What is a caverson noseband actually for?

[SouthWestWhippet]

I've taken mine off cos it just seemed like more tack to clean.

What is their actual purpose? They seem to be only used to 'finish off' the look of a bridle but surely that can't be true.

What with all the debates raging about using flash nosebands and martingales unnecesarily - is the caverson noseband truly the ultimate 'misused' piece of tack being that it serves no purpose at all or am I missing a crucial reason behind it's existence?

 

[Damnation]

I have always thought that it was mainly for show, like you I took mine off and it didn't make a blind bit of differance

 

[katie_and_toto]

It's partly for appearance, some people think it makes the horse's head look smarter than without one. Also you can attatch a standing martingale to a cavesson, but not to a drop or grackle.

 

[MrsElle]

I have taken the nosebands of my two bridles, doesn't make any difference it seems.

 

[Ezme]

it can balence out a long face cosmetically but the main reason is attaching other stuff too

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

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Also you can attatch a standing martingale to a cavesson, but not to a drop or grackle.

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Oh yes, of course. I forgot about this.

But you do tend to mostly see them used for show in my experience.

 

[Elle1085]

I've been told to do them up tight otherwise they're not worth having so i guess they do something i don't think i'd go without on a strong horse

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

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I've been told to do them up tight otherwise they're not worth having so i guess they do something i don't think i'd go without on a strong horse

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that's interesting because the BHS/Pony Club teach you to be able to fit two fingers under a caverson noseband. I always thought that if you were doing it up really tight in essence you were misusing it as a crank noseband?

But I can see what you mean, done up tightly it does restrict a horse a small amount from opening his mouth which is useful if they are strong... but there is a specialist noseband for this so I'm still not 100% convinced that the caverson genuinely has a purpose here

(not saying you are doing anything wrong, just arguing the other side

)

 

[Elle1085]

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I've been told to do them up tight otherwise they're not worth having so i guess they do something i don't think i'd go without on a strong horse

[/ QUOTE ]

that's interesting because the BHS/Pony Club teach you to be able to fit two fingers under a caverson noseband. I always thought that if you were doing it up really tight in essence you were misusing it as a crank noseband?

But I can see what you mean, done up tightly it does restrict a horse a small amount from opening his mouth which is useful if they are strong... but there is a specialist noseband for this so I'm still not 100% convinced that the caverson genuinely has a purpose here

(not saying you are doing anything wrong, just arguing the other side

)

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But i have been corrupted by a certain show jumper mr BW who the pony club and bhs would not look favourably upon

and the purpose of my cavesson is to look pretty cos i don't like doing it up too tight anyway

 

[helly86]

I gon't use one -more to clean!!!!

 

[elr468]

It's just part of the traditional bridle, for show, has no other purpose.

 

[martyfisch]

I read somewhere it's function is to prevent/ reduce the impact on a horse's jaw if it falls on its face/ chin. If it can't open its mouth then there's less chance of the jaw being broken or something. It was on the sustainable dressage website.