it is uncomfortable or they are not yet strong enough to do what is being asked.
 
My boy has a flash as otherwise his mouth is permanently open and I have very few brakes. He's had everything checked and there's no pain/discomfort reason for this so the flash is the best way to deal with this.
We think it's because the last but one owner only ever hunted him and apparently was quite a big bloke who wasn't particularly good but very gutsy, so used to just hang on and go. We've schooled most of the bad habits this caused out of him (rushing at fences, leaning on hands etc) but haven't managed to tackle the mouth opening by any other means.
 
I always hack out in a running martingale. My girl is nappy, so its safer to hack in one. I don't see a problem with a correctly fitted running martingale as it has no effect at all if the horse is working well. I also hack out in a mexican grackle, yet again because she is nappy and will insist on avoiding the bit with mouth ajar and head as high as she can get it. I school in just a plain cavesson, although occassionally if she's being difficult I will put the flash strap on.
 
My first horse came with flash and running martingale and that's what I used (I didn't at the time question why. I've learnt a lot more about horses since then).

Of my three current riding horses (all of whom I've backed myself) none of them have ever worn a martingale or any other device (except for the occasional side reins when lungeing) and have never had a flash or any other nosebands apart from a cavesson. In fact they only actually have cavesson nosebands for competition purposes - e.g. BD rules and are ridden half of the time at home without any noseband at all.

The Arab first on the left in my signature initially held himself so hollow and upside down it was unbelievable, but through correct schooling (and not by being strapped down), he now works nicely in the correct shape - and all done WITHOUT a martingale! Yes, it CAN be done without gadgets!
 
ive just purchased and exracer, shes been off the track 6 weeks now, shes allways been ridden in a flash, whilst shes been with me ive tried taking it off for short periods of time to get her working like that, however with out it she has a habit of putting her tongue over the bit
 
I ride in a cavasson withouth a martingale. OH rides in a cavasson with a martingale attached to a breastplate - a) for a neck strap, and b) because his horse is of the head tossing catagory and OH is a novice.

My mare has always gone with her mouth slightly open at times, but never uses that as an evasion - one instructor made me strap her mouth tightly shut with a flash, and I took it off one day when she had rubbed herself and OMG the difference was amazing. I now use a cavasson that is so loose, it can't do anything, but I need it to be there for competitions, so I keep it on at home too.
 
Murphy has a grakle for competing, because he opens his mouth, crosses his jaws and grabs hold of the bit. When I tried him he was in a cavesson, and he basically p****d off with me. I also tried to canter him round our field this summer in a cavesson, and ended up spinning up in very tight circles to get him to stop. He wears a cavesson for hacking though, and schooling most of the time.
 
my horse came to me in a drop and a very thin french link which was actually too small for him anyway! I found he leant on the drop noseband after fighting with it for half an hour, so i tried him in the cavesson - no fighting and no leaning! We also changed him to a comfort myler snaffle - different horse!!

He has to have a breastplate when hacking, but other than that no martingale!
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i ride my boy in a flash and a martingale if i didnt have them and i have tried many times i either get a black eye cuz he head butts you or you have no control in canter what so ever he enjoys to gallop i mostly use it for jumping so thatwe go round semi safe
 
Martingales, flash nosebands....is our riding and relationship with our horses really so bad we need them?

Needing these is a sign that soemthing else is wrong on the relationship and behaviour front . I own an ex racer who bolted and reared and worse - but gadgets were not the answer - they only made things worse for the horse.

Since many horses are claustrophobic by nature - what good will using a flash noseband do? Only make it worse for them. You try exercising hard with your head pulled in towards your chest, unable to open your mouth and flex your jaws....you probably wouldn;t find that comfortable, and neither does your horse.

I suppose that gadgets can always compensate for lack of skill, awareness and empathy.... (tin hat on, incoming...
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Does that mean I'm a skilled, aware and empathic rider?

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Or more likely I just can't be arsed with bumf on my horses and my horse is very well behaved anyway really!
 
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Does that mean I'm a skilled, aware and empathic rider?


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Congratulations - I am so jealous, as I'm clearly in the camp of having zero relationship or understanding for my horse.

End of year report - must try harder!
 
Excuse Me.

When the horse gets it tongue over the bit - What else are you supposed to do. Start playing around with million of bits. Well sorry I can't be arsed playing with bits and if my mare goes happy with her flash and her snaffle bit then I am happy. When we put the flash onto her it was amazing the difference and I was able to control her otherwise I may have gone down the stronger bit route.

And as for lack of skill - wise up !! It as about making informed choices and what worked for you might not work for someone else as every horse is different!! And when you become more experienced you will realise this!
 
I use a flash and martingale with R hacking because although he is fine 90% of the time, it's the 10% when he spooks, spins and takes off that I need them! We hack on roads so I can't really afford to let him get away with this and I am too small to stop him through sheer strength as he does clamp down on the bit.

Schooling he has neither!

F has neither, hacking and schooling.
 
I ride in a French link and a cavesson nose band but no martingale, breast plate or any other gadgets.........might possibly use a rubber pelham if hunting & will know the answer to that after we go hunting but will try in French link to begin with, I realise that some people might need to use things to make their horse a safer & more comfortable ride, whatever works for you is my attitude, as long as horse is OK with it
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