What Are Your Opinions On Flash Nosebands?

Imo they aren't, there's no tight cavesson part & the pressure is more even. Is there anyone you know from team chasing who would have a look for you, or ask someone you know at a show to look while they are there?
 
A question for all of those people advocating drop nosebands for exciting situations (eg, the team chaser above)... would any of you have liked to take my big, strong 17hh IDx hunter out hunting for the day in just a loose drop?! This horse schooled at home/DR in a drop (or plain cavesson), SJ in a drop, went XC in a grackle, hacked with a cavesson/drop or even no noseband sometimes. He was very well schooled to the seat and voice but out hunting, you could have put Philippe Karl on him and he'd have bogged off. I actually did take him hunting in a drop once.. Had absolutely no control whatsoever, overtook everyone inc. Master several times and the horse was generally foul all day long. Unfortunately we don't live in an ideal world and sometimes horses need different nosebands. That particular horse hunted in a cavesson and flash. I'm 5ft4 and he was 17hh, weighing prob 750kg at least. Safety is more important that anything else, especially on the hunting field, and I need to know I can stop. In a flash I had a horse who I could control.

And the horse certainly never suffered for being in a flash every couple of weeks for hunting. The day after a meet he'd go back in his French link and drop, hacking on the buckle end. He never once got upset at having it done up. He didn't rub his mouth, it didn't restrict his breathing and he suffered no adverse effects. That horse lived to hunt and using a flash rather than a lovely, loose drop or similar made it a much more pleasant day for both of us.

My youngster goes in a loose flash - I tried others first but he detested a drop and I wasn't keen on the grackle. It serves a purpose and will eventually come off, but it's a means to an end ATM.
 
TBPH I put my horses in whatever tack they go best in. I don't stand around watching and making judgements on others who use different tack. As I said before, all of my horses are ridden in either cavessons or no nosebands however I have every kind of noseband available (collected over half a century lol) and IF a horse of mine went better in a flash or a crank or a drop then that's what it would be ridden in. For those people on here who use flash nosebands (and I completely agree that it is difficult to find a QUALITY master saddler who makes bridles without flash nosebands any more) so long as you're fitting it correctly then it's your business and no-one elses.
 
Chestnutcob, same as above, I would have used a grackle.
And for the record, having an opinion on flashes in response to a thread asking for opinions, is very different to standing round slagging of peoples choices of tack in real life, or randomly approaching them to criticize & demand they explain their decision.
 
The_angel_littlelegs said:
Chestnutcob, same as above, I would have used a grackle.
And for the record, having an opinion on flashes in response to a thread asking for opinions, is very different to standing round slagging of peoples choices of tack in real life, or randomly approaching them to criticize & demand they explain their decision.
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I tried a grackle. Several times. That particular horse is a big, strong and very experienced hunter who knows and just wants to get on with the job. You can't take a horse like that who has already been on the hunting field for 10 years and start trying to turn it into a classically trained horse who can be controlled by your breathing (I know I'm exaggerating the point here for effect but it illustrates the point). Conversely, my new horse is the most beautifully mannered little hunter who I've taken out in a Happy Mouth French link and reasonably loose flash. He can be a little strong early in the day but he wouldn't dream of pulling, taking off or any of the nonsense the big one got up to. He goes in a loose flash though because he HATES a drop.

At no point did I suggest you would randomly approach people to question their tack choices... so I'm confused by that comment.
 
Sorry, that wasn't aimed at you chestnutcob, it was a general comment as a few times people have posted remarks about it being nobody else's business what tack people use.
 
Spring Feather said:
I don't stand around watching and making judgements on others who use different tack.
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Neither do I but when the thread asks for opinions, surely, the point is to give an opinion even if it differs from someone else.
I wouldn't dream of telling anyone in RL what I thought about their tack unless asked. Forums are for an exchange of ideas and experiences.
 
I too think a flash is a rubbish halfway between a drop and a grackle.

Don't get me wrong, I have put a flash on occasionally to see if there is improvement but it has always been intended as temporary and generally conclude it is not the answer. I accept that others might find them useful but hope they have put thought into it rather than doing what others do etc.

I know a lot of people who are quite negative about grackles, I find it strange when flashes are so commonplace!
 
The flash was invented to enable people who wanted to use a drop nose band or a grackle but also needed a standing martingale. That is the whole purpose of the invention of the flash, not to inhibit the breathing as suggested or to strap the mouth shut. If it is correctly fitted then it causes no more discomfort than any other most band
 
There are some real numpties on here.

I have had two horses who I have put in flashes at competitions. Both fine at home, but got a little excited at comps. Put a well fitting flash on, and it helped both me and the horse.

A flash strap also comes in useful if you have a nose net - the flash helps to hold the net down. (I went out on a windy day without the flash and with the net - flipping thing was flapping around all over the place.) Put flash strap on, hey presto problem solved.

Just because you dont use it, doesnt mean that every horse and owner are in the same boat.
 
I will use one if it is needed. I never do it up so tight it digs into the horses skin though as I see at college.
My 14.3 carries more tension in her jaw with a flash than without one so I don't use one on her-she came with a flash.
My 13.3 used to be ridden in a dutch gag and flash, instructor recommended a drop and she was back to a plain old snaffle within a week if that. Neither in any dental pain.
 
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