Noseband
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A noseband is the part of a horse's bridle that encircles the nose. Its primary function is to remind the horse to keep its mouth closed, to prevent a horse from evading the bit by opening the mouth, and as an attachment for equipment, such as a standing martingale.
A bridle does not necessarily need a noseband, and many, such as those used in Western-style riding, usually do not have one. Some horses, especially sport horses shown in-hand, do not use a noseband because it shows off their head.
Types of Nosebands
- Plain Cavesson: a noseband that encircles the nose 1-2 inches below the cheekbone. This type of noseband is seen in most English disciplines, especially in dressage, show hunters, and field hunters.
- Flash: a noseband that is similar to the plain cavesson in that the top part encircles the nose 1-2 inches below the cheekbone, but it also includes a strap that runs from the cavesson, down in front of the bit, and under the chin groove, before coming back around to the cavesson. This second piece is used to help keep the horse's mouth closed and to keep the horse from crossing his jaw. A flash noseband may be used with a standing martingale when the martingale is attached to the cavesson piece. This noseband is usually seen at the lower levels of dressage, or in the dressage phase of eventing.
- Figure-eight/ Crossed/ Grakle: this noseband crosses from the top of the ckeekbone on one side, over the nose to the chin groove on the other side, under the horse's chin, and back up to the opposite cheekbone. It is used to remind the horse to keep its mouth closed and prevents him from crossing his jaw, but provides more expansion of the nostrils, which is preferable for horses preforming work involving galloping (eventing, polo, racing). Many people believe that this type of noseband is more comfortable than a flash.
- Drop: this noseband encircles the nose around the chin groove, as opposed to just below the cheekbone, with the strap well on the nasal bone. It reminds the horse to keep his mouth closed and prevents the horse from crossing his jaw. Due to its position, it should not be used with a standing martingale. A drop noseband is not as suitable for galloping work as the other nosebands, as it tends to restrict the nostrils too much. Although the drop used to be very popular in dressage, it is very rarely seen today.
- Crank: used on upper-level dressage horses, this noseband is similar to the plain cavesson except it is designed to be easy to get very tight, so as to remind the horse to keep his mouth closed and not evade the bit. It is also used occasionally on show hunters and hunt seat equitation horses.
- Kineton/ Puckle: more severe than the others listed above, the kineton has metal half-rings that pass under the bit, and a leather strap that sits below the bit. There is no strap to keep the horse's mouth closed. When pressure is applied to the bit through the reins, pressure is also applied to the nose. This noseband should only be used with a snaffle bit, and a martinage should not be attached to the noseband. This is most commonly seen in eventing on the cross-country phase, and in show jumping. This noseband is most suited for horses that are hard pullers, allowing the rider to ride lightly with a mild bit and still stop a strong horse.
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