Why so many flash nosebands?

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thespanishmane

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Got a bee in my bonnet re: flash nosebands. Not drops, grackles, cavessons or tie backs, just flashes.

A quick survey of a regular monthly magazine revealed that out of all the horses featured wearing bridles, (which was 72) no fewer than 57 were wearing flash nosebands! The 15 that were not were 5 grackles, 2 plain cavesson and 8 tie backs on a double bridle............amazing!

so, do we think that they are being used because:
1. Everybody else does
2. Every bridle seems to come with one
3. It is really necessary
This is just a bit of an observation - nothing else going on here except curiosity. However i did notice some of them were so tight there was a horrible bulge between the flash strap and the noseband!

comments please!
 
I think because bridles all come with them. It drives me crackers! Trying to find a plain noseband on a bridle that costs under £100 is not easy!

I think I'm a weirdo as I use a totally ordinary cavesson :confused:
 
Because horse evades bit/opens mouth/rushes etc... far too difficult to change bit/find one to fit comfortably. Strap on a flash, problem solved!!!!!

I only think half would say the above, the rest would just say, it came with the bridle...
 
Mostly just because bridles come with them I suppose, otherwise IMO drops are far better (and you don't see too many people using standing martingales any more which was why flashes were designed :rolleyes:).

You can get any half decent saddler to remove the flash look from a bridle if you just want a cavesson/crank though, that's what I have had done to all mine and you can't tell they have been altered :)

I tend to go noseband-less though, unless competing when he has to, in which case he generally wears a loose crank.
 
jesstickle said:
I think because bridles all come with them. It drives me crackers! Trying to find a plain noseband on a bridle that costs under £100 is not easy!

I think I'm a weirdo as I use a totally ordinary cavesson :confused:
Click to expand...

This ^^

Mine are all plain cavessons & it was a right pain to get a cheap yard bridle - I ended up cutting off the flash loop :mad:
 
black_horse said:
TBF most bridles come with a flash as standard.... im looking for a nicely padded drop noseband at the moment...can ifind one?!
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I use a drop noseband when one of the Spanish chaps gets a bit yawpy, otherwise they are nosebandless. I seem to think that I saw a 'Spanish Riding School' bridle being advertised some time ago, that featured only a drop noseband with their snaffle bridles (no other option - drop or nothing!) - I think it was called 'kollection' or some such and may have been manufacured by Albion. I could have been dreaming though.......:rolleyes:
 
i agree that trying to find a nice sensibly priced bridle without a flash is a nightmare.
I ended up buying one for dressage that had a removable piece that you could take off to convert from flash to cavesson.

I dont use a noseband for everyday riding but my new instructor has asked me to try to use one to help Chico accept the bit. She did mention a flash too but i conveniently ignored that bit...;) :D
 
A normal plain/hunter noseband, fitted in the correct place does exactly what a drop-noseband does, and it does it where there is no risk of damaging the soft part of the nose/restrict breathing.

It's more humane as the horse can be allowed minor movements of the jaw to help with swallowing and moving the tongue and licking/chewing to stop the jaw from aching (which is a cause of headshaking).

If you have a well fitting bit that is comfortable, the horse won't show discomfort by opening the mouth, or side evasions, tongue over bit etc...

There are thousands of different bits out there - no excuses!
 
This is one of my soapboxes!

I've noticed though that bridles are slowly changing back to cavessons :D

So saying... Just bought GM a Caldene black leather with bling flash noseband bridle :o She needs a standing martingale through this period - head goes up to the vertical, so a period with a flash and standing is required. We're working on finding the right bit for her (on about number ten st the moment!).
 
I cannot stand the flash nosebands and use a drop noseband when I feel the need. Was given a drop noseband for my Highland Pony that was formerly used on a Clydesdale x that was sold to a Belgium rider and went to the Olympics back in the 90s. (Yep, his head really is that big. Gulp.) It looks to be getting easier to buy them without the flash noseband here, so hopefully that will happen in the UK too. Ebay is a great source of hard to find stuff. You just have to be patient sometimes.
 
It is damn hard to buy a bridle with a caveson noseband, every bridle I saw in a shop recently was armed with a flash. My drop noseband is now old and the leather is stiff (even though I soap it after every ride) but can I buy one in a shop? Can I heck, I have to order one especially!!
 
It tends to go like this, a few years ago all you could get was a drop nose band its almost like a fashion thing. I do not use mine so take them to local tack shop and they remove them. It the same with martingale stops and one time you would buy them if you needed them now all reins have them on hate it !
 
I don't like flash nosebands and much prefer grackles, if necessary at all: they adhere much more comfortably to the horse's face, distribute pressure more evenly (and, I daresay, look better too;)). It is difficult to find a normal cavesson in tack shops these days, I agree. Nothing beats a good old, loose cavesson...
Plus flashes are VERY popular and fashionable (even for those who aren't bling-seekers).
 
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jesstickle said:
I think because bridles all come with them. It drives me crackers! Trying to find a plain noseband on a bridle that costs under £100 is not easy!

I think I'm a weirdo as I use a totally ordinary cavesson :confused:
Click to expand...

Same here! Drives me mad that most bridles have flashes included, WHY?! I think so many people use them purely without thinking. Sorry, but cavesson for me thanks and done up loosely - so many people seem to do up their noseband ridiculously tight!
 
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I've never actually used a flash. I've only ever used a plain cavesson or hunter type noseband, I dont see the need for them at all. I dont think theyre very nice to the horses either, I'd rather make sure my horse was happy than strap it up and wonder why it wont work properly...
 
I bought my horse several years ago. He came with a flash bridle, after continuing using it on him for a few months one day I decided to take it off. (it was removable) no difference at all to his way of going. Neither do I use anything but a cavasson on my other horse. I think half the time they're not needed..along with a lot of other tack I'm sure :/ after reading the above posts I may well get rid of the noseband full stop on my big boy..the other one helps keep the bridle on his head! Lol
 
I have used a flash as the grackle rubbed my boys' face, it was a high ring one though. He is currently in a loose crank cavesson (nicely padded and came with the bridle). What really bugs me is when people do it up the 'wrong' side (on the offside) or when it is back to front so the buckle is upside down and the spare part of the flash strap goes through the top noseband loop rather than through the keeper under the jaw. Hopefully you guys understand my waffle-y description!! It could just be that I am an ocd neat freak when it comes to bridle buckles?!?! :/
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
This ^^

Mine are all plain cavessons & it was a right pain to get a cheap yard bridle - I ended up cutting off the flash loop :mad:
Click to expand...

Agree plus another gadget.........whatever happened to plain! Evade bit cant remember that happening too much! It looks the part too.............mine came with flash and got rid of it as another little buckle to do up and changed to plain in fact at one stage I even removed nose band!
Mine had been driven as strong in mouth as could be and ended up with full french link. Fine. He has brakes or runs out of steam! Also after a year dawned on me he knows the word command" Whoa" if I growl and he stops very fast!! Of course he had been driven! doh!
 
I don't even use a nose band on most off mine, no point don't need them. Only one off mine has a grackle as she's a cow bag with crossing her jaw. If you don't need a flash,drop or grackle why bother with a cavason? They don't do anything
 
thatsmygirl said:
If you don't need a flash,drop or grackle why bother with a cavason?
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I use one because I like the way it looks. It isn't doing the horse any harm but I much prefer him in one :)

For all those struggling to find a day to day cavesson bridle - I bought the Cottage Craft Sovereign Lincoln bridle - it was only about twenty five quid and it's doing very well so far!
 
tallyho! said:
A normal plain/hunter noseband, fitted in the correct place does exactly what a drop-noseband does, and it does it where there is no risk of damaging the soft part of the nose/restrict breathing.

It's more humane as the horse can be allowed minor movements of the jaw to help with swallowing and moving the tongue and licking/chewing to stop the jaw from aching (which is a cause of headshaking).
Click to expand...

How tight do you think a drop is!? The whole point of a drop is that it can be fitted loosely.

They are also useful for things other than strapping the jaw shut - they help keep the bit very still in the mouth.

I use one, and mine is certainly loose enough to allow swallowing, moving the tongue etc, as they manage to steal hay/hedge etc should they be cheeky enough to try!
 
For the record, I bought a bridle with a flash noseband and I use it without the flash strap and I have left the loop on. I like to view it as a symbol of defiance :D

I don't use no noseband as BH has a big plain face and looks revolting without one. It does absolutely no harm the way I fit it (correctly) so I will, on this rare occasion, admit that it is sheer vanity :o
 
I've never had a prob finding plain cavesson bridles, our tackshop had loads and got the two tbs a new mark todd one each, cheapish and cheerful and will do them until they can prove to me they are world beaters!! Neither of them wear a flash, neither of them need to, if anything they are tons better without
 
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